Saving Money on Gifts

It’s time for those after Christmas sales again! Now is the time to buy those Christmas cards, wrapping paper, ornaments, and any other Christmas decoration you can think of for anywhere from 50% to 75% off.  Here’s your opportunity to buy some of next year’s Christmas gifts too. Take advantage of the deals when they are out there. Buying smart when they are at a major discount is a great idea. Nobody has to know when you bought their Christmas gift. Being smart with your money and saving in the process shows you care. Being a smart shopper is the main idea.

Now is a great time to buy candy cheap. I use this opportunity to stock up for gifts for Birthday parties. Every child goes home with a little candy bag as a thank you gift for attending my child’s birthday party. Most candy is marked down to 50% to 75% off. I also pick up little-stuffed animals and ornaments these are great to put into their little gift bags. Buying this after Christmas saves me a bundle on gift bags.

Talking about birthday gifts, I have a great idea that will not cost a lot of money. When we were first married, money was tight and my husband did not know what to get me for my birthday, so this is what he did. He gave me the one present I still have to this day and all it cost was the price of a Walmart picture frame. Every day I read and look at the poem he wrote for me. This poem makes me cry. This gift came from the heart. He thought I wouldn’t like it, but this gift I will cherish for the rest of my life. He wrote me this poem right after our first child was born, and that was 22 years ago and I still have it on my dresser. Making something or writing something will have a lot more meaning than any expensive gift you could ever receive. Here is the poem my husband wrote to me.

The Feather

The sound of a feather

Falling to the ground

I know that I never

will feel that by chains I am bound

From the beginning, when sadness was strong

Cupid pierced my heart with a lance

and in the distance, I heard a song

and I asked you to dance.

You were alone, still, you were scared

Then you let me in

And better we fared.

And now we will never feel all alone

Because our love every day grows,

Yes, your love for me shone

A light in your face glows.

Every morning I awake

Every morning I know

I get up for your sake

for my love for you will every day grow.

So now like a feather floating high in the sky

I want to spend every day with you

Till the day I die.

My mother made each of her 4 children homemade quilts one year, and to this day I still use my quilt. I received this quilt when I was 16 years old, and I am now over 50 years old and still use this quilt during the winter months.

My grandmother knitted blankets and gave all her 20 some grandchildren one for their wedding. This homemade blanket still sits on the back of my couch to this day.

We have been married for 28 years now.  Personalized gifts mean so much more and can save you a bundle of money. Think before you spend. Watch for the after season sales and save big time. Check out thrift shops and you can really find some really nice stuff at a fraction of the price. Now is the time to be thinking about next year’s Christmas shopping if you are a thrifty shopper and want to save money. Don’t let your credit card debt scare you, be a smart shopper and save now for next year.

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, and have a safe and Happy New Year from Suzie Homemaker.

Fun Things to do during your Christmas Break

                Christmas is officially here, do you have all your presents bought and wrapped? Christmas can be a very stress full time of the year, but we need to think of some things fun to do with the children and grandchildren. In a couple of days, they will have off for Christmas and will be very excited. So today I will give some easy little projects to do to keep them happy.

Make some Christmas cut out cookies, what child doesn’t like decorating cookies. Here’s my family recipe for Christmas cut out cookies. Every year as a child this was a family project where we each had a plate and a dish of frosting to decorate our favorite cookies.

White Christmas cookies

½ cup butter                                           1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

½ cup shortening                                  3 ½ cups flour

1 cup sugar                                            1 teaspoon baking soda

3 eggs                                                     2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Cream together butter, shortening, and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add baking soda, cream of tartar, and gradually add the flour to the creamed mixture. Chill for 2 hours. Roll out dough onto a floured surface to about 1/8 inch thick. Take your cookie cutters and make as many different Christmas shapes as you like. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

Now that winter is here and has blessed us with a lot of snow, why not take the kids outside and build a snow man. My father was always in charge of this project. He would help us lift the heavy snow balls. What child doesn’t like building a snow man .  Have the kids make snow angels. Make a snow castle. Just getting them outside will help pass the time and have some fun in the process.

If you are religious, head to your church for the Christmas programs.  Let’s remember the real meaning of Christmas too. Besides the program you have a church family to celebrate with also.

