8 Weeks to Saving More! Really the End? (Week 8)

How are we already into the 8th week of this year?  Does that amaze any one else or just me?

Get out your tissues now.  This will be the final installment of 8 Weeks to Saving More.  I know, I'm emotional about it too.

I finish this blog series with the same picture I started with in Week 1 because there are two words on the illustration that are important to remember: START and FINISH.  We had a definite starting point (see Week 1 if you want to go back), but with a challenge like this, are you ever really finished?

You see, I happen to think this is really a beginning.  The end of our time together, but a start for managing your money in a way that brings your wildest dreams to fruition.  You can stop wishing for them and start paying for them.

If you've followed along on this journey and haven't made the strides you'd hoped, I'm here to encourage you.  There is a statement I tell myself often:

Progress trumps perfection Every Single Time.  You know why?  Because perfection is a myth.  You'll never have it.  You'll never have it all perfectly together with your money or anything else in life.  (And if you think you do, you'd better look behind your shoulder because there's probably a hot mess somewhere back there.)

Instead of asking you if you've followed along every step of the way with this savings challenge and completed all of the tasks, I'm going to ask you these questions:

Did you make progress with your money over the course of this challenge?

If so, in what way?  Are you staying on budget, using cash on a regular basis, or using coupons like a boss?  Be specific in thinking about and listing your successes with this challenge.

Review the two goals/ dreams you named in Week 1.  Are you any closer to realizing those things as a result of this challenge?

From this point forward, what will you do differently when it comes to your money?  What would you like to do differently?

I have enjoyed our time together throughout this challenge!  I hope it has helped you realize that there are ways to save all around you, if you're creative enough to search for them.

Week 8, Task 1: Ask yourself the questions above.  Be honest with yourself, but make sure to celebrate your progress!

Week 8, Task 2: If you'd like to beef up your progress even more, consider purchasing my book, 8 (Really Creative) Ways to Save, which will give you a slew of ideas to help you save even more money.

You can always go back and review previous weeks of this challenge and work on them if you need to catch up.  Any time you leave a comment on the blog, I'll be sure to respond as soon as I see it.

Week 8, Task 3: If you've made any strides in funding your goals/ dreams, I'd love for you to share in the comments below and let me celebrate with you!

Congratulations!  You've just completed the 8 Weeks of Saving More Challenge!

8 Weeks of Saving More! My Fave Resources (Week 7)

Just one more week to go, and our challenge will be over!  I don't know about you, but it's been a great way to start my year, saving some extra $$$!  I hope this challenge has been beneficial to you as well, whether you're participating or just reading through the posts each week.

Today, I wanted to share some of my favorite resources when it comes to money management.  I include a list of my top 8 in my savings book, but I'm going to tell you about 4 of my top go-to resources today.

(Of course, my savings book is a great resource to read anytime!  I'd love for you to check it out and purchase on Amazon.  By doing so, you are supporting my small business, and every little bit helps!)

My Four Fave Financial Resources

1. I totally 💗my envelope system, and I've been using it for several years now.  Basically, I put money for designated categories into different envelopes and keep track of it right on the envelopes.  The two categories I've used the most are for "mad money" (to blow) and "travel".  In November, I had the opportunity to visit the Dave Ramsey Show and instead of having him sign a book, I had him sign my envelope system!  Pretty dope! www.daveramsey.com
2. It was the Financial Peace University Home Study Kit that jump-started our debt-free journey several years ago, and it also included the envelope system I love so much (see #1).  I really wanted to get on the FPU bandwagon, but needed the flexibility to do it on my own time, so I asked my husband for the home study kit as a Christmas present.  Now, a few years later, I've joined the FPU class through my church so I can finish the nine-week program with some accountability.  FPU is a lifetime membership, so if you ever want to go through the class again, you just find one to join.  I have enjoyed going through the program again and realize how much of a life-changer it's been for my family's financial well-being. www.daveramsey.com  
   
3. On her website, livingwellspendingless.com, Ruth Soukup promises "practical solutions for everyday overwhelm".  She originally started her website to chronicle her methods of getting everything she wanted for way less than retail, but eventually, Ruth's way of living evolved into one of simplicity and enjoying life's beautiful moments.  Ruth has a whole section on the site about finances (click on the "smart money" tab), but it's her products that I love the most.  This is the first year I've ever spent as much as I did on a planner, but her planner is helping me get so much done (including writing this blog post).  I am also going through her book, 31 Days to a Clutter-Free Life for the second time and using it to slowly declutter my own home.  
4. Crystal Paine is the genius behind moneysavingmom.com, and she never ceases to impress me with the versatility of all she does.  My favorite book by her is Money Making Mom, which inspires women to get creative when it comes to finding work and carving out all-important family time.  Crystal also has several very affordable online courses (we're talking under $20) such as Make Over Your Morning and Make Over Your Year.  I just took her newest course, 15 Days to a Healthier You and loved it, but it's currently not available.  But she's got plenty of other resources to keep you busy, such as current posts on incredible online deals.

There you have it: my top 4 money-saving resources.  I hope you get a chance to check these out soon and that they help you on your savings journey.

Week 7, Task 1: Choose one of the resources above and visit the website.  Find and read a financial article on the site and apply what you've learned to your own savings methods.  Think of it like a homework assignment, but a really fun one!  

What are your favorite financial resources?  I would love to know.  Leave a comment below if you have any that aren't listed here.

Until next week, Happy Saving!

Kristin

8 Weeks of Saving More! Personal Finance Your Way (Week 6)

Welcome to Week 6 of our savings challenge.  I really and truly hope someone is getting something out of this series.  It's been pretty quiet in the comments section, which makes me 😔 because I am very passionate about the subject of saving money, but I know I have grown from this series.  If it's helping at least one other person, I'm glad for that.

It's getting close to the end of the challenge and I want to talk today about personal finance.  More specifically--yours!

How do I know anything about your personal finance?  I don't.  (No worries, I haven't been peeking at anyone's bank statements other than my own!)  I do, however, want to encourage you to become a detective in your personal finance.  This will help you uncover the answers to 2 important questions:

• When it comes to your money
• What's working?
• What isn't working?

