Have You Ever Ran Around Last Minute

Have you ever ran around at the last minute, looking for gifts, only to end up buying something you really don’t want at a price that is far more than you intended to spend? Holidays don’t have to be expensive.  You can make gifts, of course, but if you want to buy them, here are a few suggestions for saving money.
1. Make a list.
It’s always convenient to make a list of all the people that you will be giving a gift to. Make sure you know what their interests are so you get a gift that they will appreciate. It will make it special for them and for you. 
2. Buy in advance.
Don’t wait until the last minute to go Christmas shopping because you’ll end up paying high prices for stuff you don’t even like. This happens especially with the popular toys each year. If you decide to go a local mall, make sure you do it during the first two weeks of November. You’ll avoid the majority of Christmas shoppers and you are guaranteed to find what you’re looking for at lower prices.
3. Take advantage of online pre-Christmas Sales.
Most stores offer deep online discounts (up to 70%) on toys, clothing, accessories, gifts, candles, and more before Christmas during the months of October and November. They even offer Free Shipping with your order.
4. Buy from the comfort of your home.
Every year, more people buy online to save time and money. By buying online, you’ll be able to see every item on every gift category you’re interested in without the hassle of searching a whole store or waiting in long lines, only to find out that what you’re looking for is not available or is overpriced. You’ll also receive the items you purchased early, giving you time to wrap them in advance.

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Have Fun Frugally

You don’t need to cut out entertainment completely in order to live a frugal life.  Below, I have listed some very inexpensive ways to save money and still have fun.

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Frugal Recipes Using a Basic Baking Mix

Below I have listed several recipes that can be made with a basic baking mix.  Once you see how much you can do with this mix, you’ll never spend the money for prepared mixes again.

Biscuits
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Combine 1 1/2 cups Master Baking Mix and 1/3 cup milk in a bowl. Add milk and stir. Knead lightly on floured board. Roll 1/2-inch thick; cut and place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Makes 8.
Options: Add grated cheese and chopped herbs. Increase milk to 1/2 cup for drop biscuits.

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Frugal Pest Control

Ants

Vinegar. Wash countertops, cabinets, and floor with equal parts vinegar and water to deter ant infestations.

Flour and Borax. Mix 1 cup flour and 2 cups borax in a quart jar. Punch holes in the jar lid and sprinkle the contents around the house foundation. Keep borax out of the reach of children and pets.

Bone meal or powdered charcoal or lemon. Set up barriers where ants are entering. They will generally not cross lines of bone meal or powdered charcoal. If you can find a hole where ants are entering the house, squeeze the juice of a lemon in the hole or crack. Then slice up the lemon and put the peeling all around the entrance.

Pennyroyal, Spearmint, Southernwood, and Tansy. Growing these plants around the border of your home will deter ants and the aphids they carry.

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Is Being Frugal Worth It?

Frugality is simply the practice of looking for the less expensive alternatives. Frugality doesn’t have to mean being a scrooge or living without comfort.  Is it really worth the time and effort you put into things like homemade cleaners and clipping coupons? 
 
Search the Sunday paper for coupons and clip them out. Make a list of things on sale that you can stock up on in order to get your average cost down. Plan and run a route of four stores in order to get everything where it is the cheapest. Total extra time spent: three hours. Now, save sixty dollars.  This translates into twenty dollars an hour-a pretty good deal, don’t you think?

Sometimes the small stuff is the big stuff, especially when it is repeated over and over. This is why it makes sense to save money on groceries. They are something you buy every week. Saving sixty dollars every week or two adds up over time. How you do it makes a difference though.

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