Getting Free Gift Wrap

Whether you are wrapping presents for a birthday party or for the holidays, gift wrap can be expensive. Why spend as much on the wrap as you do on the present? There are some strategies that you can use to get some absolutely free gift wrap. Put that extra money toward buying more gifts, or just save it. Take a look at the following ways to get free gift wrap. Around the holidays, most department stores will offer free gift wrapping with a purchase. You just have to head over to customer service. There may be some long lines, so … Continue reading →

Practical Gifts for a Frugal Family Part 2

Are you looking for some practical gift ideas for someone who is frugal? We are continuing with our brainstorming. If you missed the first post in this topic, click here to catch up: Practical Gifts for a Frugal Family. And, now on to some more ideas… Freezer bags or containers Chances are that a frugal family is buying in bulk and freezing ingredients and meals. And chances are also good that they may be using the same freezer bags over and over again. Give them the gift of freezer bags and containers to help them keep on track. Since this … Continue reading →

Practical Gifts for a Frugal Family

Giving great gifts is always a good feeling. If you are wondering what gifts might be most appreciated by a frugal family (or if you can think of ideas for your own wish list) you might want to take a look at the following ideas. Yes, they are all very practical gifts, although that doesn’t mean that a little pampering couldn’t be thrown in. For example, a gift of service could mean anything from a gift of lawn service done by the giver to a a series of hair cuts and styles done in a high-end spa. Take a look … Continue reading →

Frugal Gifts for Hard Times

Practically everyone I know seems to be struggling one way or another in these economic times. With the holiday season approaching, it is more important than ever to practice responsible gift giving. This not only means reigning in the spending for yourself, but also giving gifts that are especially thoughtful during this time. Your gift can not only be a delight but also make a positive impact financially. Really think about what your friends, family and associates need. Is it another coffee mug, or would a basil plant in that mug save them money on cooking? Does your nephew need … Continue reading →

Frugal Random Acts of Kindness

You don’t need to hand out $100 bills to practice random acts of kindness (ROAK). In fact, sometimes the smallest or least expensive things can mean the most to someone, whether they are a friend, a neighbor or a stranger. It is amazing how a ROAK can really make someone’s day and change a bad attitude to a good one. Here are some random acts of kindness that you can practice while still leading a frugal lifestyle. Wouldn’t it be great if we all decided to try and do once nice thing for someone every single day? Pretty soon, doing … Continue reading →

Inexpensive Co-Worker Gifts

Do you know what to give on Secretary’s Day (Administrative Assistant’s Day) or Boss’s Day? Or how about to celebrate another holiday or a promotion? Getting nice gifts for the people you work with doesn’t have to cost a lot. Here are some great ideas for inexpensive co-worker gifts. Personalized Photo Cards Scan photos from your co-worker’s desk, and then have the files made into note cards. You may save even more money by purchasing note cards and then printing the photos with your home printer. Tie the cards with a ribbon and add envelopes. You can even add the … Continue reading →

Frugal Ideas for Unwanted Gifts (2)

If you have some gifts that just weren’t a perfect fit, don’t worry. You can use these tips to take advantage of having those gifts, even if they weren’t exactly what you wanted. Don’t just throw those gifts in a drawer, closet or basement, never to be seen again. Use them frugally! This is the second part of the earlier article: Frugal Ideas for Unwanted Gifts (1). In that article, we talked about two ideas for those unwanted gifts, now we’ll follow up with three more ideas: Exchange, Sell and Donate. Here we go. Exchange Having an exchange is a … Continue reading →

Frugal Ideas for Unwanted Gifts (1)

Did santa miss the mark on a gift or two? Maybe you really wanted a mixer instead of a Hermes bag or vice versa? Your first instinct might be to stuff the item in the closet, basement and garage and forget about it until the next time you decide to clean one of those areas. But, there are plenty of frugal ways to deal with gifts that are less than perfect and save yourself some money. If you have an unwanted gift, you can do one of the following things: Re-gift Return Exchange Sell Donate. I’ll offer the hows and … Continue reading →

Gift Card Pitfalls

Giving and receiving gift cards seems like a great trend, doesn’t it? This year, according to recent statistics, more people will give gift cards than any other holiday gift. But, unfortunately, there are a lot of pitfalls with gift cards, such as the fact that some states can claim that money for themselves! I bet you didn’t know that! So, if you are giving or getting gift cards this year, be aware of the pitfalls they could bring to your budget. Retailers love gift cards. Why? Because many of them are never redeemed, and this is free money to the … Continue reading →

How Much to Tip?

Frugal people are usually pretty generous with tipping service providers. And now that the holidays are here, it is the prime time to talk about tipping. Here is a quick guide that was recently examined by Consumer Reports Magazine. You may have read my earlier article about saving money on garbage. In that article, I expressed my shock when one of our neighbors told us that the standard tip for the people who pick up the garbage in the neighborhood was $100. I thought I would get a second opinion, and thanks to Consumer Reports magazine, I got it. In … Continue reading →