I've found the easiest way to answer these questions is to make a list.  For example, here's mine ⇣

After you've come up with your own list (and decorated it with fun stickers, of course), I want you to applaud yourself for what's working in your personal finance and do more of that.

Then, choose one statement from the "what's not working" category and come up with an alternate solution.  The goal for the alternate solution is that eventually you can add that new solution to the "what's working" category.  But only work on one negative at a time.  It's hard to keep up if you try to change everything at once.  And with all of the things that are working, as you do more of that and slowly add to the list, your momentum is going to build.  It all pushes you in the right direction.

Week 6, Task 1: Make your list of what's working and what isn't working with your personal finance. Stickers really are optional, but I promise they will cheer you up each time you see them.

Week 6, Task 2: Choose one statement from the "what's not working" category and come up with an alternative solution.  For instance, if you're using a debit or credit card too much during the week, your alternative solution could be to allot yourself a certain amount of cash at the beginning of the week.  Visit the ATM on Monday and use that cash as you need, knowing that you don't get more until the following Monday.  Be sure to start practicing your alternate solution ASAP.

Week 6, Task 3:  I would love to hear one thing that is working with your personal finance.  If you're game, leave me a comment below! 

The truth is, there's no right way to do personal finance.  There are many general things that seem to work best (ie. steering clear of debt, having an emergency fund, saving by auto-deposit), but when it comes to the details, you have to do what's best for you and what works for your family.

Cheers and Happy Saving!

Kristin

8 Weeks of Saving More! Halfway Point (Week 5)

As I was getting ready to start writing this post, I was going to write "week 4" in the title, and then realized that we're actually already to week 5!  This challenge is flying!

Today is just what it says: the halfway point of our savings challenge.   Today will be all about measuring your progress by answering some questions (honestly, please!) about your savings habits since you've started the challenge.

Remind yourself of the goals you set at the beginning of this challenge (see week 1).   These were mine: 1. Save for the trips I'll be taking with my sister and 2. Save for LASIK eye procedure.

Here's an update on both of those:

1. I haven't done much in regard to the sister trips yet besides save my change from using cash and purchase some coin wrappers.  Last week, I got inspired so I culled all the change I've been saving and wrapped about $30 in coins.  Honestly, it didn't take me long to save that much.  And even though it's a small amount, if I did that three more times this year, I could easily have $120 from just my change alone.  That's a great starting point for some spending money that takes little effort on my part.  I just have to wrap the coins and exchange them for bills at the bank.  Easy peasy!
2. My goal to save for LASIK is a little more exciting.  I've been wearing my glasses all weekend because I have an appointment tomorrow morning to have my consultation and tests to see if I'm eligible for the procedure!  This is a BIG step for me!  If I learn I'm eligible, I will then get an estimate of what it will cost for me, and within a certain budget, I will hopefully be writing a check for the total!  Now, I did not save thousands of dollars during the last five weeks of this challenge.  I've been saving automatically for a while now.  But once I do pay cash for the procedure, I'll use the savings techniques I've written about to build up my savings account again so I can fund the next dream.  I have used my savings account over and over for the past ten years, and it is truly one of the biggest blessings to be able to dip into when I have a dream to fund.

Honestly, that's why I'm so passionate about having savings.  Savings gives you options for your life. Savings allows you to do things you could not do otherwise.  Savings allows you to fund your wildest, most far-fetched dreams.

Now, let's talk about you!  I want you to ask yourself the following questions:

• What are your two goals that you originally decided on?  Do you still feel like these are the most important goals you want to pursue with your savings right now?  Because, let's be honest. Sometimes, priorities change.  And if they do, that's ok!  It's just evidence that you're evolving as a person and figuring out what you really want out of life.  It's ok to change your mind. Permission granted!
• How are you doing with the savings challenge?  Have you been saving during the month of January?  Did any expenses come up that surprised you?  (If so, you have to read this post!)
• What can you do better in the last four weeks of the challenge?  Get creative with this.  I'm a visually motivated person.  Therefore, it helps me to track things using charts, graphs, and stickers!  When I see a page filled with stickers that represent me reaching my goals, it just makes me happy.  Find your happy, and then find a way to incorporate it into this challenge.

Week 5, Task 1: Take some time to honestly answer the questions above.  

Week 5, Task 2: I really want to hear from you this week!  In the comments below, tell me what your goals are and how you are doing with saving money so far in 2017.  Also, I'd love to hear any creative ideas you have for completing this challenge.  

Remember, you've still got a month left to save some serious money during this challenge.  What can you do TODAY?  You've got this!

8 Weeks of Saving More! Navigating Setbacks (Week 4)

Wow, all I can say is that this challenge is flying by, as is the month of January.  Can you believe how fast it's going?

Did you complete last week's task?  Did you come up with a cheap or no-cost way of encouraging a friend?  I'll tell you mine.  My way of encouraging a friend was to send an actual notecard through snail-mail.  I need to do this more often, just because.  Yeah, it's a little old-fashioned, but it's a really easy way to show someone that I'm thinking about them, enough to write out a card and send it in the mail.

This week we're going to talk about how to navigate through setbacks during this savings challenge.  Maybe up to this point, you've been doing great.  You're saving a lot, not spending on purpose, and WHAM! life happens.  Your car breaks down or your HVAC goes out or your roof leaks.  You know, life.  How do you handle the emergencies that seem to crop up just when you're starting to make headway saving money?

Today, I offer 4 ways to navigate setbacks in your finances:

1. Don't panic.  Seriously, this is not the first time an unexpected hazard has come up, and unfortunately, it won't be the last.  The worst thing you can do is freak out and give up because you feel like this "saving money thing is not working anyway, so I may as well quit."  Don't do it, darling!  Do this instead...

2. Gather your resources.  After you've regained a calm(er) state of mind, sit down and really assess the situation.  What is actually wrong?  In other words, write out the emergency or money challenge you're facing at the top of a blank sheet of paper.  Now underneath that, begin to brainstorm all the ways you can knock it out.  Maybe you have a couple hundred dollars stocked away in a savings account.  Or you might have the opportunity to work overtime.  List every little and large idea you come up with that will help you fund the emergency.  It doesn't look quite as scary once you have a plan of attack, right?

