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Nobember Frugal Mamas!!

post #1 of 38
11/8/04 at 11:36am
Thread Starter 
Hey ladies!
With holidays fast approaching, it seems a time that even not-typically frugal people become frugal, so perhaps this thread with get alot of traffic

Well, we're going to have to get more frugal b/c we just signed up for Satellite TV for the winter (one of DH's many fixes), so that adds another $30 bill every month :
Anyhow, I'd love to hear great (CHEAP/FREE) ideas for decorating for the Fall. There's a super-cute idea for Turkey decorations in Family Fun magazine that the body is made out of a child's footprint with black paint, then the feathers are tissue paper (reused for us!), so it can be hung in a window.

Oh yeah, I know what I wanted to ask y'all, that I've been pondering this weekend. What gifts are or have your kids made for grandparents for Christmas? Or not even just for grandparents, but for any family members? I thought we'd get a cheap clock and put pictures of each grandkid on each number and write on it - We love you all the time! - which I also saw in Family Fun, but looked very affordable for the grandparents! Any other ideas?

Any great frugal holiday tips?

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post #2 of 38
11/8/04 at 1:28pm
Um, well, DS is only 2 1/2 but he is making bread dough ornaments at grandma's house next weekend, along with his cousin (who's 4)
Grandma decided this would be her time alone with the boys, which means that Dh and I can do some fun adult stuff, like catching a matinee of Team America: World Police.
Bread dough ornaments are really frugal, and I believe what is going to happen is that grandma will make the ornaments, and they boys will paint them. heh.
As for us, well, My brothers both want new hand-knit socks. Now, they are not frugal on time, but they are a pretty good deal for materials. I was stalking the thrift stores, and found a bag full of sock yarn in approved colours (taupe and brown) for $3, which will be enough for about 4 pairs of socks.
post #3 of 38
11/8/04 at 5:35pm
"Anyhow, I'd love to hear great (CHEAP/FREE) ideas for decorating for the Fall. "

I've taken loose, silk leaves in fall colors and strung them on fish line to make a sort of garland that's super cheap. You knot on either side of the leaf and space them out so they look like they're falling. I've draped them over windows and mirrors, and eveyone asks where I got them. Its one fo those fun, quick craft projects that looks like it came from some fancy store.

Good Luck - I'm anxious to hear about more Grandparent gifts.
post #4 of 38
11/8/04 at 6:01pm
Grandparent gifts... Hrmmm..
Well, I am knitting my grandparents some fuzzy feet slippers from www.knitty.com
That covers the other set. As for the other grandma, she recently had a stroke, so instead of spending all of the money on a gift for her, I am going to go down about once a month and help her make frozen dinners, deep-clean her house, hang out and help her however she needs it.
Oh, kids grandparents? Um, hot wheels! Seriously, my nephew insists that grandma and grandpa love hotwheels, and even got Grandma a Barbie hotwheels car for her birthday.
My grandparents always appreciated lovely artwork, papier mache christmas trees and ornaments, and such.
post #5 of 38
11/8/04 at 8:30pm
Well, my boys are too small for craft gifts, but I plan to make a bead bracelet for their great-grandma. A friend just had a "Crafty Girls" party and showed us all how to make a very pretty tennis bracelet. I have a ton of seed beads left over, so I thought I'd use those and get the other kind in some nice shade of pink (she likes pink). The whole thing will probably cost about $6, not counting time--and it's only a couple of hours of that. If I get faster, I may make them for a bunch of my female relations!
post #6 of 38
11/8/04 at 9:30pm
desperately need help being frugral for the holiday... wont be bad with my family, most of em know we are broke and it'll be no big deal. however, the inlaws (celebrate on Christmas eve) and we are expected to buy for all the kids and his mom and dad, just not the rest of the adults..

these first 2 are spoiled beyond belief. it's like they have one of everything!
kid 1 16-ish boy into collectible swords, knives etc.

kid 2 girl. 13 ish into collects porcelain dolls.



kid #1 14 ish girl. (no clue what she is currently into other than video games. last year liked horses, wolves, and unicorn stuff.)

#2 about 20 girl. this one isnt too hard to please, as she is older... i will have her covered with some lotions/shower gels etc.

#3 MALE 22 ISH has his own home.... ( a gc would work great here, but i cant make one of them, lol)



#1 16 ish male. into video games and loud, music.

#2 12 ish male, same things as his brother.

#3 13 ish male not quite sure what he is into.

