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Money Saving Tips

Money saving....

18 years ago

In order to save money, stay home during these holiday sales!!

Too often we buy things on sale we really do not need, but, seeing a reduced price is temptation.

Krissie

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Comments (9)

beckyb
18 years ago
This is the first year I haven't gone shopping the day after Christmas in a long time. I have to admit reduced prices are a huge temptation for me.
This year I was cleaning out my bargain closet and found so many items that were "bargains" I purchased for gift giving but somehow were not suitable after all. I have donated these to a shelter and discovered I like having a closet for my use again. But say a prayer for me "The spirit is willing but the Flesh is weak"..... I need to go to the store on Saturday for allergy medicine and thats right by the Christmas stuff...LOL
Becky
ninos
18 years ago
Just yesterday i had to pick up a perscription for my DD. Of course i had to wait while they filled it so i hit the Christmas sale isles. I couldnt resist! They were calling me!
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If you haven't been paying off full balance owing on credit card debt, cut spending back as much as possible, to get on track, or back on track, of bringing the debt balance owing on the card(s) to zero each month. This is especially important on balances owing on store-issued cards, for most of them charge interest at over 25% annual rate. Regular Credit cards often charge 15% - 18% annual rate. I just received a report on my Line of Credit which, fully secured by equities, and unused at present, says that they are charging interest rate of 4.5% at present. That's a major extra benefit with owning liquid assets - they can be used as collateral for loans at much lower rates than that charged on unsecured loans. They add to one's peace of mind if one suffers temporary layoff, or termination due to downsizing, etc. It might be wise to take on one of those card offers that allow zero, or low, rate of interest on balances transferred in for several months. Check carefully whether there are extra fees, penalties, etc. Likely plan to charge nothing on such new cards, as many require that your future payments will go to pay off the low rate debt transferred in before your payments can be used to pay off amount owing on the new purchases. Which means that, after a few months, you'd be back in the situation where you had rebuilt a substantial debt balance on which you were required to pay interest at their regular high rate. Unless you could find a new carrier willing to carry balances transferred in at a low introductory rate. Check out all of the terms and conditions first, though, to avoid unpleasant surprises, later. Make a resolution to purchase gifts for various birthday, anniversary, Christmas and other gifting occasions when you find relevant products at any time of the year. That will avoid the stress of calculating how to afford Christmas just after Thanksgiving, this fall. Much of your costs will have been incurred at various times during the year when they were less stressful than if they're bunched together at Christmas. As I've often said, "Learning how money works is an interesting hobby - that pays well". I publish an occasional newsletter dealing with such subjects, as my years as a personal financial advisor led be to feel distress that so many people know so little about effective money management. Single copy free to anyone with email capability who asks. As many seem to judge that something received at no cost has little value, and the newsletter distills a lifetime of regular experience as well as substantial financial experience and training, I charge a negotiable fee for continuing to receive it, usually asking that much of it go to chjarities, including some international ones, for there are millions of homeless refugees in the world, wondering how they can feed their children when employmentis so scarce. Good wishes to each of you for as low-stress money management as possible. Good wishes to all for a memorable New Year. joyful guy/Ed
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Canadians may as well offer you "A penny for your thoughts" ... ... as it won't buy nuthin' else, these days. The bank'll (still) give you a quarter for 25 of 'em, to return to the Mint: don't know how much longer that'll last! Usually a litre (a bit over a quart per U.S. gal.) of 10% cream costs about upwards of $3.99 (in one store 5% usually costs $4.39 - don't ask me why!) . Quite often either kind is on sale for about $1.99. The other day one discount store had 5% cream on sale for 99 cents. If I'd bought two, the price would have been $$1.98 ... so they'd charge me $2.00, "rounding up" the 2 cents. When I bought three, price was $2.97 ... so they "rounded down" to $2.95: saved 2 cents rather than giving 2 cents extra. Trouble was ... those coated paper square canisters were swelled out a bit ... which often indicates that the milk-related contents are approaching the end of their useful life. Don't remember the code date ... but think that it's a couple of weeks in future, at least. What to do to avoid real waste due to spoilage? Gave one to landlord ... who ploughs and cultivates my/our garden ... and treats me well, otherwise ... refusing the loonie that he offered ... thus achieving some Brownie points. Gave another to son and his partner, who's using 1% milk in her coffee quite a bit of the time, for dieting reasons (son likes cream) ... she often gives me supper ... and I take the veggies from the large garden. Using the third myself, displacing the 10% cream carton that I had open ... and am reasonably confident that I don't need to worry about it going bad before it gets back into operation. Such are potential problems when changes are made in one's currency! ole joyfuelled
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we quit buying Christmas presents at least 10 years ago. I just said enough is enough. We never knew what to buy and all we were getting was things we didn't need or want. Examples like hot chocolate and candy, blankets and throws. I was tired of making the retailers richer and me poorer. Bah Humbug! I don't care if people call me a scrooge or not. We travel 3 hours and we came home with a bunch of stuff to carry in the house that we didn't need or want, and didn't know where to store it. DHB is asking what we need and we told him nothing. We can't think of a thing we need. We help our children out throughout the whole year when they need it. That is the way I save money. I had to make and bake some things for a craft fair and church bazaar tonight. I went to thrift stores and bought containers, bows, plates, ribbons and other things I needed. One of the stores even had 1/2 off between 2 and 4 every afternoon on everything. I bought things for 12 cents. I also bought some things at Dollar Tree where everything is a dollar. That way we can sell the things for less too.
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Have you read all the great forums available here? You'll pick up great info on so many of these forums. That Home Site Forums
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jannie
18 years ago
I've gone out twice since Christmas but only for needed groceries. I saw some snowflake shaped gift tags marked down from $1.99 to only $1 but I refuse to spend even one more dollar on holiday stuff. I've got enough decorations and paper, I do not need more! I'm sick of looking at my Christmas tree but it's gonna stay up till New Years.
User
18 years ago
I'm heading out this afternoon to look for Christmas clothes for next year. I saw some really cute sweaters at Macy's, but couldn't justify $40 for a child to only wear it a couple of times. Christmas socks are always a hit with us too. My kids love to make ornaments so I buy craft supplies on sale when I find them.
grainlady_ks
18 years ago
I think after Christmas is a great time to save money. I have an after-Christmas budget amount so that it's not a free-for-all, and we don't go into debt. It's a great time to get trays, mugs, and an assortment of containers that we use for homemade food we give to friends/family/neighbors.