3. Use your actual emergency fund.  I'm one of those people who likes to have an emergency fund for my emergency fund.  Please tell me I'm not the only neurotic one!  Ha!  But there are times in my life, when as much as I hate to, I have to dip into my emergency fund and use it for just what it was intended for--an emergency.  Having an emergency fund is probably the best way to navigate rough patches in life.  That's why Dave Ramsey recommends it as the very first "baby step" in his Financial Peace program.  Having an emergency fund turns an emergency into not-quite-an-emergency.  You use those designated funds to pay for your emergency, and then as quickly as you can, you rebuild your emergency fund to use on the next--you guessed it--emergency.

4. Whatever you do, don't quit your savings journey!  This is my favorite tip, and one that I'm continually reminding myself of too.  There have been many times when I've been tempted to stop saving for my dreams and goals in life, but pushed myself to keep doing it anyway.  I wanted to use the money for anything else, but I kept at it.  Let me tell you just some of the things that I've been able to do with my savings: I bought my first computer out of college--with cash.  I paid off my student loans 7 years early by using money from my savings account.  I was able to quit my part-time job and stay at home with my son and build my business because of our family's savings.  And sometime this week, I plan to schedule a consultation for that LASIK vision surgery I've been wanting.  I am so glad I didn't quit saving when I was tempted to.  I know you will be too!  Save on, friend.

Week 4: Task 1: Do you have an emergency fund?  If not, consider starting one TODAY, using your savings from this challenge to go into it.  If you have an emergency fund, take some time to analyze it.  Does it need more money?  Are there any emergencies in your life right now that could be taken care of by using your emergency fund?

Is there anything you would add to this list that helps you navigate a money setback?  I'd love to hear about it in the comments below!

8 Weeks of Saving More! We're all in This Together (Week 3)

Welcome to Week 3 of our Savings Challenge!  Let me know what savings techniques you decided on from the last two posts in the comments below.  Have you gotten started yet?

I had a slow start last week, but a start, nonetheless.  I chose a category in our family budget and went to the ATM to withdraw cash, which I then divided between my husband and me.  It's been nice carrying cash around again, and I'm really excited to see my change build up (one of the savings techniques I decided on for this challenge).

I wanted to spend today's post offering some encouragement if you've had a slow start or maybe you've been reluctant to start at all.

I hope you'll remember that one of the key components of this challenge is COMMUNITY.  It's so much easier to do the hard things when you know other people are in it with you, facing the same setbacks.  We can all encourage each other and spur one another to greater success.

Next week, we'll spend some time talking about potential setbacks and roadblocks and how we can navigate through those.  But, for this week, I want to keep it lighthearted and encouraging with a special assignment.  We'll get to that in a moment.  First a story:

Yesterday, I had planned on having some lunch with friends after we served on the worship team at church.  I had cash with me, so I was ready for whatever restaurant we chose.  When speaking with one of my friends, she mentioned she was trying to stick with a budget, so would it be ok if we had lunch in her home?  I immediately warmed to the idea, because honestly, I connected to the fact that she's trying to stick to the budget (as am I!), and I don't remember the last time I was invited to someone's home for Sunday lunch!  It was delicious too!  Meat and vegetables and fresh cut-up fruit. And we had a great time connecting and just enjoying the company.  No one's budget got blown.  Just good old-fashioned Sunday lunch and friendship.

What about you?  Are you trying to stick to your own budget, but are embarrassed to admit that to other people, like your friends?  Why not be honest with them and let them know you're trying to stick with this challenge and save for the future?  Better yet, why not invite them over to your place, served up some coffee or tea, and talk about your dreams and goals.  Chances are, they have a few of their own and will open up, while being so touched by your generosity.

Don't forget that we're all in this together!  If you've taken the challenge, you have a built-in support group right here!

Week 3, Task 1:  This is going to be so FUN!  Promise!  This week, I want you to think of a low or no-cost way to encourage a friend, spouse, or neighbor.  Share in the comments below.  I can't wait to read your ideas, and I hope I get lots of them!

Week 3, Task 2: DO the thing you planned for your friend, spouse, or neighbor.  Schedule it into your week and complete it.  If you want, report back here in the comments and tell us how it went.

Showing that you care for someone and are there for them doesn't have to be expensive!

8 Weeks of Saving More! Ways to Save (Week 2, Part 2)

I hope you've already read the "Ways to Save" post, Week 2, Part 1.  If not, click here to start with that.   Today I'm going to finish outlining the ways to save during our 8 week challenge.  At the end of this post, you should have several good ideas on how to start building your savings, and you'll be able to share with us which methods you've chosen (or if you've come up with your own; that's a-okay too!).

Isn't it funny how when you're studying or researching on a particular subject, information that you've never noticed just seems to start popping up everywhere?  That's the way it's been for me since beginning to write the material for this challenge.  Little quotes and savings tidbits are really jumping out at me.  In reviewing my book, 8 (Really Creative) Ways to Save, one concept stood out to me this past week and I came up with a new way of wording it.  Here it is:

By participating in the act of saving, and doing it at the beginning of your paycheck, not at the end, you are effectively paying yourself.  Now, please don't misunderstand me, I don't want you to go around shirking your responsibilities for your rent or mortgage, electricity, clothing, transportation, and childcare and tell everybody you're just paying yourself first.  You are still responsible for funding your life and your family's basic necessities.  When you start out saving first, it may be a small number, but you are doing it, and that's what counts.  One of my favorite role models, Holly Rigsby, has a great quote that says, "Little by little, a little becomes a lot."  This is just as true with your money as it is with anything else.  Exercise, laundry, chocolate...

Keep all of this in mind throughout the challenge.  Even if it looks small now, your savings will grow if you keep adding to it.  And even a little bit more money trumps no money, every time!

That's enough preaching from me!  Let's get to the remaining 4 tips, shall we?

