June 20, 2013

Posts Comments

Have Questions? Call us:

Get a call back Chat online with a counselor
As Featured In: abclogo cbslogo nbclogo newsweek newyorktimes
You are here: Home / Holiday Spending

How to Throw a 4th of July Party on a Budget

June 18, 2013 By Leave a Comment
How to throw a Fourth of July party on a budget

http://salinaradio.todayinkansas.com/files/2013/03/fireworks-02.jpg

This summer sure is flying by! It feels like the weather only just warmed up, and now we’re just over two weeks away from the 4th of July! The Fourth has been my favorite holiday for years because my parents always throw a fantastic party at their lake house, so I wanted to share some of the tips I’ve picked up from them over the years on how to throw a 4th of July party on a budget.

Buy in bulk instead of making everything by hand. This is especially helpful if you’re having a big crowd. Purchasing individual ingredients to make each dish yourself may be a little cheaper, but for the amount of food you may need, it’ll cost you in time. You can buy big tubs of coleslaw, potato salad, and other cookout favorites from Sam’s Club or another warehouse store for a relatively low price. If you plan to supply alcohol, it’s often cheaper to buy beer at these places too, depending on where you live.

Ask your guests to bring either a side dish or dessert. If you supply the main dish, such as barbeque or hot dogs and hamburgers, it will save you a bundle (and lots of time!) to have your guests help with the rest of the meal.

Start buying ingredients for you dishes now if you find them on sale. Many perishable items can be frozen, so you can stock up on sale items now and still have them fresh on party day.

Nothing says Fourth of July like red, white, and blue decorations! Don’t bother going to Party City or some other expensive party store. The dollar store has everything you need, from American flag plates and napkins to patriotic table cloths and centerpieces. Shopping at the dollar store for any party or holiday décor is a great way to save, actually, so check out our blog post Confessions of a Dollar Store Shopper.

If you don’t have any lawn games, ask your guests to bring theirs, because they’ll be a huge hit at the party! At my parents’ party, we always have some competitive badminton games, plus horseshoes and corn hole. Put out some Frisbees and water guns for the kids (available at the dollar store, too!) and everyone will be entertained.

One of my favorite parts of my parents’ party is watching fireworks with the rest of the guests. We walk down the hill to the water to watch the fireworks show that’s put on across the lake. If your home isn’t in a convenient location for fireworks, consider holding the party at a local park with a picnic shelter or somewhere else with a good view of the show. The advantage to this is that a park has plenty of built-in entertainment, but a disadvantage is that it may be difficult to transport all that food.

Have you ever thrown a 4th of July party? What are your best tips for celebrating the Fourth on a budget?

Filed Under: Featured, Food, Holiday Spending, Money Saving Tips

Frugal Father’s Day Gift Ideas

June 13, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Tips for a cheap father's day

http://slideshow-studio.com/slideshow/files/2013/05/fathers-day3.jpg

Seems like only a couple weeks ago we were celebrating Mother’s Day, but now Father’s Day is only a few days away already! I may be a little biased, but I’m pretty sure I have the best dad in the world. The problem? He’s impossible to buy gifts for! His two big interests are fishing and golf, but I feel like over the years I have given him more little fishing and golf knick knacks and household décor than he has room for! So I never have any idea what to get him without spending a fortune. If your dad is just as hard to buy for, try some of our tips below to find him a great gift that won’t cost half your paycheck.

Dads love food. It’s so easy to bake up a batch of his favorite cookies, even if you don’t have much experience in the kitchen. I like to make oatmeal cookies for my dad. They’re inexpensive and one of his favorites, so this is a gift he always loves. If you want to get more creative than just cookies, I suggest looking for delicious dessert recipes on Pinterest – you won’t believe some of the easy, tasty treats you can find there! In my opinion, few things are better than home cooked gifts.

Save up those rewards program points to cash in on a gift card to Dad’s favorite store. I am not a big fan of giving gift cards because they don’t feel very personal, but some people are so hard to buy for that I’d rather let them pick out something they want or need. I will occasionally get my dad a gift card to Bass Pro Shops or Golf Galaxy, since I have no idea what kind of fishing or golfing equipment he really needs.

Department stores have tons of cool gadgets and gizmos for dads, and they send out coupons all the time! My sister recently
received a $10 off of a $10 or more purchase from JC Penney, which she used on a few clearance items that together made up a fantastic gift that Dad will love. (I can’t say what she bought in case Dad reads this, but I’m sure you can find something for your dad too!)

