Santa Savings

The magic of Christmas, I think, is almost more fun for the parents than their children. Every parent wants to see anticipation the night before. What that anticipation turns into, excitement or disappointment, Christmas morning is up to us. Wow.. pressure. Sure does sound like we have more fun. How do we make sure our children's expectations don't exceed the budget?

1. Santa does not give what mom and dad cannot afford. My parents explained this to me when I asked why my friends received more than I did... I mean that's just not fair. Santa will not give you a Porsche when you can't afford the insurance.
2. Santa respects mom and dad's wishes. He will not give what we, as parents, feel to be inappropriate or unnecessary. This is why your friends may get the Teen Rated games, exuberant amounts of candy, or a cell phone and you won't.
3. Santa does give what you need. Socks and underwear... Need I say more. Plus this gives you the opportunity to not have Santa give all the good stuff leaving you with nothing to show.
4. Not everything Santa gives you can find at a store. I mean isn't that the point of his workshop? DIY (Do it yourself) goodies and toys from Santa.
5. Only do what you can maintain. If you start small, you have someplace to grow from. Small children will often enjoy the wrapping paper and boxes more than the actual presents often times; and they can get overwhelmed and not care much past the first few items. Don't over do yourself just because you can. You set the standard now. Expenses grow with age naturally as their attention turns away from blocks and towards electronics. The pinch can be felt as well with more children being added to the equation. That's not to say that splurging once in a while is forbidden; children will, however, see a pattern in over-abundance year after year and will come to expect that.
6. Back to Basics- Growing up we always received an orange in the toe of our stockings. This turned into chocolate orange slices when the new product was introduced. Yummy. While I love all the new flavors of the chocolate orange I miss the meaning behind the orange. (An orange used to be one of those things received only on special occasions). What better way to have realistic expectations of Christmas when we bring meaning back into it. Plus you can always buy the chocolate oranges the day after half priced.

Now for some SHOPPING Savings

Online- What a world of savings the Internet has opened up to us. Almost all of our shopping can be done from home.

• I have heard from several people that they received all of the great 'Black Friday' deals without leaving their homes. No absurd hours, violent crowds, out-of-stock, or waiting in long lines. Most retailers will do a ship-to-store for free and you pick up at your convenience.
• Comparing prices becomes super easy without the commute to each individual store.
• Items can be found on classified pages, ebay, amazon, etsy, ect. for much cheaper than at the actual store. Use caution when shopping this way as you could easily spend way more if you don't know the value of something. Don't just assume you will always get it cheaper. And search 'lowest price + shipping.' You could easily get swindled with outrageous shipping costs.
• Google discount codes and coupons for the website/retailer you plan on purchasing from. Codes can be used when checking out online and coupons can be printed to use at an actual location. When comparison price shopping free shipping, getting a percentage, or dollar amount off can change which company is offering the best deal.

After Deals- The best time to shop for a holiday is the day after that holiday. Stores discount to get rid of inventory to make room for the next big gig.While some things like certain candies may go stale, other things do just fine waiting for the next year. Things like : wrapping paper, decorations, cards, Christmas clothing and special item gifts. Waiting til after the season is a good time to shop for winter apparel as well. I personally love indulging on novelty Christmas goodies for half price. I will usually wait til the after sales to purchase these; and no need to wait til next year to consume them as I waited all season.

Look Out- Keep your eyes and ears open all year long. Things go on sale or are discounted all year long. You will have more time to find the price you can afford. Listening early on can create a surprise for the person who forgot they wanted something.

Save the Difference- Allot an amount that can be spent on each person. When an item is purchased at a reduced price, still count it as the original price and tuck away the savings. This also prevents, unknowingly, making someone feel that more or less was given to them compared to someone else.

TIP-Monitor credit card statements. "Thieves know when to strike. Using your card when you are making big purchases can disguise their attack allowing them to buy more with your credit unnoticed. Purchases with on-line retailers are the number one place to look first for identity theft." ~Citizen's Credit Bureau~

Charlie Brown Christmas

Ahh Christmas. The time of year we remember our loved ones with gift giving. The time of year we stress over the perfect present, we interpret a persons worth by how much money is spent on them, we turn violent for Black Friday deals, and rack up our credit cards with intentions of paying them off with our tax returns all in name sake of giving a gift. Sounds just like the spirit of commercialism and bad credit.

My sister, in an effort to help everyone save money on a particularly financially strapped Christmas several years ago, came up with a way for us to celebrate Christmas in a more meaningful, less commercialized fashion. Our mother had joked that year that our Christmas would be as bare as a Charlie Brown Christmas tree and thus my sister coined, this new approach to gift giving, the 'Charlie Brown Christmas'.

HOW IT WORKS

All gifts exchanged between family members must be White Elephant or DIY. Money is only allotted for materials needed to complete a gift. Nothing is to be bought as the whole of the gift. While this might just sound like another way of being frugal it is actually a way to give more personalized thoughtful gifts.

White Elephant- Usually one would think of this as a clever way to get rid of something that no one wants but one has or just a gag gift. While already having it is a key factor it should be something that the other person needs, wants, or may enjoy. My sister learned one year that my grandmother was planning on giving me a food dehydrator. She begged my grandmother to take it back so that she could give me the one she received as a wedding gift but did not use enough to make it worth storing. My sister spent nothing and I received a fairly priced gift I really wanted.