Ways to Save

1. Christmas in June Savings (Chapter 7): I originally wrote this chapter in my book to detail how you can begin to stockpile savings in the summer to have plenty of cash to fund Christmas by the time Black Friday rolls around.  However, I also address what to do when January arrives.  You keep using this method and save up for an event or large purchase in June.  Let's say you're planning a vacation in June and would like to have $300 in spending money by that time.  You simply take that number and divide it by the number of months from now to June (six) and you end up with $50, the amount you need to set aside each month for the next six months.  Then, when June rolls around, you start again and save in the same manner for another event in December (could be Christmas or something else).
2. Buy It Used (Chapter 8):  With this savings method, you pick a category where you don't mind buying used items, but you save up the full amount needed to purchase the items.  Then, you purchase the item(s) and put the difference into your savings.  In the book, I use the example of buying used books.  I get books at thrift stores all the time that are so cheap.  When I pick up a book that is normally $10 or more, but I pay $1 for it, I could use this savings method by paying the difference of $9 into my savings.  You can save even more by choosing a different category, such as furniture.  The important part is to make sure you're saving the difference.
3. The $5 Ban (Chapter 9):  This one is really fun, but also requires some willpower to accomplish.  Basically, you set aside every $5 bill that comes into your hands.  You don't spend them, but put them in savings instead.  I did some research on Pinterest and found several examples of people who followed this "ban" over the course of a year.  Their savings at the end of a year ranged from $1300- $3000!  You can save so much using this technique!
4. Pantry Raid-n-Save (Chapter 10): This method works best when you have food in the house that needs to be used or you have a pantry that needs to be cleared.  What you do is raid your own kitchen for ingredients to put together simple meals, and skip out on grocery shopping for a week or so.  Instead, you save that money you would have spent on groceries for the week.  I know that right now, I could probably do this in my own kitchen.  We've got plenty of frozen foods on hand, as well as some lean meats like chicken, ready to be used in recipes.  And we're a big egg family around here.  Just last night, my husband made some egg "cupcakes" with some fresh mushrooms that needed to be used and some shredded cheddar.  I know they were delicious because I ended up eating 3 for dinner!

Ok, we've now covered all 8 of the savings tips in my book 8 (Really Creative) Ways to Save.  Of course, each of those tips are covered in its own chapter, so you get a lot more detail when you read the book.  Check it out on Amazon here.

It's time to make some decisions.  Which methods are you going to try during the Saving More Challenge?  That's what I want you to decide today.  

Week 2, Task 2: Read this post and read or review the previous post, which includes 4 other methods of saving.  Decide on 2-3 methods that will work for you and your family, and tweak them as needed.  Once you've decided, comment, comment, comment (!) below and let us know what you've decided.  I'll be posting my choices in the comments, as well.  

One other thing: get started with these as soon as possible!  Once you've got your plan of action, you might as well begin to execute it!

I know I've covered a lot of information in these last two posts, and now you've got some work to do.  It's time to SAVE!  More encouragement coming your way next week, but for now, I'll leave you with this cool quote I found by a famous person.  You may have heard of him: 

"Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left AFTER SAVING." - Warren Buffet

8 Weeks of Saving More! Ways to Save (Week 2, Part 1)

Hopefully last week, you did a little dreaming and finding your "why" for joining this challenge.  If you haven't done that yet, check out the first post in the challenge and be sure you complete both Week 1 tasks.  Also, be sure to share in the comments section!

Week 2 is here and it's time to get practical!  This is where we will decide the methods we will use to actually save.  I'm going to outline four methods today and the other four in Part 2, which will release later this week.  I encourage you to choose more than one method to try as you're working through the challenge, but no more than three.  I don't want you to be completely overwhelmed!  That would just give you reason to quit.  And you're not going to quit now!

Before we talk about these methods to save, I'd like to encourage you to read the corresponding chapters in my book 8 (Really Creative) Ways to Save.  As this is just a blog post, there is only so much I can write.  The book goes into great detail on each of the savings methods, which is why it makes the perfect companion to our challenge.  You can get it here on Amazon, and the best news is, it comes in paperback or ebook, your choice!

Again, the ways to save will be divided into two parts to prevent overwhelm.  Read through all of them, and make note of the 2 or 3 that seem doable to you.

Ways to Save

1. Grocery Shopping Savings (Chapter 3):  This savings technique is fairly straightforward.  Keep your grocery receipt and save the money your receipt claims you saved.  Do this every time you go to the store and add up the savings during the course of the month.  You'll be surprised at how quickly it adds up!
2. Habit-Building Savings (Chapter 4):  Are you trying to establish a healthy or positive habit?  Why not pay yourself for it?  Make a contract with yourself to pay into a savings jar or container each time you complete the habit.  You choose the habit you're working on and the rate of pay.  For example: "For the next month, I will pay myself .25 cents each time I drink 8 oz. of water."  See how easy that is?  Just make sure you do actually pay yourself!
3. Save Your Change (Chapter 5): This one is easy-peasy, but are we really using it to its full advantage?  Because you can't save your change if you don't have any.  And you won't have any if you only use your debit or credit card on the daily basis.  That means, you're going to have to use cash.  The easiest way to do this is to designate a category of your budget as a cash category.  For instance, I usually get cash for my discretionary money.  And then I make sure I use it, and dump the change into a piggy bank at the end of each day.  Call it old-fashioned, but saving change is one of the easiest and time-tested methods of saving up cash quickly.
4. Percentage Savings (Chapter 6): To try this savings method, you designate a percentage of your paycheck (or any check or income that comes into your hands) to go into savings.  The recommended amount to aim for is 10%, but many of us can't do that when we're just getting started.  So, start instead with 1% or 2% and increase the percentage as you become comfortable with this method.  The rule to remember is to pay yourself first, before you pay anything else.  Otherwise, even that 1-2% is going to disappear!

Those are the first 4 methods!  Look for Part 2 of Week 2 in just a few days where I'll outline the other 4 methods.  I encourage you to tweak these savings methods however you like to make it work for your life.  After all, it's your money!  No one gets to decide what to do with it but you and your family.  Make these methods work for you.