Use photo sites like Snapfish to make personalized creations for Dad to display around home or his office. From photo books to photo blankets and puzzles, the options are virtually endless. Be sure to look for coupon codes for a better deal!

Offer to spend a day with Dad if you live nearby, doing anything he wants. Go to lunch together, catch a movie, or stay home, cook
dinner, and look at old family photos. Time is probably the best gift you can give someone, and Dad will love some extra time with his favorite child! :)

Look at sites like GroupOn or LivingSocial for deals on new experiences or lessons he might enjoy. My brother recently bought Dad a one-on-one golf lesson, but if that’s not your dad’s thing, I have seen activities that include everything from flying an airplane to driving a racecar to horseback riding. It’s hard not to find something that will interest him on those sites.

What are your best tips for frugal Father’s Day gift ideas?

Filed Under: Featured, Holiday Spending, Money Saving Tips, Shopping

6 Tips for a Cheaper Valentine’s Day

February 6, 2013 By 2 Comments

http://topwalls.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Red-Roses-Petals-Love.jpg

Ahh…Valentine’s Day. What an odd holiday. I think it’s silly to spend a fortune on expensive candy and jewelry to show someone you love them on this one single day of the year because you’re expected to do so. I believe in doing small things every day to show my love for my special someone, and that’s way more meaningful than an expensive Valentine’s Day gift. But there’s nothing wrong with showing your sweetie a little extra love. That’s why my boyfriend and I take a casual approach to Valentine’s Day. We can think of many more frugal, less over-the-top ways to say “I love you” than blowing our savings on a fancy dinner out and marked-up jewelry – so I’d like to share with you some of our ideas for making the day special.

  1. Skip the fancy dinner and expensive bottle of wine and cook together at home. This is probably what we’ll be doing on the big day because we love cooking together. Think of how much you could save by only having to pay for the ingredients of the recipe. Make a romantic table setting complete with candles and wine, and you’ll be glad you stayed in.
  2. If you really want to get dressed up and go out, cook at home first then go out for dessert. You know how you always see amazing-looking desserts on the menu but you’re too full from the entrée to order them? You can if that’s all you’re going for!
  3. See what free or inexpensive events are going on in your area. Perhaps there’s a free concert or a cheap play you could see at the local university. I was able to turn up a few events in my area with a quick Google search.
  4. Look at pictures of yourselves as a couple from the time you met until the present. You’ll remember events or conversations you hadn’t thought of in ages, and taking a trip down memory lane together will make you feel closer. If you’ve kept mementos from your relationship, pull those out too.
  5. Consider DIY gifts. I always make my boyfriend some type of baked good for holidays or his birthday – last Valentine’s Day I made chocolate chip cookie dough truffles. Sounds fancy, but they were so easy to make and of course he loved them! Other great DIY gifts are scrapbooks or a letter that tells your honey how much you love him or her.
  6. If you’re going to get your sweetie roses, don’t order them from the florist! They’ll be marked way up for the big day. I’ve received some beautiful bouquets that came from the local supermarket, and they actually lasted longer than flowers from the florist did. Sure, they’ll still be marked up at the grocery store, but you won’t have to pay excessive delivery fees or anything else. And another tip: consider something other than roses to save even more.

Above all, just enjoy your evening together. Your Valentine will treasure the memories you created together long after her roses have wilted away. And with our tips, both of you can have a special day without the credit card debt as a reminder.

Filed Under: Featured, Food, Holiday Spending, marriage/relationships, Money Saving Tips

Tax Season Uncertainty: How Will It Affect You?

January 3, 2013 By Leave a Comment

http://www.american.com/graphics/2007/november/Featured_taxes.jpg

If you’re looking to get a head start on filing your taxes this year, you may be out of luck. Tax season usually lasts from mid-January to mid-April, and many families file taxes well before the April deadline, hoping to receive their refunds early as well. But this year, due to Congress acting so late on the Fiscal Cliff, the IRS will be behind on updating its forms and systems based on the new laws. So far, no date has been announced for when consumers can start to file their taxes.

So what does this mean for you? Well, it means your refund will probably arrive later than you hoped if you intended to file early. Many families often file early to use their refund to pay off credit card debt incurred around the holidays – if your family was one of those, you may have to find other ways to pay until the return comes through.

