frugal underground

It’s almost that time of the year again, folks! If there’s ever a good excuse and a reasonable time to go overboard on your budget, it would be during the holiday season. After all, Christmas is all about family dinners, get-togethers, gift-giving, and all other activities that somehow, whether we like it or not, call for us to shell out some amount.

But wait just yet. Holidays or no holidays, it’s always a perfect time to save or cut back on expenses too. So before you go on a spending frenzy and rack up additional credit card debt, take a step back and see where you can buck tradition without skimping on the things that really matter. Here are some tips that might come in handy:

Trimming the tree (or not)

True, having decorations for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas may be one of the highlights of these occasions (especially for the kids) but it doesn’t mean that you’d need to order 7 lbs worth of tinsel for your tree. Remember that the decors will only be there for a few days or few weeks at most, so putting up a lot will be a big waste of time, money and effort. Instead:

• Buy your decorations from dollar or thrift stores.
• Go walking through the park or around the neighborhood for pine cone varieties rather than buying them.
• Use LED lights to save on energy. You may have to spend more upfront for this type than traditional lights but you get to save up to 90% on energy costs.
• Make homemade decors. I usually bake a batch of gingerbread cookies (or any of my kids’ favorite characters in gingerbread dough) and have the little ones decorate them to hang up on the tree.
• After the holidays, look for marked down decorations (some can get as low as 75% off!) for use next year.

‘Tis the season for giving

While being an age-old tradition of Christmas, giving gifts is again, more of a kids’ affair. Now I’m not saying that friends and family wouldn’t appreciate getting a present or two, but as cliché as this may sound, there’s really truth to the saying that it’s the thought that counts. That said, you could save on gifts this Christmas by:

• Narrowing down your gift list. Save for immediate family and really close friends, we rarely give out gifts to anyone else on Christmas. However, I do send out Christmas cards to far-off friends and relatives, and prepare some baked sweets my co-workers can share.
• Sharing a gift with someone else for someone close to you both. For instance, siblings can split the cost of gifts for dad and mom, or for nephews and nieces.
• Exchanging, rather than simply giving gifts. Alternately, you can also broach this idea to your family or group of friends. And I mean the exchange where you take out a name from a hat and just give to that one person. That way, all of you save a ton on gifts yet everyone, and not just the kids, still gets to open a present. (Admit it, we never lose the thrill of such moments!)
• Offering your services or expertise as a holiday present. Mind your best friend’s toddlers for a day, offer to lead in the games and entertainment at the local orphanage holiday party, fix that computer your brother hasn’t gotten to bring to a repair shop yet, or help out your elderly neighbor on his own holiday errands. Whatever skills or talents you have, I’m pretty sure they can be of good use to the people around you.

Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Hanukkah are long-standing religious celebrations we would never think of giving up just because times are hard these days. But if we can take out some of the commercial value attached to them, we’ll find that these holidays can be enjoyed just as much without needing to spend a lot.

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School will be out soon and while most of us are raring to go on that family vacation, sadly, not all of us can afford to. Or if we choose to go through with it anyway, some of the fun is taken out of the supposedly stress-free vacation because we have to compute and then re-compute the expenses as we go along.

I’ll let you in on a little-known secret: It’s possible to go on a great vacation even if you are on a budget. Don’t believe me? Try out these tips and see how you can still have a fabulous getaway without breaking the bank.

When to plan

We usually start planning our vacation months in advance. Not only does it translate to huge savings and the assurance that you can always secure that place in your intended hotel, the thrill of having something to look forward to is something that makes you feel good long before you start packing up those bags.

On a side note, I find a much-anticipated vacation an effective way to get the kids to calm down – “We won’t go on that trip to Disneyland (or wherever) if you guys won’t behave this very minute!” It hasn’t been Disneyland as yet, and sure, it’s pure bluffing but you get the picture.

Using travel sites

As soon as our destination is planned, or at least the choices have been narrowed down to a shortlist, here are some of the sites that we usually check first.

I love how these sites offer very friendly-user interface where you can just input the data for your impending getaway such as the proposed dates, destination, hotel amenities, and other specifics. Other sites worth checking out are Orbitz.com, BestFares.com, and Hotels.com.

To fly or to drive?

Contrary to what some vacationers may think, flying to get to places isn’t such an expensive option these days. A lot of airline companies now offer airfare costs of less than $100 depending on your base, destination, and your planned travel dates. Booking early can get you even bigger discounts.

