For the broke and not loving it, the week or two following the holidays can be the absolute best opportunity to plan ahead for next year's decorative and gift giving joy.
Don't be afraid to start early, REALLY early. Make up your list of recipients for next year's festivities, set yourself a budget and go shopping to get a lot more for your money! Act fast to get the best deals and enjoy the peace of mind of knowing that in Holiday Season 2013 you'll be sitting back with a warm cup of cocoa while everyone else fights the holiday rush.
Happy shopping!
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Monday, December 24, 2012
Giving gifts when your pockets are empty
The holiday season is a time of joy and giving, right? A time when every heart should feel a bit lighter, a bit warmer and a lot more happy. This is the time to put aside your daily cares and remember what is truly important in your life. It's a time for love.
Yet for many, this time of year is one filled with anxiety and pain. Whether you want to give to others because you have bought into the society's rules of give til you break or you want to give for the beautiful reason of sharing your love for a person in a tangible way, when you are struggling just to pay your basic household expenses, gift giving becomes a source of guilt and hurt.
Some advise you to put aside a little money all year long, and this is truly good advice. But if you are frequently doing a balancing act between keeping food on the table and a roof above your head, you know darn well that every penny needs to go towards those priorities and it's just not easy to keep anything aside for the future.
So what to do? Well I have a suggestion. It will sound cheesy, it will sound maybe almost childish. But I'd like you to mull it over carefully before you reject it out of hand. Because if done with loving thought towards the recipient, it may be just what they needed.
Ready for it? Here it is: Homemade Gift Coupons. That's right, like your grade school teachers had you make for Mommy and Daddy. But instead of coupons like "one free hug" or "clean my room", you'll give a coupon for what that person really needs to make their lives a bit easier. This is a practical gift that costs nothing but time and thoughtfulness.
Let me use my own life to demonstrate the value:
I work anywhere from 45-60 hours in any given week depending on demands (thankfully the 60 hours is on the rare side). In addition to my work, I commute an hour in each direction. It's early when I leave and late when I get home. I have a wonderful husband and two rapidly growing children- a teenage girl and an almost pre-teen boy. My daughter dances 3 days a week and my son requires significant hands-on help to ensure his school work is completed. My husband works full time. We only have one car, which is always with me. Basically, my life is a little piece of insanity.
The kids devour all the food in sight and leave piles of dirty dishes. They are good kids but it's almost a full-time job in itself to remind them to clean up after themselves and to do chores. My husband and I are too exhausted between work, schoolwork, classes, appointments and dinner to do much of anything during the week. This means we shove a ton of cleaning, all the shopping and any other errands the family needs into two very short weekend days. In order to enjoy our time and do something outside the necessary, means putting aside things that need doing.
If someone came to me and gifted me with a coupon I could use in the future, that addressed any of these items, I would be ecstatic. For me, it could be something as simple as "One family dinner cooked for you" or "One night's dishes washed". Another great one would be "I'll run to the store for you to pick up some things". These are all gifts that cost nothing, but would make a huge impact in my life. And the closer you are to a person, the more you can offer.
A husband to a new stay at home mom could give her a coupon for a day without baby, to go out with her friend for coffee and window shopping.
A close friend could offer to clean up the kitchen and living room for a busy working family.
Going out for coffee may be great for the mom of teenagers who just needs some quiet time and an ear to talk to.
Gift giving should not be about the money you put into it, or the things you purchase, it's about understanding what the gift recipient truly needs right now and making it happen for them. So, if your pockets are empty but your heart is full, you now have a way to show how much you understand what a person is going through and how much you care.
Happy Gifting!
Yet for many, this time of year is one filled with anxiety and pain. Whether you want to give to others because you have bought into the society's rules of give til you break or you want to give for the beautiful reason of sharing your love for a person in a tangible way, when you are struggling just to pay your basic household expenses, gift giving becomes a source of guilt and hurt.
Some advise you to put aside a little money all year long, and this is truly good advice. But if you are frequently doing a balancing act between keeping food on the table and a roof above your head, you know darn well that every penny needs to go towards those priorities and it's just not easy to keep anything aside for the future.
So what to do? Well I have a suggestion. It will sound cheesy, it will sound maybe almost childish. But I'd like you to mull it over carefully before you reject it out of hand. Because if done with loving thought towards the recipient, it may be just what they needed.