The IRS has only announced that they’ll have more information available “soon” but has not given us anything more specific than that. A similar issue happened about two years ago, when lawmakers came to an agreement in mid-December, pushing the date to begin filing back to mid-February. This year, lawmakers didn’t come to an agreement on the issues until January 1, so tax season may be pushed back even further this year.

Stay tuned to CESI and we’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available. In the meantime, you may want to be saving extra money if you had already planned to have your tax return available early this year. Be sure to follow our Twitter account, @cesidebt, and our Facebook page, to stay in the know about the upcoming tax season!

Filed Under: Consumer News, Debt, Featured, Holiday Spending, In The News, Taxes

After-Christmas Shopping Tips

December 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment

http://www.focusonstyle.com/wp-content/uploads/migrated/blog/after-christmas-sales/23024-1-eng-US/After-Christmas-Sales-Online-To-gift-yourself-is-very-good_blog_image.jpg

Like Black Friday, spending the day after Christmas shopping is a tradition for millions of Americans. In my opinion, December 26 is actually a much better day to shop. Not only are there fewer crowds (there will definitely be crowds – but it won’t be as bad as Black Friday), stores often have better prices on many items. Here’s my list of the top items to buy the day after Christmas (and if you can’t make it out today, many stores will keep their sales going for a few days).

Christmas décor, gift wrap, tags, etc. Most stores mark down these items to 50% off for the first few days or a week or so after Christmas, so it’s a great time to stock up for next year. The longer you wait, the bigger the discounts get – by this time next week, a lot of items will be 75% off. I like to give ornaments as gifts, so this is a great time to stock up for cheap. And if you’ll need a new artificial tree next year, now’s the time to buy it.

Gift sets. It seems like you can buy anything in a gift set, from sausages and cheese to perfume, body wash, and makeup. These are specifically put out for the holidays and they’re discounted immediately after. Sometimes you can even find coupons for them – for example, I have a $3 off Axe holiday gift set that doesn’t expire until New Year’s Eve. That will be marked down 50% off from around $10 to around $5 at many stores, so I plan to get this for my boyfriend for about $2. Non-food gift sets are great to put away for next year, save them for a birthday, or give them as a holiday gift to someone you won’t see until after Christmas is over.

Holiday food. Whether it’s sausage or holiday-themed candy, it’ll be at least half off today, so stock up! I use a lot of candy like M&M’s for baking, so it doesn’t matter if they’re red and green. And there are some foods I love that I only see around the holidays, so I pick up a few extras to last a little longer.

Beach towels. What, in December? Yes! Many stores try to sell them as gifts, and there won’t be much more demand for them until spring, so these should be discounted as well. Buy them cheaper now and you won’t have to pay full price in May!

Calendars. You know those pop-up stores at the mall that sell calendars and games? They need to move the rest of their inventory in the next few weeks before shutting down for the season, so their merchandise will be heavily discounted.

Clothes. There are great clothing sales this time of year. Sometimes stores are already trying to get rid of some of their winter merchandise, and if anything is leftover from summer,  it’s likely to be around 80-90% off. I have found some amazing clothing deals this way.

Remember, most of these sales will last for several days, so figure out which of your favorite stores are having the best sales so you can plan your shopping trip. Don’t forget to look for store coupons to save even more!

Filed Under: Featured, Holiday Spending, Money Saving Tips, Shopping

Tips for a Cheaper Holiday Celebration

December 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

http://cdn.sheknows.com/articles/2012/12/variety-of-christmas-cookies-horiz.jpg

The holidays are here once again and that means you’re probably spending a fortune on gifts and are preparing to host company or visit family. That means you’ll still be spending even more money before the holidays are over. But don’t drain your bank account just yet. There are several things you can do to make the rest of the holidays a little less expensive.

Get creative with your wrapping paper. Buying several rolls of paper adds up, so we often get creative in my family. You’ve probably heard of using comics from the newspaper as wrapping paper, but here are a few other ideas. We always have Mylar balloons leftover from someone’s birthday, so we’ll let the air out, cut them up, and wrap gifts in them. My dad owns a construction company and often has large rolls of plan paper from previous job sites, and he no longer needs it – so when I was younger, we’d wrap gifts in that paper and decorate the blank side for custom wrapping paper.

Make your own gift tags. You could use old greeting cards or some other scraps you have around the house, and cut them into whatever shape you want. No need to buy tags!