Week 2, Task 1: Read this post.  Start thinking about which of these tips will work for you as you begin this savings challenge and how you can make them your own.  If you have any questions or want to share with the group the methods you've chosen, comment below!

That's all I've got for you today!  Which of these methods above are your favorite?  I'd love to hear from you.

8 Weeks of Saving More! Getting Started (Week 1)

Congratulations, you've made it!  Made it to the starting line, that is.

You don't typically hear those words at the beginning of a challenge, right?  More likely when you hit the finish line.  I decided to write them now to not only give you a preview of what's to come, but also to cheer you on for just getting started.  Not everyone shows up to the starting line!  So, hooray for you for taking on the challenge.  We've got 8 weeks of fun and fatter wallets headed our way!

Today's post may get a little lengthy, but that's only because I have so much to tell you as we embark on this savings journey.  Here's the main question I'd like you to keep asking yourself as you read through this post:

"Why am I doing this challenge?"

What was it that piqued your interest, that made you sign up to take on 8 weeks of saving more?  It's really important that you answer this honestly.  Telling yourself, "I just want to save more money" is a superficial answer.  Read through the following statements and see if you identify with any of them:

• Are you tired of the same old, same old when it comes to managing your finances (as in, not having any extra to manage)?
• Would you love to go on vacation this year and not have to put it on a credit card, but don't know how that's even possible given the size of your budget?
• Is there a big ticket purchase you'd like to make and not have to worry about financing?
• Would you like to have a cash reserve to pull from anytime you wanted or needed to?
• Would you like to finally take charge of your money, instead of always feeling like you never have enough?

I can tell you I have identified with all of these at one point or another in my life.  After I had my son, Landon, I started to realize just how expensive life is, especially with a kid!  My husband, Jamie, was working full-time and I was working part-time, and we still had very little savings to spare.  That was not the legacy I wanted my son to grow up with, so establishing a stable financial foundation for our growing family became my "why".  My what and how evolved into the book that is now 8 (Really Creative) Ways to Save.  If you haven't read this book, I highly recommend you check it out.  I will be pulling something from it each challenge so it helps to be familiar with it.  Here's a snippet of what I have to say about the importance of knowing your "why" in 8 (Really Creative) Ways to Save:

"Finding your why is critical to get you started on any goal, big or small.  If you say you want to lose twenty pounds and then set out to do it, the first time an obstacle in the form of a hot, glazed donut presents itself, you're going to fail if you don't know why you're trying to lose weight.  It's the same concept with your money.  If you're not accustomed to saving regularly, you might start out strong, but without a clear reason why you're saving, it will be too easy to quit the first time you're tempted to blow your savings."

So, now you see why it's so important to know your "why".  You will have it in front of you when you want to quit.  And yes, there are going to be times during this challenge when you'll want to quit. So will I.  But we won't because it's at that point, we'll be able to remind ourselves (and each other) WHY we're doing this savings challenge in the first place.  Do you have your why yet?  If so, you've already completed half of this week's task.

Week 1 Task 1: Define your "why" for completing this challenge and write it down!

Now that we've completed that, I want to share how the process works for this challenge.  There are 3 Steps to the challenge, and they are the same 3 steps that I outline in my book.

Step 1: Define 2 goals to save for.  We'll come up with these this week!
Step 2: Begin saving using the 8 creative ways to save outlined in the book.  You'll choose a couple of these to try and tweak them to work for you.  We'll discuss these next week.
Step 3: Pay cash for one or both goals.  Note: this may not happen at the end of the challenge.  You may have to keep saving to reach your goals, but you'll have two months of a savings habit that is sure to give you a great start!

Week 1 Task 2: This week, your challenge is to come up with 2 goals to save for during this challenge.  Here's the really fun part: you can choose any two goals you want, large or small.  Get creative!

I'll share mine with you to give you an idea of what will be motivating me.  The first goal I have is to save cash for my "sister trips".  My sister and I have decided that we will take two trips this year together.  She's a flight attendant, so we can really fly anywhere we want for little to nothing (!!), but I know I'll want to have plenty of cash when we get to where we're going.  We each get to plan a trip.  I am so excited about this, so I'm very motivated to save for this goal.

My second goal is something a little more practical, but no more less exciting to me.  I've wanted LASIK vision correction for a very long time.  I think I wanted it before it was even invented because I've had poor eyesight for most of my life.  Because I have many issues with my eyes, I'm sure the procedure will not be on the cheap end, so my ultimate goal is to save up enough cash to have the procedure, pay for it outright, and enjoy the rest of my thirties with contact-less vision.  Wow, I can't imagine how great that would be!

Ok, now it's your turn!  Make sure the two goals you come up with excite YOU.  It doesn't matter if they mean anything to anyone else; it's your money and your goals.

Part of this challenge is going to be interacting with each other.  So, once you've completed the two tasks outlined in the week 1 challenge, please share them in the comments below!  I can't wait to read about your "why" for saving and the two goals you came up with.

This is going to be so much fun!!!

Kristin

Ps. If you're just reading this post, but aren't a part of the challenge, you can join us at anytime!  Simply follow this blog by email and you'll start receiving each challenge post right to your email inbox.  I do recommend starting here first and performing the challenge tasks in order!

Why You Will Save More in 2017 Than Before!

January 1st is less than a week away!  Can you believe it?  Has your bank account recovered from the holidays yet?

Some of you panicked when you read the title of this post.  You thought, "I'm so far into debt from Christmas, there's no way I'm going to be able to save any money next year!  I'll still be paying off my credit card at the end of the year!"  You can't think like that.  I love the beginning of the year because it gives us all the chance to start over.   You can effectively push an imaginary "reset" button on any area of your life that you wish.

So, why not make 2017 THE YEAR for your finances?

You didn't think I would suggest that without including a plan, right?

I do, in fact have a plan.  Actually, it's more of a challenge.  I'm going to take it, and I hope you will consider taking it too.