Ready for it? Here it is: Homemade Gift Coupons. That's right, like your grade school teachers had you make for Mommy and Daddy. But instead of coupons like "one free hug" or "clean my room", you'll give a coupon for what that person really needs to make their lives a bit easier. This is a practical gift that costs nothing but time and thoughtfulness.
Let me use my own life to demonstrate the value:
I work anywhere from 45-60 hours in any given week depending on demands (thankfully the 60 hours is on the rare side). In addition to my work, I commute an hour in each direction. It's early when I leave and late when I get home. I have a wonderful husband and two rapidly growing children- a teenage girl and an almost pre-teen boy. My daughter dances 3 days a week and my son requires significant hands-on help to ensure his school work is completed. My husband works full time. We only have one car, which is always with me. Basically, my life is a little piece of insanity.
The kids devour all the food in sight and leave piles of dirty dishes. They are good kids but it's almost a full-time job in itself to remind them to clean up after themselves and to do chores. My husband and I are too exhausted between work, schoolwork, classes, appointments and dinner to do much of anything during the week. This means we shove a ton of cleaning, all the shopping and any other errands the family needs into two very short weekend days. In order to enjoy our time and do something outside the necessary, means putting aside things that need doing.
If someone came to me and gifted me with a coupon I could use in the future, that addressed any of these items, I would be ecstatic. For me, it could be something as simple as "One family dinner cooked for you" or "One night's dishes washed". Another great one would be "I'll run to the store for you to pick up some things". These are all gifts that cost nothing, but would make a huge impact in my life. And the closer you are to a person, the more you can offer.
A husband to a new stay at home mom could give her a coupon for a day without baby, to go out with her friend for coffee and window shopping.
A close friend could offer to clean up the kitchen and living room for a busy working family.
Going out for coffee may be great for the mom of teenagers who just needs some quiet time and an ear to talk to.
Gift giving should not be about the money you put into it, or the things you purchase, it's about understanding what the gift recipient truly needs right now and making it happen for them. So, if your pockets are empty but your heart is full, you now have a way to show how much you understand what a person is going through and how much you care.
Happy Gifting!
Sunday, December 23, 2012
A list o'savings and holiday deadlines
Still not done with your shopping but don't want to spend a lot of time in the store? Order online at www.walmart.com by 12pm 12/24 for in store pick up by 6pm. Applies only to select items showing availability "as soon as today".
Don't forget your four-legged friends, your slithery friends or even your vet or local animal shelter. Petco is offering up to 40% off at www.petco.com with no coupon code required, through 12/25. As an added bonus, get free standard shipping on orders of $49 or more, now through 12/31. Some exclusions apply. (Hint: Be sure to join the free PALS rewards program and get a $5 coupon for every $100 you spend as well as special savings by mail and e-mail)
Have a musician in your life? Visit www.sheetmusicplus.com and take advantage of sales of up to 20%. Need something fast? 10% of digital print titles! Buy it, print it, gift it!
Use my Friends and Family Office Max coupon code and save 20% on your purchases. Enter FRIEND20 at checkout. http://www.officemax.com/?EDID=J9ZOD4-X0N64-4DD3RW-NTH53R-2NV6U-v1&cm_mmc=Email-_-promo-_-wk52mp-_-Hero_Office_Max
Michaels has great coupons available on their website to print and take to the store. Can you say 50% off any regular priced item? I can (with a big grin on my face too!). Bonus coupons also available-
http://weeklyad.michaels.com/coupons/?showOverlap=true&cm_mmc=email-_-20121222Dyn-_-H1-_-weekly+ad
Don't forget your four-legged friends, your slithery friends or even your vet or local animal shelter. Petco is offering up to 40% off at www.petco.com with no coupon code required, through 12/25. As an added bonus, get free standard shipping on orders of $49 or more, now through 12/31. Some exclusions apply. (Hint: Be sure to join the free PALS rewards program and get a $5 coupon for every $100 you spend as well as special savings by mail and e-mail)
Have a musician in your life? Visit www.sheetmusicplus.com and take advantage of sales of up to 20%. Need something fast? 10% of digital print titles! Buy it, print it, gift it!
Use my Friends and Family Office Max coupon code and save 20% on your purchases. Enter FRIEND20 at checkout. http://www.officemax.com/?EDID=J9ZOD4-X0N64-4DD3RW-NTH53R-2NV6U-v1&cm_mmc=Email-_-promo-_-wk52mp-_-Hero_Office_Max
Michaels has great coupons available on their website to print and take to the store. Can you say 50% off any regular priced item? I can (with a big grin on my face too!). Bonus coupons also available-
http://weeklyad.michaels.com/coupons/?showOverlap=true&cm_mmc=email-_-20121222Dyn-_-H1-_-weekly+ad
Good Eats for Less with Restaurant.com
Get Restaurant.com $10 gift certificates for $2 when you use promo code PIECE at checkout. Expires at Midnight. My husband and I use these to try out new places or visit old favorites at a discount! www.restaurant.com.