The budgeted amount is the key....

-Grainlady
User
18 years ago
Krissie, Your tip works quite well all 365 days of the year!
sudiepav
18 years ago
After coming down with 36 hour flu the day after Christmas, I am now ready to venture out of my bedroom. I'm going to go where I usually go after Xmas - hospital gift shop (I'm also dropping off magazines at the emergency room there), the Hallmark store, and Steinmart. Theses places really cut their prices after Xmas to move stuff out. Mainly I buy ornaments as I give those as gifts to co-workers, but usually I find a goodie or 2 to save for girlfriends' gifts. If I have time this week, I may go to the chi-chi boutique places in our fancy suburbs which have darling things at outrageous prices, although, I found Xmas things on sale last spring at unbelievable prices. I have a budget and I stick to it. I love squirreling this stuff away and then "finding" it Dec. 1. And yes, I have a special closet to keep it in, as I'd NEVER unearth it if I scattered it about! Happy and thrifty new year to you all!
azzalea
18 years ago
I don't go nuts on the after Christmas sales, but we were looking for a new snowman for our front yard before Christmas--but hadn't found anything we liked at a price we wanted to pay.

Just the other day, we'd popped into the Christmas Tree Shops on our way out to dinner, and there was a lovely, bright, 4' tall snowman for only 14.99. At that price, it was too cheap to pass up. Too late to put it out this year, but DH put it together and has it decorating our living room--LOL!
jannie
18 years ago
I bought a string of Christmas tree lights 100 bulbs for $4.99. Putting it away till next year.

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