Let me give you some details:

2017 Savings Challenge!

• 8 week savings challenge kicks off on January 2nd.  
• Exclusive to this blog (meaning, you will only be able to access the posts and content here, although I will have links from my social media pages)
• 1-2 blog posts per week with a weekly challenge "task" for you to complete.  Part of the task will be sharing your progress in the comments section.
• Embarrassment-free!  I promise you will not be shamed in any way, shape, or form (shaming comments will be deleted!)  We're here to encourage and uplift each other, and therefore save a boatload of money in the process.
• Spenders and savers are welcome.  If you have a plan and a community of like-minded individuals, you are so much more likely to succeed with your money goals.
• This challenge is completely FREE!  I will be using material from my book 8 (Really Creative) Ways to Save, so you are more than welcome to purchase that as your own resource, if you wish.

How do you join the 2017 Savings Challenge?  I'm so glad you asked!  It's easy. 1. Sign up for email updates from this blog (right-hand side of the page).  You will be sent a confirmation email and will receive a notification each time I post a new challenge.  2. Comment below saying, "I'm in!".  You can also introduce yourself in the comments section and leave any questions you might have about the challenge.  And that's it!  Pretty simple, right?

I promise, you WILL have fun, and eight weeks from now, your wallet will be fatter.  Are you ready to jump on this band wagon?  Let's go!

Happy Saving!

Kristin

How Saving Money has Enhanced My Life

Hello my fellow savers (and spenders too; we all have those times)!

It's been a while since I posted on this blog.  I'm sorry about that.  I don't have a good excuse for you other than to say that life has been incredibly busy, in a great way.

I enjoyed a great summer, spending time with my son who just turned three!  Wow, where is the time going?  We worked really hard on potty training, and although he still has his moments, I can say that we've definitely saved money on diapers since he's transitioned to using the potty.  Well, most of the time!

Here's my sweet boy at his 3rd birthday party in September!

I wanted to write a post on how building our family's emergency fund has enhanced my life.  And it has done so in a major way.

After much deliberation, my husband and I decided that I would not return to work as a teacher this school year.  That has been a decision years in the making, but we didn't feel that we were financially in a place to do that until now.  After releasing my savings book (check it out here), we were able to eliminate our household debt by paying off my car and student loan.  Then we started piling up any extra cash and were able to quickly establish our full 3-6 month emergency fund.  And that enabled us to make the decision for me to be a SAHM for this season!

It's been an emotional rollercoaster for me.  I've had days, especially in the beginning, where I was so sad to give up a job that I like a lot.  I mean, who wouldn't want to teach music to sweet little cherubs every day? Except when they're not so sweet!  But overall, I am really enjoying my life and time at home with my boy.  We've bonded more than ever before, and I know that's due to the extra time we get to spend together.  I don't believe I'll always be a SAHM, but in this season, I wouldn't wish for anything else.

Being able to quit my job and not worry so much about finances is only one huge benefit of our saving money.  Another perk is that I've been able to work on and fund some of my dreams.  Currently, I have two projects in the works, a novel releasing soon and a vocal warm-up program for singers, that I'll be using some of my stashed-away savings to fund the creation of.  Unfortunately, product creation takes money for all of the preliminary work that goes into it, but I made a plan to set aside some extra $$ so I could work on these.  Without that cash, both projects would still only be dreams on paper.  With it, they're coming together before my eyes!

Another benefit of our savings is being able to plan and take our version of a vacation.  I say our version because we use vacation time to visit my family who lives about 15 hours away.  Most of the time, our trips are for extended weekends, but this time, we've planned a trip that spans 8 days!  While we're visiting with family, Jamie and I get to travel 3 hours south for a business conference and have our own date weekend.  I can hardly wait!

Posing with my book.  Can you tell I'm proud?

I wrote today to give you an update on what's happening in my world and also to let you know that none of it would probably be happening were it not for the journey I went on with saving money and the book that came out of it.  8 (Really Creative) Ways to Save is that book and I would love to see it make a positive impact on your money too!  Check it out here.

What are some of the things you've been able to do with your savings?  Leave a comment below!

Free Ebook!

Hi guys!  Sorry it's been a little while since my last post.  It's been crazy around here, especially being a teacher at the end of the school year.  But the very good news is that summer is on the way!

I am excited for the blog posts to come during this summer.  I am hereby declaring summer of '16 to be the Summer of Savings.  You are going to love my next post, all about lean and green cleaners.  But before we get to that, I just had to write a quick post to let you know about some exciting news for my book 8 (Really Creative) Ways to Save.  For the next three days only (May 23-25), you can download the eBook from Amazon absolutely free.  I promise, there is no gimmick and no catch, except that this offer only applies to the eBook and is only good for 3 days.

I would like to ask you a favor though: if you enjoy the book (or even if you don't), I'd love for you to leave an honest review on Amazon under the product page when you're finished.  That would make me very happy, indeed.

To download your free copy of 8 (Really Creative) Ways to Save, click here.  You will be redirected to Amazon's site.  The ebook goes back to full price of $3.99 on Thursday.

Thank you for your support. As always, happy saving!

Buying Secondhand

This is part two of my series called "Savings Superstars".  To read the first installment, To Coupon or Not, click here.  Please leave a comment below and I will respond in a timely manner!

I do not like to pay full price for books.  Ever.  And yet, I am a voracious reader and love to consume new materials whenever I get my hands on them.

Hence lies the struggle: I want to read but at what price?  I'll tell you.  Usually pennies on the dollar.  Here's my secret: I score many of my books secondhand from thrift stores.  If they are paperback, they typically cost anywhere from .50 cents to $1.  If they are hardcover, maybe a little more, like $1-$2.  I can't tell you how many "like new" books I've found at the thrift store that I've been hoping to read.  Some of them are still stocked on the shelves at Barnes and Noble for full price.  I walk out of the thrift store with my finds silently laughing to myself for my good fortune.  Let someone else pay full price.  Not this gal!

I always try to keep a mental list of the books I'm on the lookout for in the back of my head.  That way when I run into it, I can just pick it up.  If I have waited for a long time and can't find a title I'm searching for, I sometimes buy it used for .01 cent on Amazon and just pay shipping.  But most of the time, the title turns up locally and I save having to pay shipping at all.