Plus visit restaurant.com/feeditforward to electronically gift $10 restaurant.com gift cards to all your friends and family- for free- 15 per day! Visit this blog link for full details: http://thedish.restaurant.com/feed-it-forward-returns-for-a-5th-year/#more-2673
Plus visit restaurant.com/feeditforward to electronically gift $10 restaurant.com gift cards to all your friends and family- for free- 15 per day! Visit this blog link for full details: http://thedish.restaurant.com/feed-it-forward-returns-for-a-5th-year/#more-2673
Bath and Body Works Daily Special
Today's special in Bath and Body Works stores is $5 for all aromatherapy body washes, a savings of $9.
Other sales ending 12/24:
- Signature Collection Body Care- Buy 3 get 3 free
- 3 wick candles- 2 for $20
- Anti bacterial hand soaps- 4 for $15 or 6 for $20
Hot Topic: Buy One, Get 50% off One in store and online
Hot Topic stores and www.hottopic.com currently are running a fantastic sale- Buy one, get 50% off one. This is good on anything!
PLUS- right now they are offering a $15 Hot Cash coupon good on a January 17-27 purchase for every $30 you spend.
They have great jeans:
Music and music related clothing:
Even lingerie for your sweetie!
Enjoy!
PLUS- right now they are offering a $15 Hot Cash coupon good on a January 17-27 purchase for every $30 you spend.
They have great jeans:
Music and music related clothing:
Even lingerie for your sweetie!
Enjoy!
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Mmmmm..... Godiva savings!
For every $50 you spend now through 12/24, either in a Godiva store or at www.godiva.com receive a $10 rewards card for a future purchase. Their fine print is below. While you're there, take advantage of their free membership program like I did. You get rewards, special savings and one free chocolate a month from their display case just for walking into the store and scanning your card ( no purchase necessary). I love it!
Receive a $10 Reward Card for every $50 you spend in a single order (4 card limit)*
11/23/12 thru 12/24/12
11/23/12 thru 12/24/12
Spend $50 or more and receive 1 $10 reward card.
Spend $100 or more and receive 2 $10 reward cards
Spend $150 or more and receive 3 $10 reward cards
Spend $200 or more and receive 4 $10 reward cards
Spend $100 or more and receive 2 $10 reward cards
Spend $150 or more and receive 3 $10 reward cards
Spend $200 or more and receive 4 $10 reward cards
*Limit four (4) Reward Cards per person, regardless of order total, while supplies of cards last. Order totals are on a single order only. Multiple orders/purchases cannot be combined to meet minimum. Purchase minimums exclude shipping and tax. This offer is not combinable with any other offer. Cards earned through an online purchase will be mailed after 12/25/12. Cards will not be mailed outside the U.S. Return of any Card as undeliverable will result in forfeiture of card. GODIVA may substitute Card with another item of comparable or greater value, at its sole discretion, if Card becomes unavailable.
If used in-store, must be surrendered at the time of use. To use Reward Card online, enter card number in the GODIVA Gift Card section at checkout.
Reward Cards are redeemable 12/26/12 through 01/31/13 only at any Godiva Boutique in the U.S.A., Canada, and at Godiva.com. Not redeemable through 1-800-9-GODIVA. Cards are non-transferable. One-time use only. Any card balance remaining after single use is forfeited, except as required by law. If an order exceeds the amount of the Card, the balance must be paid with a credit card or other available payment method. Card cannot be combined with any promotional offer (except other Holiday Reward Cards and sale items), or Godiva employee discount. Card cannot be redeemed for cash or cash equivalent, except as required by law, applied to past purchases, used as payment on an account, or used for purchasing Godiva Gift Cards. If a return is made from qualifying purchase, Reward Card may be void and must be returned with original receipt. Treat Card like cash; it cannot be replaced if lost or stolen, except as required by law. Void where prohibited. This Card may not be resold by any unlicensed vendor or through any unauthorized channels such as online auctions. Use of Card constitutes acceptance of these terms and conditions. Issued by GODIVA Chocolatier, Inc.
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