Every year at this time my father would take us to the local park to go sledding down the hills. Some parks even have ice skating rinks. This was a favorite of our family. Being outside and laughing and having time together.

If you don’t want to be outside as much, try stringing popped corn to make a little chain for your tree or just to drape around a picture or door frame. I added a little twist to this to make it more colorful. Dip the tips of your popped corn in food coloring to add a little color.

There are so many different projects you can do in or around your house for little to no money at all. All that matters is that you are spending time together as a family and making memories that will last a life time. Christmas is about together time. These are a few easy things to do with your children or grandchildren while they are off for the Christmas Holiday. Merry Christmas from Suzie Homemaker.

Christmas Holiday Giving

It is almost Christmas! Where has this year gone? We have less than 14 days until Christmas. Do you have all your shopping done yet? Am I scaring you yet? Christmas is a busy time of year for everybody and the most expensive time of the year. So today I thought I would give you some alternatives to spending way too much money on Christmas gifts. Do you really have to spend a lot of money, to make everybody happy at Christmas time? I would hope the answer would be no.

We as a family decided that Christmas is not about what we get or how much we spend that counts. So Christmas is a little different but still just as rewarding as any other holiday. We decided not to spend over $50 on a Christmas tree that is only up for about 3 weeks. We use our fern as our Christmas tree and we put lights, candy canes, bows, and a lighted angel near the bottom of the tree. This has been our Christmas tree for the last 3 years and everybody loves it. It still looks special decorated up each year. My youngest daughter likes to decorate so we spent an afternoon putting up lights and decorations around the whole house. No Christmas tree expense saves a lot of money each year.

Gift Giving

This is where the money goes really quickly if you do not watch what you spend. My children are a little older so they know how much mom and dad are willing to spend. Learning to be a little more frugal and spending less will not make Christmas any different. Our children just want to spend time with family and friends. Our children don’t want a lot of stuff they cannot use, they want quality time spent together as a family. We have a Christmas meal at the in-laws and visit with the cousins.

Last year my husband’s parents gave a unique gift to everybody, instead of getting something you did not want or need she gave each person a cookbook that everybody liked and a gift card.  This was simple easy with no complaints from anybody, and no gift returns necessary. Everyone got a gift they could use and wanted. Ask people what they want or get a gift list from everybody. Keep it simple and set a price limit so nobody goes overboard.

Another great way to give is by checking out your local homeless shelter or united way. We as a family use gifts from the past that are not being used or wanted anymore and pack them up for a much-needed family in our community. Clothes, toys, blankets, and even food are much appreciated by these families. Christmas is a time for giving, so why not help out a family in need of a little Christmas cheer.

If you are religious, go see a Christmas program done by the little kids. Just listening to them singing all those Christmas songs will put you in the Christmas spirit. Join a choir or group and go Christmas caroling to nursing homes or around your town. Giving your time and your voice will brighten and cheer up their day.  Check if you can do some bell ringing at a store to help the less fortunate.

As you have seen my oldest daughter makes all of her own Christmas gifts to save money. Here are a few more things she made. All her projects she made cost under $6 dollars a piece.

Quality Time Spent Together

When I was growing up, around Christmas it was a time for Christmas TV shows. Every year we looked forward to Frosty the Snowman, Rouduff The Red Nose Reindeer, and A Charlie Brown Christmas. As I grew up watching the black and white version of Scrooge and A Christmas Carol were some of my favorites.  A new favorite of mine is the movie called Christmas Shoes. This movie shows the real meaning of Christmas, plus there is a song called Christmas Shoes. I recommend watching this movie and listening to this song, it will make you cry and learn the real meaning of Christmas. My mother used to make a Birthday cake for Jesus to celebrate his birth.

Making Christmas special doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. Why have all those bills to worry about, start your own holiday traditions and make it special in your own way!. Merry Christmas from Suzie Homemaker.