#4 11 ish female, again no clue what she is into.

these last 2 only started coming around in the past few months, they stay with their mom and dad just recently got visitation rights back, thats why i dont know them well.


okay yall, any suggestions?
post #7 of 38
11/8/04 at 11:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mom2tig99Nroo03
desperately need help being frugral for the holiday... however ... we are expected to buy for all the kids and his mom and dad... [snipped descriptions of NINE kids!]
okay yall, any suggestions?
good $#&% heavens! you are broke but you are expected to get stuff for 11 people - many of whom are essentially strangers? i say bake em all homemade cookies, wrap them up really pretty, and call it a day. yikes!
post #8 of 38
11/8/04 at 11:22pm

My greatest find!!

On Saturday I got The Learning Tower for.....*drum roll please* $20.00

It was a nursery school sale at our local elks club. I also got some books for DD and some clothes for her as well. The clothes were 2 for a dollar.

I was so excited and so was DH!!

I am going to read all about your frugal holiday ideas, now. I was just so excited I had to post!!
post #9 of 38
11/8/04 at 11:32pm
Thread Starter 
I feel for ya! Fortunatly, I haven't had to deal with that yet, b/c our family all has little kids, so I can still get away with felt crowns and wands and such!
But for that teenage crowd, I would go with some homemade goodies. Forget the healthy and break out the white sugar and chocolate chips. Find some small holiday tins at the thrift store (they're only 25-50 cents each). Line them with a cloth napkin (also thrift store) or tissue paper. Then make 4 or 5 different treats and give each recipient mixture. Definatly will go to more use than just being tossed in the room with the other endless "stuff" and maybe even more liked than shower gels, etc.,since that seems to be an overly-given gift (at least in my experience). I'm sure the mamas here have some super yummy frugal treat recipes to share, if you need any! I know I do!
HTH!
post #10 of 38
11/9/04 at 12:52am
nak
mom2tig99Nroo03, i understand totally. i have 4 brothers, 2 sisters, 1 sil, 2 bils, and now 2 nieces and 3 nephews. Three of my brothers are younger than me, 21, 16, 14 and i like to get them something. we also buy for my mom, and dad and his wife and draw names on my paternal grandma side (it's madeup of my cousins and their spouses) which means 2 more gifts (1 from me and 1 from dh). On my dh's side we do two more exchanges which means 6 more gifts (we have to buy one from our ds who will be 4 months old as well as from each of us) then dh wants to give something to his mom and dad and grandparents

two years ago they asked us to list some ideas of things we would like in my grandma's gift exchange (this should be the first clue that we don't really know each other that well anymore) last year I got my cousin and dh got her bf. Her list was "Kim Anderson figurines" which cost major $$ and his was "name brand clothes" . Honestly I don't even understand the point of doing a gift exchange in a "grown-up family" last year in mil's family exchange, dh and I were the youngest imo it would have been nice to not have to worry about who we were buying what for and just potlucked the x-mas dinner and enjoy our time together. Last year when i asked my sis what to get nephew she gave me a list of PS2 games : .

Sorry just noticed how big of a rant this is :

this year we are doing family pictures with dh, ds, and me. Frame them up and that will be all the grandparents, and mom, dad and mil-fil presents. I am also baking cookies and candies and filling baskets with them. And making some of the flavored vinegars and gifts in a jar, and maybe candles. For the gifts that we are buying, we found a catalog store where we could get gifts for 8 people for about $7 per person. Not super cheap but definitely less than we usually spend.
post #11 of 38
11/9/04 at 2:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by indiana ima
i say bake em all homemade cookies, wrap them up really pretty, and call it a day. yikes!

Quote:
Originally Posted by dready*mama
But for that teenage crowd, I would go with some homemade goodies. Forget the healthy and break out the white sugar and chocolate chips. Find some small holiday tins at the thrift store (they're only 25-50 cents each). Line them with a cloth napkin (also thrift store) or tissue paper. Then make 4 or 5 different treats and give each recipient mixture.
likin this idea. even if they dont in the end, it wont cost lots of $, but will take time, and imo that is just as imporatant


Quote:
Originally Posted by dready*mama
I'm sure the mamas here have some super yummy frugal treat recipes to share, if you need any! I know I do!
HTH!
i think i'll take ya up on that offer

i do have one recipe for double choc cookies using a cake mix as a base, but would love some more
post #12 of 38
11/9/04 at 2:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cyrusmama
Sorry just noticed how big of a rant this is :

rant on mama... we all do it at one time or another. i know i have hadnmy share of em
post #13 of 38
11/9/04 at 4:37pm
I do quality children's magazines for my nieces and nephews. For around twenty buks, they get a gift that comes all year. There's one for every type of hobby or subject matter.
post #14 of 38
11/9/04 at 6:19pm
Thread Starter 
Momto Tig & Roo, Another fun thought is that with food goodies for presents, your lil' Tig & Roo can help, and you can mention this to the reciepient, or even write the card from them, so it would be so cute! (and maybe even more meaningful... who can turn down 2 adorable kids offering sugar??... not me.)