There was a time in my life (before kids) that I got to attend a lot of classy functions that required nice dresses.  I went through a phase where I actually bought a few secondhand formal dresses on eBay, and generally had good luck with them too.  But, alas, I don't get to many formal functions these days.  So, I guess I will continue allocating my secondhand dollars to my list of reads.

Do you buy secondhand?  If so, what?  Be sure to comment below and let me know!

To learn how to turn your secondhand purchases into real, cash savings, check out my book 8 (Really Creative) Ways to Save.  It includes an entire chapter on buying used items!

Happy Saving!

To Coupon or Not

This is Part 1 of my 3 part series called "Savings Superstars".  I am excited to hear feedback from this series and get some great ideas on how you save money in your life.  Please feel free to leave a comment below and get the conversation started!  I will respond to each comment as soon as I can.

Do you coupon?  Why or why not?

In my book, 8 (Really Creative) Ways to Save, I don't talk a lot about using coupons because, well, it's a book on creative saving and coupons are sorta not creative to me.  They've been around for a while and most people who claim to be any good at saving money have already mastered the art of using coupons.

I say most because I don't consider myself to be one of them.  I do believe in using coupons, but they don't control my grocery list like those people on TLC's "Extreme Couponing" show.  Those people seem to peruse their local stores' circulars and then match store and manufacturer coupons and generate a list of items to buy or get for free.

Here's what I don't like about that system:  so many of the food products are processed foods that I wouldn't really be buying for my family anyway, much less need multiples.  We buy a lot of produce every week, as well as milk, cheese, yogurt, and nuts.  Every once in a while, I'll come across coupons for those types of items, but not every week.

Another thing we don't do is plan our weekly meals around what's on sale or what items have coupons available.  We are a family that eats the majority of our meals at home.  We may have 3 meals that are either take-out or at a restaurant.  The rest of them we plan in advance and add the ingredients to our weekly grocery list.  And we buy the items we need whether or not they're on sale.  And whether or not we have coupons for them.

So, I consider myself an occasional coupon user.  Like this week, for instance, we needed laundry detergent.  We have a favorite brand, so I went online and printed off a $2.00 coupon.  Totally worth it because the detergent is going to be over $10 anyway.  Now, I know, some of you reading this are cringing because you would argue that I should be using that coupon on a much smaller size so my savings would be greater, but I would rather just buy the larger version and not have to restock for two months.  I guess this makes me a lazy coupon user.

I want to know how you use coupons in your life.  Are you like me and use them sporadically when you stumble upon them?  Maybe you don't use them at all because you don't have the time to search for them.  Could you rival one of the people on "Extreme Couponing" because you're a master at getting items dirt cheap and even free?  Where do you fall on this spectrum?

Also, I'd love to hear from those of you who use coupons to plan your meals.  Are you able to find good value coupons on fresh produce and dairy on a weekly basis?  I'd also like to know what some of your favorite, low cost meals are that you make for your family.

With this blog post, I'm definitely hoping to get a conversation started, so here's what I'm asking you to do: please leave your comment below and I will respond.

To Coupon or Not...that is the question.  And, GO!

Spring Sale (Don't Miss It!)

My Spring Break has officially begun!

I don't know about you, but spring makes me happy.  I love looking at trees that have been barren all winter and watch them slowly erupt in buds of new life.  I love how the grass that has been brown starts turning that beautiful, vibrant green.

This year, I'm determined to do some deep spring cleaning.  Do you have any special plans for springtime?

I wanted to let you know about a very special sale that is taking place during my spring break.  For the dates of March 20-26th, the eBook version of 8 (Really Creative) Ways to Save is going to be just $1.99!!  For less than a cost of a Big Mac, you can purchase this awesome resource that will save you money.  To access the Amazon product page, click here.

I am certain that just by reading the first few chapters, you will save at least 4 times the cost of this resource.  And that's if you purchased it at full retail price of $9.99!

Here is a description of 8 (Really Creative) Ways to Save:

"Are you ready to start living your dreams?  Wouldn't it be nice to have the money to fund them?  What if you're not a natural saver or your income is limited?

8 (Really Creative) Ways to Save will walk you through fun, innovative tips to inspire new savings habits that you will want to use the rest of your life. Written by a resourceful and innovative mom, wife, and teacher, Kristin King has researched, tested, and lived each one of the tips she shares with you.

Here's what this book will do for you:

- Enhance your ability to think creatively when it comes to saving money
- Provide you with the tools you need to fund your dreams, even if you have a low income
- Empower you to save, even if you've been a "spender" all your life
- Help you increase your savings, whether a little or lot, through fun and unusual tips
- Facilitate and establish habits of a lifetime saver by taking the tips and making them work for you and your family
- Give you three surefire action tips at the end of each chapter to get you on the fast track to great savings

If you're ready to get serious about your financial future, 8 (Really Creative) Ways to Save (plus three bonus chapters with additional tips) will jumpstart your savings habits so you can fully fund your wildest dreams!"

Remember, this sale only lasts Sunday-Saturday, March 20-26th, so make sure you download your copy soon!

I can't wait to hear how this book helps you become an expert and creative saver!

Again, here's the link to the Amazon product page.

Happy reading and happy saving, dear friends!

Tools to Help You Save

What if saving money could be infinitely easier with the use of a few tools?  I believe it can be, and there are certainly tools out there that won't cost you an arm and a leg, but will actually help you save in the long run!

Today I'm going to talk about two of my favorites.  The first one is something my son and I recently discovered while shopping at one of my favorite discount stores.

He and I were shopping on Monday, and of course, we had to visit the toy section.  My son is very patient while I look at housewares and shoes, but only if I allow him to browse and choose one small item from the toy section.  On this day, he had chosen his item and we were getting ready to leave the toy section when I stumbled upon this cool bank:

What I was instantly attracted to was the visual aspect of seeing how much we've deposited into the bank.  I have always been a visually motivated gal, so this bank is too cool!  It has a sensor that recognizes what type of coin is being dropped through the slot and adds it to the balance every time I use it.  The winning factor for me is that I got to take it home for $5.99.  As you can see, I already have more deposited into the bank than I paid for it!