Make homemade gifts. Browse sites like Pinterest for tons of ideas of easy, cheap, handmade goods. Or if you’re not the crafty type, baking is always a great option because who doesn’t love receiving a tin full of goodies? (And wouldn’t those cookies pictured above make a cute gift?) I love to buy people gifts but my family is huge, so I buy each person a small gift and add baked goods to it so I have a little more to give. I’ve found some great holiday recipes off Pinterest as well.

You don’t have to spend a fortune on decorations. Artificial trees last for years, so there’s no need to spend a lot of money on a tree unless you want a real one every year. Check out the dollar store for other decorations. I’ve bought everything from ornaments to tins for my baked goods to serving trays at the dollar store. And remember that you don’t have to go with the best of everything if you can’t afford it. My boyfriend and I were looking at stockings at Target, and they were around $15 each! Definitely out of our budget for a stocking. Then we saw some $1 stockings, and yes, they were very plain and not as fancy as the $15 ones, but I wrote our names on them with paint and they look very nice hanging in our apartment. Maybe one day we’ll buy the $15 stockings, but these serve the same purpose and we could afford them.

If you’re hosting holiday company, look for cheap entertainment. There are tons of free events going on this time of year, from town-sponsored holiday events to church concerts or local university theater shows. Just piling everyone into the car to look at Christmas lights can be great entertainment. Or play an old-fashioned board game together! There are endless opportunities for free or low-cost entertainment.

What tips do you have for cheaper holiday celebrations? Share with us in the comments!

Filed Under: Cheap Living, Featured, Food, Holiday Spending, Money Saving Tips, Shopping

FTC’s Tips for a Happy Holiday

December 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment

http://inspiration.vistaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Holiday-shopping.jpg

Earlier this month, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent consumers a list of 12 holiday shopping tips to not only help you be a smarter shopper, but to also keep your information more secure. Some of these may seem like common sense, but it’s easy to get caught up in the holiday chaos and unintentionally overspend or unknowingly give to a charity that’s actually a scam. Follow the FTC’s advice to be sure you have the happiest holiday possible.

  • Make a budget and stick to it. Make a list whenever you go out shopping, and don’t buy anything that’s not on your list – this will help you stick to your budget. Wrapping paper, bows, gift tags, and tape aren’t cheap, so don’t forget to include those in your budget, plus any money you might spend on food, parking, etc. while you’re out shopping.
  • Read product reviews to make sure you’re getting a quality item. The FTC suggests reading and comparing reviews on several sites. I’ve personally found that checking reviews on Amazon is sufficient for most items, but do plenty of research for large purchases.
  • Mobile shopping apps are helpful, but the FTC cautions that some may gather and share your information for third parties. It’s always helpful to read reviews of apps too, and make sure they keep your information secure.
  • If you’re planning to give a gift of jewelry, take time before you go out looking to read the FTC’s guide for buying jewelry. This will help ensure you’re getting a quality piece for your loved one.
  • Watch closely as the cashier rings up your items. Sometimes the price on the shelf is inconsistent with the price that shows up on the computer, and this could cost you – so pay close attention to make sure you’re paying what you intended to pay!
  • Save your receipts. This includes receipts for online orders as well, plus any packing or return information that may have come in the box.
  • Watch out for free downloads, like ecards and holiday screen savers that might contain spyware. Keep your anti-virus and
    anti-spyware up-to-date in order to keep your information secure.
  • If you get charged for an item you never received, here’s what to do about it.
  • Just like you would keep cash secure in your wallet, put your gift cards in a safe place right away too. Unlike a credit card which can be canceled and replaced if lost, you’re usually out of luck if you lose your gift card.
  • Help the environment by shopping for “green” items, but make sure you understand the claims on the label before you buy.
  • Don’t give your credit card information to anyone. You probably haven’t won a free holiday vacation or a free iPad, so don’t
    fall for any of those scams to get your personal information.
  • Many people are eager to help others during the holidays, and unfortunately scammers like to take advantage of these people. Before donating to a charity you’re unfamiliar with, do some research to be sure it’s legitimate. Better yet, give to an organization you know is reputable.

If you think you’ve been the victim of holiday fraud, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-382-4357.

Filed Under: Consumer News, Featured, Holiday Spending, Information Security, Scams and Alerts, Shopping

Save 80% on Holiday Spending? Yes, It’s Possible!

