Teacher Gifts

It is that time of year again when everyone is wondering what to give their children's teachers or care givers for Christmas.  

About a month ago I sat down to figure out how many gifts I needed and I about had a nervous breakdown.  This past year has brought many changes in our life, including realizing my oldest is a special needs child.  Those details are for another post but he now has several therapists, attends regular school and special ed classes, and of course we are involved in church activities.  I stopped counting when I got to 15 people I would need gifts for just for this child - I still had another child to go too!  


I started digging through my gift area and my cupboards to see what I could come up with using items I already had and then I could fill in from there.  Here are a few of the ideas I came up with:

Brownie Pie

Gift Baskets - take all of those little samples and freebies you have and make a creative gift basket.  You can always spend a few dollars to fill it out with any items you do not have.

Apple Butter

Magnets - these are adorable and very inexpensive to make.

Pumpkin Bread

White Chocolate Popcorn

Gift cards from SwagBucks - you can earn free gift cards simply by searching the internet.  I almost always have an extra Starbucks card or two on hand simply for those last minute gifts I need.

Feel free to share some of your favorite teacher gifts in the comments section.  I'm always looking for new ideas and I know my readers would enjoy them too.

Busy Mom's Bible Review

Zondervan sent me the Busy Mom's Bible to review. I've been looking for something quick and easy for my daily Bible time and this fits perfectly with what I need at this stage of my life.  There are 52 thought starters spread throughout the Bible.  Each one has a quick one minute verse and topic to read.  It then has options for if you have an extra five or ten minutes.  At the end of each thought starter is a "word to take with you today".  I like this because one word is pretty easy to remember and I can think on this topic as I go throughout my day.


There are other great features besides just the thought starters.  First of all, the cover is made in a fun pink leather.  Since it is pink, I don't think I'll have to worry about my husband or boys taking it.  Second, it has great references such as weights and measurements conversions, a concordance, and colorful maps.


I'm looking forward to using this Bible daily and think it would make a great gift for any new mom.

Disclaimer: Zondervan sent me the Bible to review, no other compensation occurred.

Birthday Presents Without Breaking the Bank

Now that my son is in preschool, we are getting more and more birthday party invitations. This could easily break the bank but I'm trying to be smart about it so today I'm going to share a few tips on how to buy presents without going broke.

Set a budget. It is way too easy to try to "keep up with the Joneses" so avoid this by setting a budget early. For kids gifts, I try not to spend more than $10.

Shop sales. The end of the season is the best time to buy gifts. You can pick up items for next to nothing and it will look like you spent way more than you really did. Right now, Target has clearance toys 75% off.

Swagbucks. An easy way to shop for free is with Swagbucks. You earn bucks for performing online searches and can redeem these for gifts. My favorite ones are for Amazon or Starbucks gift cards. I always keep a decent amount of Amazon in my account so I can snag a good deal for free when I see it. Starbucks cards make great gifts for adults too and they will never know you didn't pay a penny for it.

Reuse gift bags. I save all the decent gift bags from every occasion and reuse them. Very rarely do I need to buy wrapping or gift bags due to this. If I do need a bag though, the dollar store has some great ones.

Designate a gift area. It does little good to buy ahead and reuse items if you cannot find it when you need it. I have an area in a basement closet where I keep gifts and wrapping.

Feel free to share other ideas on how you save on buying gifts.

Easy Gift Ideas

I enjoy giving homemade food gifts all year long so when this came across my email I thought I would share it with you. Mason jar gifts are great for more than just Christmas. I like to give soup mixes anytime in the winter. Brownie and cookie mixes are great the whole year through. Of course, who couldn't use a salt scrub or other pampering gift anytime of the year too.

When making jar gifts, think outside the jar. Mason jars are great and affordable but there are other alternatives. For smaller recipes I usually go with a cello bag and a cute ribbon. Sometimes I house recipes in a container that is part of the gift such as I mentioned in this post. The dollar store and the dollar section of Target sometimes have great containers so keep an eye out throughout the year.

Click on the banner to access the mason jar cookbook.

Tightwad Tuesday: Save on Shipping

Many of us are shopping online this year for Christmas. I try as much as possible to avoid paying shipping costs or at least find a coupon code with a discount enough to cover the costs. I found a new site that has many of these wonderful codes - Deal Blabs. Always check for a code or special offer before you finish your purchase.

Also, it has been awhile since I mentioned this so I thought I would remind everyone to search using SwagBucks. You can earn free gift cards for places such as Amazon.com and Starbucks simply for searching on the internet. I save mine and use them to buy gifts throughout the year.

Tightwad Tuesday: Homemade Christmas Gifts

I know many people are planning on making Christmas gifts this year due to a tight economy so I thought I would link up to a few ideas I've posted in the past and add a few new ones too.