When your destination isn’t that far out of state, and especially when you’re traveling with kids, driving can be the best option for you. Taking the car to your destination will not only let you save hundreds on travel costs, you can also make it part of your vacation fun especially for the young ones who would love the experience of taking in new sights along the way.

A home away from home

Hotels can give you some of the best amenities available when on vacation but if you want to save on dining costs as well, finding a hotel or apartelle that comes with a kitchenette will allow you to prepare budget-friendly, home cooked meals. Even if you choose to dine out occasionally, having your own small kitchen will make it easier for you to recycle leftover foods for the next meals.

Don’t forget your rewards points.

For many, going on vacation is also one way of using up all those rewards points accumulated from months of using your credit and/or debit cards. Depending on your cards, earned points can be converted to airline miles, hotel discounts, or cash credits for some souvenir shopping.

So, where are you going this year?

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The moms have had their day in the sun last month. With Father’s Day just a few days away, shouldn’t we be racking up our brains to make this day as special as we can for the men in our lives? Whether it’s for our own dear dad or our beloved husbands, let’s spare no effort in making the man of the house king for the day.

Serve him breakfast in bed.

Nothing really fancy; just what you and your kids can (literally and figuratively) cook up. Toast with bacon and egg? Swell. And while you’re at it, you and your kids can also throw in some salty pretzels shaped and arranged to spell D-A-D. Whatever’s on the breakfast menu, our men could sure use some pampering too.

Have a barbecue with lots of beer.

Set-up the grill, take the meat out, and share some of your best dad stories over hearty laughter, good food, and lots of beer. If your man is the type to tend to the grill himself, then a gift of BBQ-related accessories like an apron, or cookbooks would be a nice touch. Or if you feel like you could splurge a little more, a new grill or smoker would be great as gifts too.

Go on a camping or fishing trip.

What more memorable family and father bonding than going on a camping or fishing trip for Father’s Day weekend. Not only will Dad enjoy taking some time off, the kids, especially younger ones who haven’t tried it before, would also love the experience of doing something new and adventurous.

Make Dad smile with a bobblehead doll.

Adding some playful humor to the celebration would definitely make this Father’s Day an event he will always look back to with fondness. Not only that, putting a smile on Dad’s face will certainly make our day too! A bobblehead dolls that portrays him in his light and fun side (as a superhero, golfer, action star – you take your pick) is a unique and cool way of telling our man he is the central “figure” in our lives.

Write him a poem and put it in your homemade card.

Bring out the writer in you and pour out your appreciation for Dad. Perhaps it could just be a simple “Top 10 Things I Love Most About Dad” where the kids could also pitch in a line or two. Sounds too cheesy? Believe me, dads could sure use a little more “cheese” in their lives and Father’s Day is good enough a time as any to do this.

Make him a Dad Coupon Book.

Think up of a collection of various special favors. Create coupons for these that he can use up in the next few days or whenever he feels like availing of it. Some ideas: a special back rub, his favorite dish or dessert that you seldom make because it took too much time, a “Kids’ Turn to Wash the Car” voucher… anything that you can come up with that will make life more convenient and pleasant for him.

Go out on an outing that he loves.

Is he a big baseball fan but you don’t care much for it? Or does he just love horror movies but you simply hate being scared out of your senses? Just for this day, surprise him by getting tickets for both of you to the big game, movie, or theater – whatever it is that he loves but you don’t do as often.

Making a day special isn’t always about how much you have to spend. In these times when money isn’t that easy to come by, all it takes to have a wonderful Father’s Day celebration is a few good ideas and lots of love.

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In addition to Amazon’s Black Friday sale, I’ve also come across a few more noteworthy online sales. (I’ll update this post as I come across other exceptional deals.)

If you need a new desktop computer, you’ll have a hard time beating this deal from PC Direct; I’m not going to list all the specs here, but in my semi-professional tech opinion, this is the best computer deal I’ve seen in a long time.

Knitters looking to round out their needle collections might want to consider Lion Brand’s great deal on a circular needle set. Less than $20 (plus shipping, I imagine) gets you seven 29″ circular needles from size 10.5 to 35!

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Here in the U.S., the day after Thanksgiving has picked up the moniker of “Black Friday.” Seems a little dismal, but it’s almost a holiday of its own—part frugality, part insanity. It’s a “competitive shopping” extravaganza of too many people clamoring for too little inventory.