November 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

http://www.tablelegsonline.com/images/clearance_items.jpg

Last week, my little sister Monica and I were having a discussion about saving money on Christmas presents. I mentioned that I’d scored a few good deals on clearance items I’d picked up throughout the year, Groupon deals, and that kind of thing. I thought I’d found some good deals, but I was blown away when Monica told me she had spent just over $41 for over $215 worth of gifts – that’s almost 80% savings! Being the frugal money-saver that I am, I had to find out how she did it. Here are some of the ways she saved.

She received an email from the Home Depot Lawn & Garden Club about playing a “Zombie Mulch” game on Facebook to earn coupons. She spent about an hour attacking zombies online, earning three coupons along the way – $5 off a $5 purchase, $10 off a $10 purchase, and $15 off a $15 purchase – for a total of $30 off! She showed the game to each of my parents, who played and decided to give her their coupons. Between the three of them, they got $90 in products free at Home Depot for a few hours’ worth of playing a Facebook game! She used the coupons for lawn/garden and home-décor type items to give as gifts.

Next Monica took advantage of offers posted on Facebook for free items. For example, Bath and Body Works periodically posts offers for a free mini body wash, lotion, or some other product, no purchase necessary. Whenever an offer like this came up, she claimed her free items.

She also receives coupons in the mail from Bath and Body Works, most recently for a free item valued at up to $12, with a $10 purchase. She found several sale or clearance items to stock up on for gifts, spending only the required $10, and got a full-size lotion or body wash for free. By purchasing only the items on sale, she maximized her savings. Lots of brands promote offers like this on Facebook or Twitter, so follow your favorite stores or brands to receive offers like this! Be sure to sign up for their email lists, too.

Monica subscribed to the All You Daily Deal Free Sample email, which notifies you of free samples, food discounts, etc. One day the offer was for a free L’Occitane hand cream, a premium beauty item that sells for $10 in the L’Occitane boutique. Again, no purchase was necessary. Pair this hand cream with some of the mini lotions or body washes, and you have a great little gift basket to give someone, valued at way more than you paid for it!

Follow deal sites and blogs on Facebook. They regularly post when Amazon or other retailers offer deep discounts on products. Yesterday I learned of a DVD that was regularly $34, briefly marked down to $1.99, so I bought it as a gift. Some sites that Monica and I follow are Money Saving Mom and Budget Savvy Diva.

Finally, Monica stocked up on gifts after Christmas last year. She found discounted toys and décor items at Bed, Bath, & Beyond and used a 20% off coupon to get them even cheaper, then stored them for this year.

It is very possible to give great gifts without spending much money. As Monica has showed us, it takes a little innovation and creativity, but it’s totally worth it to get so many gifts for such a small price tag!

Update: By Christmas Eve, Monica ended up spending $54.23 for well over $262.50 worth of gifts. Bravo, Monica!

Filed Under: Featured, Holiday Spending, Money Saving Tips, Shopping

Secrets of Black Friday Shopping

November 19, 2012 By 2 Comments

http://www.digitaltrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/black-friday3.jpg

Black Friday is only days away, and it’s impossible to escape the hype. Everywhere I turn, I’m bombarded with another ad – on TV, on the radio, online. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the hype and go overboard, spending more than you planned, so I’m going to share some Black Friday secrets that stores don’t want you to know, and some tips to keep your spending in check.

Retailers create a sense of urgency advertising their “one day, rock bottom discounts” to get you to make more impulse buys. Shoppers find an item they might like to have, think, “I’ll never find it this cheap again!” and buy it, even though they had no intention of doing so when they walked into the store. Or they’ll justify additional, unplanned purchases by considering the discounts on other items. “Since I’m saving 50% on that TV, I could put the money I saved toward something else that’s a great deal.” To prevent falling into this trap, browse ads before you go shopping so you know what’s on sale. Make a list and buy only those items. Chances are, you WILL find the other items discounted again.

They also try to entice you to spend more with free gifts, which work the same way to them as a discount. To the store, giving away a $20 item for free is the same as a $20 discount – but to the consumer, it looks like a much better value. Similarly, free samples (of make up, baked goods, anything) can lead you to make more impulse buys – so take the sample but stick to your list!

While items are deeply discounted on Black Friday, they’re often not the highest quality items. Stores may drastically mark down off-brand electronics because they know people will still pay top dollar for name-brands. So you end up with a lesser-quality TV, but if you have to replace it or repair it after two years, was it really worth the discount? Retailers do often discount name-brand items but these are usually doorbusters, which means they have very limited quantities – so unless you’ve been in line for hours or days, the odds of you getting that item are slim.

