Wondering how to save money on Christmas shopping?
Consider this The Budget Diet Girl's Christmas shopping “Report Card”.
How I Saved Money on Christmas Shopping
Gifts – It's easy to save money on gifts when you don't give any…just kidding! Actually, in lieu of giving gifts this year, we decided to take a cruise with our extended family…can't wait! Instead of gifts for neighbors and girlfriends, I host an annual cookie exchange. When it comes to teacher gifts, they always get my Chocolate Kalua Cake. As a result, my Christmas shopping list is nonexistent!
Christmas Cards – When our children were younger, I would always spend hours making our Christmas cards. Now that they're all in high school and college, those crafty little cards are a little too cutesy. I must admit that taking a picture and ordering a Christmas card online is much less time consuming and surprisingly affordable with all the online deals. The key is to seek the best deal and not be loyal to any one particular store. I did a quick search on RetailMeNot.com, and I was able to quickly compare offers and get coupon codes from all the popular sites like Tiny Prints, Shutterfly, Snapfish, CVS and Vistaprint. The end result? 60% off with a coupon code to Vistaprint.
Christmas Supplies – Not a year goes by without a trip to Michael's thanks to a little too much inspiration from Pinterest. I'm talking about gift wrap, ribbon, decorating and craft supplies. The Budget Diet girl never, ever shops at Michael's without a coupon, and you shouldn't either! Thanks to the RetailMeNot Coupons App, I'll never forget a coupon again, and you won't either. You simply enter the name of the store, choose online or in-store shopping and all the available coupons will be revealed. The cashier scans the coupons straight from your phone…how easy is that?
Party Dress – This year, my husband's office Christmas party is in New York, and we live in South Florida. Nothing, absolutely nothing in my closet would work in thirty-degree weather. Of course, I didn't want to be a shivering spectacle arriving in a short, sleeveless cocktail dress with strappy sandals, bare legs and no coat. On the other hand, I didn't want to spend a bunch of money on a dress that I may never wear again. Dilemma, dilemma. What's a frugal gal to do? Head to the consignment store, of course! I found the perfect party dress at a consignment shop in a fancy part of town where many women won't wear the same dress twice. Great dress, great price.
How I Didn't Save Money on Christmas Shopping
Grocery Shopping – Plan meals, make a list, search for coupons and deals…that's what I preach, but I've been guilty of skipping the coupon part a few times this month. December is a crazy, busy month and in an effort to save time I didn't save money. Oops!
Let's all help each other save money! Please leave a comment to share how you saved money this Christmas season.
P.S. – I'll share my Chocolate Kahlua Cake Recipe on December 18th. If you're looking for the ultimate, over-the-top chocolate cake…this is it!
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image courtesy of Dream Designs, FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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This is a sponsored post written by me for RetailMeNot. Don't worry…all opinions are mine!