Homemade Christmas Gifts

                As I promised, here are some more Christmas gifts that my 21-year-old daughter is making. These gifts are inexpensive and easy to make. All you need is a hot glue gun or super glue. My daughter is very artistic and creative when she thinks of gifts to give for Christmas. These projects would also be a great way to get the kids and grandkids involved with. Since most kids don’t have a lot of money to spend this is a great project. Kids like to give their own gifts if, at all possible, this makes them feel special. I went with my daughter to the local Good Will Store and she found a lot of little ornaments and things to put into here Mason jar for her Christmas Gifts. Always check out your local thrift shops or even your own  ornaments that you do not use anymore. This is how she keeps her Christmas gifts a lot cheaper and inexpensive.

Things Needed

Hot glue gun or Super glue                                           fake snow

Ornaments or little figurines                                         T-lights

Any color paint                                                              Paint brush

Glass jar with lid or a Mason jar                                    Scissors

1.       First, paint your covers and lids with whatever color paint you like. Let dry.

2.       Hot glue or Super glue your ornaments or decorations onto the cover, or bottom or your jar

3.       Glue your fake snow or spray paint snow inside of jay.

4.       If you do not glue your decorations to the cover, screw on top and paint.

5.       Add decorations outside of your jar if you like.

My daughter was very lucky. I have a lot of mason jars that she could use since I do a lot of canning. If you like, for the smaller projects use a pint jar instead of quart jars. By going to Thrift shops she found a lot of little decorations very cheap. Making homemade Christmas gifts can be a lot of fun. Giving a personalized gift is always a great way to save money. Christmas can get very expensive if you buy gifts from the store. Why not be a little creative this year and make your own gifts, and save a lot in the process. I hope you enjoy some of my daughters Christmas presents, from Suzie Homemaker.

Individual Guest Bath Towels and Wash Clothes

                Christmas is less than a month away, are you ready for guests? How many of you are having guests stay overnight for Christmas? Having family and friends staying for the holidays can get very hectic. Christmas is busy enough, and deciding on where to put everybody can be stressful. You want everything to be perfect and inviting. Now, do you have to have enough bath towels and wash clothes for every person who is staying at your house over night. If you are like me, you probably have only a few different colored bath towels and wash clothes. This can become a problem when you want your guests to be able to have their own bath towels and wash clothes. Keeping track of whose bath towels and wash clothes are whose can be difficult. I have a cheap and easy way to help keep everybody happy and able to find their own bath towels and wash clothes. Don’t go out and buy special bath towels and wash clothes just for your guests, wait till they are on sale when buying them. I watch for the sales and buy whatever colors they have on sale at the time. So I tend to have a lot of the same color bath towels and wash clothes that they have on sale.

What You Need

Scissors

Scrap material in different colors

Ribbon in different colors

Heavy cord of string in different colors

Bath towels and Wash clothes

1.       Pick any of the four choices or a combination of all four.

2.       If you like the material scraps just fold them in half and sew up the side.

3.       If you chose ribbon just cut the size you need.

4.       If you chose heavy cord or string I recommend braiding them. Then just cut to size.

5.       After you decide which you want to use, cut to size and sew them into the corners of your Bath towels and Wash clothes.

This is an easy way to keep your guests happy, and for them to have their own bath towels and wash clothes to find. Each guest picks their own color, now you have no more mix up in the bathroom. This whole project took less than 15 minutes to do and it did not cost me anything. Having all these scraps of material, yarn, and cord already at home helped make this project free. I hope this helps make your holiday season easier and happier for your guests, from Suzie Homemaker.

Homemade Christmas gifts- Cheap

                It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving is already done.  It’s time to start thinking about Christmas and presents. Christmas can get very expensive, so before the Christmas holiday, I will show a few things my 21-year-oldear old daughter makes for gifts. She doesn’t have a lot of money, so she likes to make all her gifts for her friends and family. I went shopping with her on Black Friday to help her find the good deals. She has 13 people to make Christmas gifts for this year. So I decided I would show you a few things she made for under $6.00.  The one I will show you today would be a great project for a girl or boy to make as a gift for a friend, grandparent or parents.

Items Needed

1 small pot coaster                                               1 small Deco Art Paint (White)

1 small Deco Art Paint (Gold or Silver)              1 Bottle glitter glue (Gold or Silver)

1 Can Acrylic High Gloss Spray                          Fake Snow

1 Flameless LED Tea light                                   Hot Glue Gun

Paintbrush (small)                                                Pick any small decorations you like

1.       Take your pot coaster and paint it all white. Let it dry.

2.       Paint your top ring of your coaster with your silver or gold paint. Let dry.

3.       Take your glitter glue and make dots around the top ring. This makes it look like little beads are 

around the top.