Additionally, the same items people are already lining up for (yes, there are already lines at my local mall) will be available online at many retailers’ websites. Why camp in line for days, miss Thanksgiving dinner, and deal with those crowds when you could just log onto the store’s website from your couch and get the same deal shipped to you? You’ll have better luck scoring big-ticket items this way.

Store offers an extra discount for signing up for their credit card? That’s great, if you can immediately pay the balance in full. If not, you could end up owing more than the discount was worth. See our post on store credit cards for more.

Many non-limited quantity items will be cheaper closer to Christmas as retailers try to unload the remaining inventory. Things like clothings, handbags, and jewelry usually end up being discounted for 10-15% less than their Black Friday prices if you wait until closer to Christmas. And many items are cheaper AFTER Christmas, like home goods and cookware – so don’t fall into the trap that Black Friday will give you rock bottom prices.

The most important thing to do is to make a list and stick to it. You’ll be kicking yourself later for going over your budget, even if that $200 TV did seem like a great deal.

Filed Under: Featured, Holiday Spending, Shopping

Hosting Holiday Guests Without Breaking the Bank

November 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment

http://cliccoaching.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/thanksgiving-dinner-from-dietsinreview.jpg

Are you hosting a crowd this holiday season? Having a bunch of family members over, whether it’s for Thanksgiving dinner or for a week at Christmastime, can be expensive – but it doesn’t have to be if you follow some of our advice!

For the big meal:

  • Plan, plan, plan! Make a list of everything you’ll serve, from the main dish to side dishes, sauces, and desserts. Buy only the items on your list and don’t be tempted to pick up other tasty goodies.
  • If you plan a few weeks ahead of time, you’ll have enough time to pick up items as they go on sale.
  • Make it a potluck, or just ask for help with a few dishes. Decide what you’d like to make yourself, then email guests with a list of the other dishes you’d like to serve and ask them to help. Everyone knows it’s expensive to host a holiday gathering, so no one will mind chipping in.
  • For your turkey or ham, watch for store promo deals. Some give a free turkey if you spend a certain amount in the weeks prior to Thanksgiving, some give store gift cards for transferring prescriptions to the store pharmacy, and others price match. Find the deal that works for you.

For other meals:

  • Buy in bulk. Ask a friend with a warehouse club membership to let you tag along one day. You can buy ingredients for Thanksgiving dishes, cereal in bulk, multiple loaves of bread – everything you need to feed your crowd. Remember to stick to your list there too!
  • If you want to serve expensive items like lobster or salmon, don’t use them as main dishes. Incorporate them into side dishes or appetizers and you won’t have to buy as much.
  • Even if you prefer to do your family’s shopping at a higher-end grocery store, you’ll save a lot by shopping at a cheaper one while company is here. The only difference between many of the items you may need, like pasta, rice, or canned goods, is the price. Then go back to your preferred store when you have fewer mouths to feed.
  • Use cheap ingredients like rice, noodles, or beans to bulk up soups and casseroles.
  • When possible, substitute cheaper cuts of meat for expensive ones. Check out AllRecipes.com or FoodNetwork.com to find substitutes.
  • Use leftovers from the big meal to make the next few meals. Use leftover Thanksgiving turkey to make pot pies, or make stew out of leftover beef and veggies. Have plenty of bread for sandwiches, too.
  • For breakfast, have plenty of cereal, bagels, eggs, and milk. Plan to make one big breakfast while company is here, instead of a big breakfast every day.
  • Sandwiches are cheap – lay out an assortment of bread, lunchmeat, and condiments so people can make their own lunches.

For entertaining:

  • Check out your city’s website or your area’s tourism site to find an event calendar filled with free things to do.
  • Set out some board games. They’re a blast to play in big groups, and if they’re already sitting out, people will probably play them.
  • Make a list of possible things to do ahead of time – museums, parks, the zoo – so you won’t have to rack your brain while you’re busy hosting. Everyone can choose what they’d like to do. Look for coupons or group discounts.
  • Ask for help. Have people take turns with prep work and clean-up. Every so often, have kids stop to pick up for 5 minutes. Everyone will be happier with a little less chaos!

Most of all, don’t go crazy from stress and remember to enjoy what the holidays are really about – being thankful for the time you have with your family.

 

Filed Under: Entertainment, Featured, Food, Holiday Spending
« Older Posts