Personally, I’m not a big Black Friday shopper. I’m usually too lazy to go buy a paper, find the good sales, and drive all over town. That said, I’ve gotten some great deals in the past, and if you have a list of Christmas present recipients but don’t know what you’re getting them, it can be a good strategy for frugal shopping.

This year, though, I was amused (and secretly delighted) to see that Amazon is doing a big Black Friday sale of their own. No doubt they’ve done this before and I just didn’t notice, but for a homebody like me, it’s good news.

They don’t have details on what’s going to be available, but they promise hourly deals from 6am to 6pm PST. It’s also worth checking out their creative “Customers Vote” deals—it’s the only place I’ve seen a chance of getting a Wii for $79.

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Photo by wild friday

First and foremost, plan well in advance. Survey a few different places to go, and do some quick online searching to get a feel for the costs. We went to Park City, Utah last summer because summer is their off-season, and had a great time in the sun. Check the hotel prices, look into other accommodations, and discount options. Plan the travel method (drive, plane, train, bus). Decide how long you will stay. Also plan what you will eat. Food is one thing people often forget to budget for.

The next step is budgeting the trip. How much will it cost to travel there and stay for x days? How much will the food cost? Will you need transportation to get around in the area? What about souvenirs? Finally, come up with a ball park figure, and set aside a small amount of money to start saving up.

Try to put in some extra hours at work, or cut some luxuries like eating out for several months in advance. Set aside money as “vacation cash” into an interest- bearing account, and don’t use any of it (unless there is a real emergency). You might have to make a couple sacrifices, but it will be worth it if you plan it well.

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Photo by Plates&Packs

Edible presents can be a real treat for some people. Good food, desserts or snacks can definitely say that you care. Here are some gifts of food ideas.

1. Home baked bread (recipe included)
2. Chocolate bars with fancy wrapping
3. Home baked cookies
4. Pancake or waffle mix with genuine maple syrup
5. A home-baked cake personally decorated
6. A home-cooked ethnic meal
7. Home-made cinnamon buns (with extra frosting on the side)
8. Home-made ice cream
9. Gourmet popcorn
10. Coffee beans

A nice basket, bow, ribbon, or nice wrapping paper can dress these gifts up nicely. Add a little note card with a special message, and your gift of food is complete. It is also a nice idea to give the recipe if the item is homemade. Plenty of people would love a gift they can enjoy inside and out. (Just make sure you aren’t ruining someone’s diet!)

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Photo by Megan Troyer

Gifts don’t have to cost you a fortune to come from the heart. Here are some nice ideas for gifts that shouldn’t cost you more than ten dollars. They are sweet, and would probably be more meaningful to that person than the money.

1. A child’s artwork in a frame
2. A coffee mug with a special message (you can add a box of herbal tea)
3. A collage of significant pictures (special memories with that person)
4. A decorative basket of fruit and cheese
5. Cloth napkins with napkin rings (great house warming gift)
6. A decorative container of candy (make sure it is their favorite)
7. Create a simple but fun board game to play with them
8. A nice stationery set (choose a design that shows their personality or favorite animal)
9. An elegant box for keepsakes or jewelry
10. A decorated and hand written recipe book (original recipes are always well-received!)

The more thoughtful you are with the gift, the more special it will be. Remember, it is the thought that counts.

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Photo by k-girl

Everyone wants their wedding day to be special. Unfortunately, most people can’t afford the fairy tale wedding that celebrities have. You can get into serious debt if you don’t know how to get the best deals. Here are some simple, and practical money saving tips for planning a wedding. (This is a subject that’s near and dear to me, since my youngest sister, Leanna, got married last weekend. She followed most of these tips.)

Keep the guest list as small as possible. Invite immediate family and close friends only. If you don’t want a tiny wedding, a guest list of 50-75 is just intimate enough for a brief and personal greeting with each guest.

Make the wedding favors yourself. This doesn’t have to be super labor-intensive. My sister got wedding-themed conversation hearts and some little bags with drawstrings; they cost a tiny bit more than circles of netting with ribbons, but she assembled all the favors in less than an hour.

If possible, have the food set up buffet style instead of served. Leanna got some “sandwich trays” from the local supermarket and it was very easy to arrange them in a buffet line.

Instead of having a special cake designed, you can make it yourself. You can also have a non traditional cake. One idea is to have a couple different cakes prepared, with one special cake with the bride and groom’s names, or something special, so you know which one to cut.

Keep the bridal party small. Just have a best man and maid of honor.