4.       Take the can of Acrylic High Gloss spray and spray the whole coaster to seal the paint. Let dry.

5.       Hot glue your ornaments to the bottom of your coaster. Let dry.

6.       Hot glue your fake snow around your decorations. Let dry.

7.       Add a small LED Tea Light to light up your decoration. (Remember not to glue this down so you can turn it on and off as you like).

When money is tight, like it is for my daughter, this is a great way to give a nice gift without breaking the bank. My daughter comes up with the neatest ideas sometimes, and this is just one of them I wanted to share with you today. This project took a little over 2 hours to make. The paint dries very fast. As she makes some more Christmas gifts I will share some of them with you. Have fun making this Christmas gift from Suzie Homemaker.

  

How to Buy a Thanksgiving Turkey Cheap

                It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving is here already! Now is the time to stock up on turkeys while they are on sale. This is the time of year, when having a store card comes in handy. Today I went Thanksgiving shopping and bought 3 turkeys to put in the freezer to save for a later date and time. I bought these turkeys for 89 cents a pound. This is how I bought these turkeys for this price.

                The first thing you need to do is get yourself a store discount card. Both my husband and I each got a card so we can get double the deals. If you are not married ask a friend to get a card and have her come with you when you shop so you can use her card also. My oldest daughter also got herself a card so when I want triple the deals she comes along too. Having a store discount card can save you a lot, plus with coupons you can save even more. Store cards are free and easy to get, just sign up at the service desk and they will send you your card or give you one right away.

                Second,check your store's circular for any items that will be on sale. This is where we are getting our turkey deals this week. We will have my daughter go in too so we can get three turkeys for 89 cents a pound.  The store we will be going to is Piggly Wiggly. To get our turkeys at 89 cents a pound we will have to spend $25.00 dollars first. Most people can spend $25.00 dollars pretty easily for groceries they need each week. I will just stock up on some items I normally buy at this time of year and use the sales and coupons to save big time. Now I have 3 turkeys in my freezer.

                My children love turkey, so now I will have 3 turkeys to have any time of the year. Sometimes I will even go back into the store at a later time or date while the sale is on and buy another couple of turkeys. This is how you can save a lot and stock the freezer.  Anytime time I can save on meat, this is a great way to do it. Meat is the most expensive item on everybody’s grocery list. Thanksgiving can get very expensive, why not stock up on these items while they are on sale and possibly have some coupons for to cut the costs even more. This is my Thanksgiving tips. Have a Happy Thanksgiving, from Suzie Homemaker.

Holiday Place Settings

                China vs. Paper plates or Plastic Ware! The holidays are coming up faster than I like, what to do about dinner ware? When the holidays come and it is my turn to serve a meal, what should I use paper plates or china ware? Having a set of China ware can get very expensive. Depending on how many people you are serving this can get expensive fast. Most of the time I use my good China ware only because it was passed down to me by my mother. Some of my China and glass ware I received as gifts throughout the years. Buying paper plates and cups is another option and long as you do it the right way. Here are some helpful tips on buying paper plates and cups

.

                Some of the paper plates and cups come in many different colors and shapes. Most stores sell seasonal paper plates and cups. Here’s the trick to saving big on these. If you know which holiday you will be serving each year buy these paper plates, cups and napkins after the holiday and save them for the next year. This is where I save anywhere from 50 to 75% off on my paper plates, cups, and napkins. Do not buy this right before the holiday you are serving. This is when everything is marked up to get you to buy at the last minute. Some of the designs that the stores have now look just like real China ware.

                Another option is buying colored plastic paper plates and cups. Most of these plastic plates and cups come in many different colors, shapes, and sizes. The nice thing about these plastic plates and cups are, you can wash them and reuse them again for another holiday or special occasion. Again, buy these after the holidays for 50 to 75% off. Never buy these before, because you will be over paying for your plastic plates and cups. Just store them in a zip- lock bag for next time.