White Chocolate Popcorn

Pumpkin Bread

Snickerdoodle Chex Mix

Inexpensive Christmas decorations

Gift Baskets

Kitchen Magnets

Finally, being a Tupperware consultant, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share a practical, yet usable gift idea. I've had customers fill some of our bowls and canisters with their homemade goodies to give as a gift. I've filled our spaghetti dispenser with a brownie mixture. Snack cups make a great holder for cocoa, tea, or coffee mixes. I've also filled Modular Mates and other bowls with pancake mix or soup mixes. This way the recipient receives yummy homemade gift in a very practical, reusable container. If you would like any of the recipes I fill these items with, just email me.

Tightwad Tuesday: Gift Baskets

With the holidays just around the corner, I thought I would bring back this post regarding gift baskets. They are a frugal way to provide a great gift for someone. Here are a few more ideas:

For her. Gather all of the random lotion, perfume, shampoo, coffee, tea etc samples that are hanging out around your house. Add in an inexpensive bottle of nail polish and treat someone to a great girls night in.

For him. Back to the samples - gather some of the food samples add in a gift card for a movie rental and you have a great guys night in.

New business: If you have a friend who is hanging out their shingle, give them a starter basket full of office supplies. By watching deals at Staples, Office Max, and other office supply stores you can pick up inexpensive office supplies for next to nothing. Feel free to add in some of your coupons to those stores too. I like to house all of this in a nice trash can or desk organizer.

Gotta Have Faith

I've talked to many people lately who are discouraged by the down enconomy and the lifestyle changes they are having to make. I will admit, it can be discouraging, but my faith is what is keeping me going. Usually about the time I feel I've had enough or start to worry how I am going to take care of a need, God comes through.

For instance, I was getting frustrated in the first trimester when none of my clothes fit and my maternity clothes from our first son were huge thanks to this child being born in a different season. I knew I had a little Christmas money to spend but it would not get me through the entire pregnancy. About this time, three different people blessed me with their maternity clothes and said they did not want them back. I went through everything, kept what fit and I liked, and passed on the rest to others who needed clothes too.

This one might seem petty, but another example is my son needed some sandals. We have had a few warm days and he was just too hot in socks and shoes. The only problem is my son will only wear Stride Rite shoes and he can instantly tell you when you put something different on his feet. I can usually find a pair at the outlet for a reasonable price but their selection was pretty sad and they were out of his size in the affordable options. On a whim, I decided to go to Kohl's since they sometimes have Stride Rite or Munchkins (made by Stride Rite). Lo and behold, my son fell in love with a pair of Cars sandals that were on sale for $12. This is literally the first pair of non Stride Rite shoes he has ever agreed to wear. A huge relief came off my shoulders because I wasn't sure where the $50-60 was coming from to buy him a pair of shoes for the summer.

I could go on and on with other non clothing related examples such as food being given to us and random checks or gift cards in the mail, but these are just two that have happened recently and caused me to pause and thank God for his blessings. I leave you with a verse that was posted on the Dave Ramsey site today:

"Blessed is the man who keeps on going when times are hard." James 1:12

Tightwad Tuesday: Birthday Edition

My son turns 3 this week and his party is Saturday morning, so birthday planning is on my mind. My number one tip for planning birthday parties is to keep it simple. It is way too easy for parents to go overboard when the kids could really care less. Here are a few other tips I've learned since having a child:

Paper goods: The best place to buy paper goods is at the dollar store. I usually pick a theme for his party and then buy paper products in a solid color to go with that theme. For his first birthday, I even found Elmo plates and napkins at the dollar store. Many times, these are the same brands as are sold at the more expensive party stores.

Presents: Chances are, your child will be overwhelmed with gifts from family and friends. We only buy 2-3 gifts for our child for his birthday. We also do not take everything out of the box at once. A few gifts are hidden back and pulled out once he becomes bored with his new toys. It is also a good idea to put away a few of their regular toys so they can be pulled out later too. The old toys will seem new again after awhile.

Decorations: Once again, keep it simple. I have a friend who finds coloring pages related to the theme, colors them, then laminates them. She uses this as placemats for when the kids eat cake. The kids love this and usually comment on their placemat. I've also used the coloring sheets as decoration around the house by posting them on the doors and walls.

Favors: Favors are not really needed but they are fun and the kids enjoy them. I started a tradition last year of giving away iced sugar cookies as favors. I make enough so the adults can have them too. I have a set of cookie cutters that are numbers so this year everyone is getting a number 3 cookie. They are also getting a cookie with the theme which happens to be farm animals. Cookies are cheap to make and are a fun project with the birthday child. I made the cookies last week and froze them so it would be less to do before the party. We will ice them on Friday and package them up once the icing dries.

Do you have any frugal birthday tips you would like to share? Feel free to leave a comment or a link to your blog post on the topic.