Well, here's a tried & true recipe that at least several people receive each holiday. Homemade Reese's PB Candy:
Kids are VERY willing to and good at making these!
*1 c. butter
*1 c. crunchy PB
*1 box (16 oz.) powdered sugar
*1-1/2 c. crushed graham crackers (for the kids to do this, we put the crackers in a large ziplock, and let 'em go at it with a wooden hammer or rolling pin)
*1 (12 oz.) pkg. chocolate chips

Blend butter and PB in large bowl. Work in sugar & crumbs w/ hands. Press into ungreased 9x13" pan. Melt chocolate. Spread chocolate over PB mix. Let set at room temperature. Cut once it's set. Then refrigerate. These mail well, just put a not to refrigerate once they are recieved.

Some other things we usually include in treat gifts are: chocolate covered pretzels (home-covered, of course ), slices of pumpkin or carrot bread, 7 layer cookies (only for the non-picky eaters - they have coconuts, butterscotch, etc.), sugar cookies, or sugar cookie sandwiches (2 cookies with a generous amount of icing sticking them together) HTH!

Oh also, one year, I thought I'd introduce the extended family to healthy/natural treats... NOT a good idea. You want them to be familiar ingrediants, familiar tastes for ensured liking!
post #15 of 38
11/9/04 at 9:45pm

Adult/teen Gift Exchange

Here's an idea to make the gift exchange for adults/teens cheap and more fun: Everybody has to buy a generic gift for under $5 with the point being to be as creative and/or funny (but tasteful) as possible. Then, on the holiday, you assign/draw numbers and exchange gifts that way. Some things I have seen done in the past: Canned octopus (dared each other to eat it, teens loved it), funny looking back scratcher, big fluffy mittens, notebook/pen with sayings from different cartoons, funniest joke book, you get the idea.

Otherwise, I agree to bake some stuff for the adults and teens. It's ridiculous to think that you have to buy all those gifts especially when you are on a tight budget. Or go to the dollar store and pick everybody something up!
post #16 of 38
11/10/04 at 12:23pm
nak
I see some great ideas here...how about home-made cards? I saw some really cute 3-d card (you fold and tape ect. and they stand on their own and can be turned around or hung like a mobile,ect) and kids really get into making stuff. maybe not for everyone, but definatly fo gp
post #17 of 38
11/10/04 at 2:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dready*mama
Well, here's a tried & true recipe that at least several people receive each holiday. Homemade Reese's PB Candy:
Kids are VERY willing to and good at making these!
*1 c. butter
*1 c. crunchy PB
*1 box (16 oz.) powdered sugar
*1-1/2 c. crushed graham crackers (for the kids to do this, we put the crackers in a large ziplock, and let 'em go at it with a wooden hammer or rolling pin)
*1 (12 oz.) pkg. chocolate chips

Blend butter and PB in large bowl. Work in sugar & crumbs w/ hands. Press into ungreased 9x13" pan. Melt chocolate. Spread chocolate over PB mix. Let set at room temperature. Cut once it's set. Then refrigerate. These mail well, just put a not to refrigerate once they are recieved.
yum. now i'm hungry, lol



Quote:
Originally Posted by dready*mama
7 layer cookies (only for the non-picky eaters - they have coconuts, butterscotch, etc.)
have a recipe for these? never heard of em but they sound delish...
post #18 of 38
11/10/04 at 3:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Maggi315
Some things I have seen done in the past: Canned octopus (dared each other to eat it, teens loved it),

post #19 of 38
11/13/04 at 3:49pm
had to post woooohooooo, i love freecycle! (there is a local group here finally). we will have sound on our puter again soon!!!! wooooohooooooooooo!
post #20 of 38
11/13/04 at 5:59pm
yay free-cycler!! we got few started recently in the surrounding areas here, I love it!!

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