                This goes for paper table clothes or real table clothes also. Never buy these items before the holidays, always buy them after to save 50 to 75% off.  My table cloth was bought after Thanksgiving. I saved over $20 dollars buying it after the Thanksgiving Holiday. This goes for any holiday, I always wait for the deals that come after.

                The Holidays can get very expensive if you buy right before. By planning ahead you can cut you costs up to 75% or more if you watch for the deals. Thanksgiving is my holiday, so these are just a few ways to save a little money on the dinner ware and table clothes you will need. Making your table look nice doesn’t have to break the bank, from Suzie Homemaker.

Easy Energy Saving Tips

                This is the time of the year when the electric and heat bills start coming in. Every year these bills tend to go up more and more.  Now is the time to think of new ways to save money on these bills.  We live on a farm with a 3000 thousand square foot house. The heat bill alone can really add up. Next in line is the electric bill. Since we have a well we do not have a water bill. We have found several different ways to save some money on both of these bills.

1.       The easiest one is just open your curtains on sunny days and let the sun heat your house. Just seeing the sun makes you feel all warm inside. The sunlight can add anywhere from 1 to 4 degree to your house depending on how warm it gets during the day. Why heat your house with the furnace when the sun can do some of it for you.

2.       Turn down or off your thermostat when you are not home. This will save you a lot of money. All you have to do when you get home is turn it on again or up to heat the house back up. During the day while we are gone we tend to leave the house at 62 degrees.

3.       Add more clothing, like sweaters or long sleeve shirts to yourself to keep warm. Layering is a great way to keep warmer. Have a few more blankets or quilts handy.

4.       Having your furnace running all day adds up fast. When the days are not so cold turn off your furnace while you are gone. Go to your breaker box and just flip the switch off and then back on when you get home.

5.       Buy yourself a power strip. These are very inexpensive and save you a lot on your electric bills. Plug in your appliances, and flip the switch to off when you are not using them. Flip the switch back on when you need your appliances. Over- night, we unplug all TV’s, computers, and lights. Using power strips on your appliances will eliminate “phantom loads” from your appliance that continue to use power even if they are not being used.

6.       Adding a blanket around your hot water heater will help keep it warmer longer. During this time of year, we heat our water once a day and we have enough for dishes and showers.

7.       Whenever you make anything in the oven, don’t waste that heat. Open your stove and let the heat out to add extra heat to your house. Baking a lot during this time of the year is a great way to add extra warmth to your kitchen.

These are just a few things that we as a family do to costs on our electric and heating bills. Every little bit counts and adds up to extra savings. If you are like most people you want to save on these bills as much as possible. I like to save my money not spend it. I hope some of these ideas work for you as well as they have worked for our family.  Stay warm and save a little money in the process from Suzie Homemaker.

Personal Brownie in a Mug

Everybody has a sweet tooth, but sometimes you don’t want a big batch of sweets on the table.  Today I will give you a quick and easy recipe you can make at home in less than 5 minutes, and all for yourself. Everybody loves Brownies, but sometimes a whole box is just too much. My friend gave me this recipe to try and I loved it. My own personal Brownie in a mug, you can indulge anytime. Now my children and even my husband can make their own personal Brownie whenever they want to. This recipe has an extra bonus, it’s just not chocolate it also has peppermint in it to give it an extra zing. This would be a cooking idea for the kids and grandkids to do.

Personal Peppermint Brownie in a Mug

3 Tablespoons chocolate chips                                                 1 Tablespoon butter

2 Tablespoons brown sugar                                                      2 Tablespoons flour

1 egg yolk                                                                                     1 teaspoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract                                                          ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract

1.       Take your coffee mug and melt your chocolate chips and butter in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds.

Stir until melted.

Add the remaining ingredients and mix well in your mug.

2.       Microwave on high for 1 minute.

Let stand for 5 minutes to cool down and until it sets well. (Every microwave is different so check and see that the brownie is setting)

3.       Enjoy your single brownie in a mug.

Why buy brownies in the store when you can have your own personal one in less than 5 minutes any time you like. I love sharing my recipes with you. I hope you enjoy this recipe. Nothing like a quick chocolate snack with a peppermint twist to boot. Enjoy a quick sweet treat anytime  from Suzie Homemaker.