Tightwad Tuesday: Valentine's Edition

Valentine's is this week and I'm sure there are a few of you who still have not made plans. Here are some great ways to enjoy Valentine's without breaking the budget.

Flowers. I'm not a huge fan of buying flowers during the holiday because the prices are crazy but there are some alternatives. Pick up flowers at Sam's, Costco, or even Wal-Mart. They usually have nice bunches at affordable rates. Take them home and put in a vase you already own. If you have bud vases, buy a few roses and place them one rose at a time all around the house.

Dinner. The cheapest alternative is to eat at home. Make it special though by using the nice china, eating my candlelight and serving something a little nicer than normal. Another alternative is to go out a few nights earlier when the prices aren't higher and the crowds are much smaller.

Kids activities. Pull out the stickers, markers, scissors, and whatever other craft supplies you have and let your children make their own Valentine's. My child isn't old enough yet to fully understand this holiday but all of his favorite cartoons have been making Valentine's this week so he is excited to make his own. These will be given to grandparents and daddy.

If you are single. I realize not everyone reading this post is probably married. When I was single I had a tradition of buying a new magazine and going to a local fast casual Italian place for dinner. The crowds were minimal since it wasn't a fancy restaurant and I love reading new magazines. It was the perfect evening for me and I looked forward to it each year. Another alternative is to grab some other single friends and host a fondue party.

These are just a few ideas on how to have a thrifty Valentine's Day. Feel free to add your other ideas in the comments section or leave a link to your posts on the subject.

Last Minute Gift: White Chocolate Popcorn

If you are looking for a last minute Christmas gift, white chocolate popcorn is about as easy as they come. I made packages of these for my son's Sunday School teachers and his babysitter. I put them in cellophane bags that can be bought at craft stores for about $1 for 50. Christmas tins work great too. To make them even more festive, feel free to add M&M's, red hots, or other colorful candies.

White Chocolate Popcorn

1 bag microwave popcorn, popped
1/2 lb white chocolate melting wafers (found at most craft stores)

Once popcorn has cooled, remove any unpopped kernels. Place in a large bowl. Melt chocolate in microwave, 10 seconds at a time. Be careful not to burn chocolate. Pour chocolate over popcorn, seal bowl, and shake until popcorn is cooled. Pour out onto waxed paper and let cool for about 30 minutes. Once cooled, break up large pieces and package.

* This works with almond bark too but the wafers melt better and have a stronger chocolate flavor.

Dave Ramsey Sale

Dave Ramsey has his books and CD's on sale for $10 through Sunday. To find some great Christmas presents for friends and family, click here. I'm a huge Dave Ramsey fan and can thank him for my emergency fund that has gotten us through this past year.

Gift Baskets

Gift baskets are a great way to give a personalized gift and they can be frugal too. I pick up baskets or fun containers at garage sales to hold all of the goodies. You can be creative too and hold the items in something other than a basket such as a hat box, trash can, or sand pail. By shopping all year long, you can put together a great gift basket for pennies. These make great gifts for Christmas and other holidays. Here are a few of my favorite baskets I've put together:

Family Night: For this one, I put in an age appropriate game, DVD, and snacks. It gives the family an excuse to spend time together and it saves you money by buying one gift for the family instead of a gift for each person.

Movie Basket: If you know a movie the recipient would like, go ahead and buy it when you see it on sale. If you do not know their taste, put in a gift card for movie rentals. I also add bags of microwave popcorn and movie theater boxes of candy (you can buy these at the dollar store). My favorite way to tie it all together is to put it in a popcorn bowl. Last year, I found some great bowls in the dollar section at Target.

Food: This is great for college students and foodies alike. For college students, put in basic cooking utensils and packages of muffin, cookie, and/or cake mixes. Easy things to eat are great too such as Chex Mix, granola bars, or small packages of candy. One of my friends knows I love to cook so last year she put together the ingredients for chocolate pretzel candy, a sample she made, and the recipe card in a nice Christmas container. It was a great gift for me and I'm thinking of doing something similar this year for my foodie friends.

For the bride: A practical gift for the new couple just starting out is a laundry basket full of cleaning supplies. By shopping sales, you can pick these up for cheap and it will greatly help out the new couple.

What are some fun gift baskets you have put together or received? Feel free to leave a comment letting my readers now.

Grape Jelly

It is never too early to start thinking about Christmas presents. Over the next few months, I plan on featuring several easy and frugal ideas for Christmas gifts. Today, I urge you to check out this post from Owlhaven on how to make grape jelly. I always assumed it was hard and time consuming but this seems very doable. If anyone decides to give it try, let me know. Next time I find grape jelly on sale, I might give this a try. If you watch garage sales or freecycle, you can get jars for super cheap and new lids can be purchases at most major grocery stores. Homemade food, either by itself or part of a large basket of items, is usually a hit at the holidays. It makes good birthday presents too.