If you can, buy your wedding dress during the $99 gown sale at David’s Bridal or consider Target. Leanna didn’t find anything she loved in those cases, but she did get a gorgeous and fairly inexpensive non-sale dress at David’s Bridal.

Get your shoes from a department store, not a specialty shoe shop. My bridesmaid shoes were on sale for $20.

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I’m writing this from an affordable vacation rental, which happily came with wi-fi—hence the reason I feel free to dole out advice on this subject. Here’s what worked for me:

• Be as flexible as possible. Originally we were thinking about going to Yellowstone. I’ve never been, and we were going to be in the general area for an obligatory trip, so we thought, why not extend it into an actual vacation?

  Good idea, but trying to find someplace we wanted to stay in the general Yellowstone area was downright depressing. First, it’s high season in Yellowstone. Mid-summer is when all the cool kids want to go there. Even the dive motels were relatively expensive and mostly booked solid.

  So what did we do? We considered other options. We consulted a map of to see what was in a reasonable distance of our route back home, and came across several good options. There were two areas that are well-known for their winter activities, and as a result, end up having abundant (and low-season-priced) accommodations in the summer. They’re still very nice areas in the summer, with lots of biking and nature attractions.

  Bottom line: being flexible means can help you find a nice location at low-season rates.

• Carefully consider your needs. Travelling with kids is a lot different than a “just the two of us” getaway. Attraction-centric trips are also very different than trips where the goal is to just lay low.

  Think about your schedule, and what you’ll need out of your accomodations. If you’ll be in or around your lodgings most of the time, it makes sense to find something with a kitchenette—you’ll be able to save on meals. If you’re going to be at Disneyland all day, or meeting friends and family members for meals out, then the extra cost of a kitchenette may be just that: an extra cost.

  Likewise, staying somewhere with a pool may or may not matter to a single guy or someone with a full agenda, but it can be a huge benefit on a family vacation—for the included cost, you have hours of fun and entertainment.

  Bottom line: being specific about your needs will save you time searching and money on your trip when you don’t pay for things you won’t use.

• Look for individuals. Property management companies can be a good resource to find lots of options, but in my experience, working with an individual can save a lot of money. Obviously this isn’t an issue with hotel/motel/lodge kinds of places, but when you’re looking for a house or a condo, you can sometimes find really excellent deals when you move away from the “standardized pricing” of a larger agent.
• Try alternate sources of information. This made the biggest difference for us out of all the tips here. It can be fast and easy to use Travelocity or its competitors to find a place to stay, but you’ll pay for it—especially if you’re looking for something other than a hotel.

  I mentioned our trip idea to my mom, and she told me that her sister has a cabin in the Yellowstone area. The timing didn’t work out (it was already rented for some of the days we were looking for) but it brings up an important point: you don’t know who your contacts know, and this could be a great resource. It’s easy enough to just mention that you’re thinking about taking a trip in such-and-such area, and see if anyone knows someone with an unrented vacation rental.

  The method that was successful for me was craigslist. It eventually occured to me that I use craigslist for all sorts of work-related things (finding freelance gigs, finding contractors to do work for me, that kind of thing) so why not use it for finding a place to stay on vacation? This ties into the “Look for individuals” tip since most listings on craigslist are from individuals.

  Once we’d narrowed our locations down to the two summer-is-low-season spots, I pulled up the respective craigslist sites and looked under vacation rentals. This involves a lot of sorting the wheat from the chaff, because there were all sorts of things listed that were out of our price range, but it wasn’t hard to find several properties in both locations that were within our budget and actually had a lot more features than we expected.

  In the end, we chose a craigslist-located condo that is much nicer than the standard hotel setup, and much cheaper. In fact, when we drove in yesterday, we passed a standard hotel, so I just looked up their rates: a full $60/night more for something comparable. Multiply that over our four-night stay and it really adds up!

I hope these tips help you the next time you plan a vacation… and now I’m off to go enjoy some more of mine!

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Have a sewing machine or access to one? I’ve just posted a tutorial on Crafty Geek called “How to make a rice bag”. The supplies are just a hand towel (check the dollar store), 5 pounds of rice, and a little bit of thread, so it’s extremely affordable, and it’s a great gift (especially for people who are always cold) because they add comfort to the recipient’s life.

Edit: My Crafty Geek site has gone down (I am consolidating hosting right now), but you can see the Wayback Internet Machine’s copy of the rice bag tutorial in the meantime.

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