On a separate occasion my mother, knowing my love for root beer freezies, gave me a never-been-used shake mixer that she had sitting in the box for years.

DYI (Do It Yourself)- Numerous gifts can be made cheaper yourself than bought from a store. Plus finding an item customized to fit unique color, size, ect can be daunting. My husband is very tall and likes to wrap scarfs around his face multiple times thus finding a scarf adequately long enough for him was a challenge. This made making him one the perfect idea. I had recently learned how to knit and now could custom make him a scarf that would not only be the right color but also the right length. I even had enough yarn left over to make a hat to match the following year.

My husband, one year, bought me a couple of pillows I had been admiring at a thrift shop. Upon bringing them home he threw them in the washer for a good clean only to find that the stuffing had exploded from inside the cases. With the help of his mother (purely instructional), her sewing machine he made new custom fit pillows, out of old pillows sitting in the back of the closet and spare fabric, to go inside the cases (as in he actually used the sewing machine).

Other DIY Ideas that my family have made-

• My brother made my father a saw horse.
• I fixed several of my sisters broken, childhood necklaces for her daughters.
• My husband cut, sanded, painted, and decaled a 2x4 into wooden blocks that spelled 'love (heart)' on one side and 'laugh' on the other. (Pictured above)
• I sewed my husband a pair of flannel PJ's.
• My brother-in-law cut, sanded, and stained a set of blocks of different shapes and sizes for his children.
• My grandmother crotchet a Christmas tree skirt for each grandchild's family.
• My husband and I quite frequently make chocolate covered pretzels and marshmallows to give to friends.
• My sister this year made pure vanilla extract to give away and little jars of chili spice mix for those who would have no use for vanilla.
• My husband is taking the concept of a homemade heating bag and is going to make our 1 1/2 year old daughter a teddy bear from jeans, filled with dry beans. Before we leave we warm it in the microwave and she will have something she can play with and stay warm.
• I'm making washable makeup pads out of bamboo fabric for my mother.

'Charlie Brown Christmas' isn't just about saving money.

At the end of the movie 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' the beautiful Christmas Tree was the same tree that Charlie Brown thought would be a good one; it just needed a little time spent decorating it. A gift that has thought and time put into it will mean more than a price tag. Its no longer just a good deal, something that we happened upon that matched qualifications, or an item requested off a wish list. It becomes personable.

My father went to a recording studio and recorded a few of the songs he had wrote and gave each of my siblings a copy. While this gift did cost quite a bit, a price tag could not have been placed on it. We all cried hearing his voice and guitar on something that will continue to play after he is gone.

Of all the Christmas's I have participated in, as an adult without mom/dad doing all the work, I have enjoyed the 'Charlie Brown Christmas's' the most. So much in fact that we, my husband and I, celebrate gift giving in the same manner now. The stress from finances and expectations are not missed. And it is so much fun to see, not only the thought and time spent on us, but also the talents our loved ones posses.

TIP- DIY gifts are great and meaningful for all occasions. My siblings and in laws love when I make them jam for their birthdays. And a friend made me a car seat cover for my baby shower that I love.

Alternative Cleaner

There are multiple, different cleaners for every item in your home: oven, stove top, toilet bowl, bathtub, wood, tile, rust, calcium deposits to just name a few of the individual jobs they may accomplish. I tried sticking to multipurpose cleaners to avoid having a closet full and still wound up with a good sized inventory. It wasn't until I was pregnant and choking on the fumes of everyday household cleaners that I became determined to find an alternative.

Vinegar and baking soda. Vinegar disinfects while baking soda is abrasive. NEVER MIX VINEGAR WITH BLEACH (creates toxic fumes).

• Kitchen- Dilute vinegar, half water, to clean sinks, counter tops, and stove tops. Sprinkle with baking soda for tough messes and use undiluted vinegar.

• Bathroom- Clean almost everything in the bathroom with undiluted vinegar. Clean by wiping down fixtures with vinegar. For built up scum wipe/spray area with vinegar, sprinkle with baking soda and scrub; or sprinkle the baking soda directly onto your sponge and scrub. Let vinegar sit in your toilet bowl and scrub. For stubborn toilet bowl rings combine vinegar and baking soda.

• Windows/Mirrors- Dilute vinegar, half water, in a spray bottle. Once the window or mirror is dry use a clean dry cloth (preferably microfiber) to rub off water spots.

• Bare Floors- Add vinegar to a bucket of water to mop. For an extra thorough clean, sprinkle a small area with baking soda, drizzle vinegar, and scrub. Use a wet rag to wipe up baking soda as if cleaning a counter covered in crumbs; a mop will leave a gritty texture as it just pushes the baking soda around. Dry with a towel to prevent streaking.

• Drains- For slow running drains pour baking soda down and then vinegar. If the drain is completely clogged this may create more build up.

• Fabrics and Carpets- Use diluted vinegar to clean carpets or furniture of spills and smells. Great way to get rid of pet urine. Always test on small area before using. Although I have not encountered a problem yet, all my furniture is second hand.

Pros of using Vinegar and Baking Soda

-They are just another ingredient in numerous recipes that we eat frequently; in other words, non lethal if accidentally swallowed by our little ones or inhaled ourselves.

-They just replaced your kitchen, bathroom, floor, and drain cleaners.

Tips- Have a spray bottle filled with equal parts vinegar and water for more convenient cleaning. Vinegar and baking soda works on removing rust as well.