Of course, I'll still have to wrap the coins when it's time to turn them into bills, but I think the motivation of seeing this number go up on the bank will help me use it often!

The second tool I love to use, pretty much on a daily basis, is my envelope system from Dave Ramsey.  I'm quite fond of my teal wallet-like envelope holder which came with the Financial Peace University Home Study Kit.  If you've never been to Dave Ramsey's site, I encourage you to check it out immediately (www.daveramsey.com).  His site will blow you away with the sheer volume of money resources available to you.  His online store has FPU and other books for purchase. You don't have to purchase the entire study kit.  You can actually purchase an envelope holder by itself.  There's an entire section in his store dedicated to the envelope system!

My husband and I each get a set amount of "mad money" each week.  Basically this is our money to blow on whatever we'd like.  I think Jamie usually spends his on work lunches with his buddies and I usually spend mine on coffee.  However, what I love about my mad money is that if I have any leftover from the previous week, I just add it to my new amount and it grows really fast that way.  I keep my mad money in my envelope holder.  And every time I pull it out to pay, people always ask me what it is or comment on how cool it is.  It's a great tool to get people thinking about using cold, hard cash again.

These are two tools that are consistently helping me save more money.  Now it's your turn.  In the comments below or on my Facebook post, tell me about your favorite tools that help you save money.  Happy Saving, Friend!

A Savings Challenge (And a Call to Action)

2016 is in full swing already!  I don't know about you, but I feel like January just flew by, and before we know it, February will be half over as well.

Now that life has settled from the holidays, I find comfort in the daily grind.  I have a pretty well-worn routine Monday through Friday, but I try to relax a little more on the weekends.  Life is sweet.

And yet, something is really bothering me and I need to get it off my chest.  Here goes...

I just read an article titled, "The U. S. May Be Even More Broke than You Think" written by Chris Matthews and it made my stomach turn.  Matthews states, "Critics of government spending often say that U.S. Government owes more than the total value of the gross domestic product, nearly 103%..."  Basically, our country is in debt, past our head, if you didn't notice.  It appears we are drowning in it.

For someone like me, in my 30's, that means I have to take matters into my own hands to ensure that my financial future is secure.  In 30 years, I will be surprised, shocked even, if Social Security even exists anymore (financial guru Dave Ramsey calls it "Social Insecurity", a name that seems quite fitting to me).  So that is not something I can count on to help me out in my future.

Not only that, but I don't want to place a heavy burden on my son (and any other future children) to have to take care to me and provide money for my monthly bills when I am no longer bringing in an income.

So, it seems my only option is to do things a little differently than our American government.  In fact, I need to do things a lot differently!  Pretty much the complete opposite.

1. My family and I need to live beneath our means.

2. Even though we are currently out of debt besides our home, we need to take measures to stay that way.

3. We need to continue saving for the future.

Which brings me to the real message of this post.  The beginning of 2016 seems like the perfect time to introduce the Savings Challenge.  I'm taking it this year and I hope you will too.  It's very simple, but it will help me and my family to meet our financial goals described above.  It will help you to save for whatever dreams you have for your own family or allow you to pay off debt faster.

Here is the 2016 Savings Challenge: Decide on and commit to trying out three different ways to save money this year.  Notice I didn't say new ways, because you might have a current way of saving money that really works for you.  That's great!  Keep up the good work!  I'm just asking you to add two more ways of saving money to your arsenal of personal finance knowledge.

Here are the 3 ways I've committed to saving this year:

1. I'm doing the 52 week money saving challenge.  Each week, I put the dollar amount away that matches the week of the year.  By the end of this year, I'll have saved $1378 just by doing this.  To see the break down of how this challenge works, click this link which will take you to another blog.

2.  I'm going to continue the piggy bank plan.  I have already been doing this with my son because it's a wonderful way to teach him to save money, even at the young age of 2.  I have an entire chapter dedicated to this method of saving in my book 8 (Really Creative) Ways to Save.  You can purchase it here.

3. I'm going to try out the percentage savings plan.  On this plan, I start by taking out 1% of my income and have it auto-deposited into my savings account.  After about 6 months, I'll change that percentage to 2% and keep going until I reach 10%.  This is another method that I detail in my book 8 (Really Creative) Ways to Save.

None of these are very complex, but they do require a commitment to start.  What are some ways that might work for you to begin to save?  Or perhaps you save money already, but you want to challenge yourself to have the best year of saving yet.  If you're short on ideas, I would love for you to check out my book 8 (Really Creative) Ways to Save.  Writing this book truly changed my life because I practiced each of the tips to help get our family out of debt.  The book is chock-full of savings tips that will actually get you excited to save.  I hope you'll check it out!

If you're up to join me for the Savings Challenge, please leave a comment below or comment on my Facebook post.

I believe together we can make this the best year of saving money yet, no government assistance required!

The Magic of Homemade Gifts

This is part 3 of 3 of my series called Serious Holiday Savings.

Ok, yeah, I realize it's January, but I couldn't exactly write this post before Christmas because it details some of the items I actually gave out to friends and family.  And the beauty of it is, someone close to you is bound to have a birthday before December of this year.  Why not consider gifting them with something homemade or hand-crafted?

Why am I calling homemade gifts magic?  Simply because I believe homemade gifts convey deep meaning that the person who made it cares an awful lot.  They took the time and effort to create something just for you.  I also think crafting gifts is a lost art.  It's so much more convenient to run to Target, pick up a gift and throw it in a bag with some tissue paper.  Making a gift requires planning ahead of time.

Here are three of the handmade gifts that my family gave out this past Christmas:

1. Handprint ornaments:  I saw this idea on Pinterest, one of my favorite websites for inspiration, and decided to try it with Landon, my 2-year old son.  I made sure to choose a day that was nice enough where we could work outside (we can do that in Florida in December, do be jealous!) so I didn't have to worry about getting glitter everywhere.  And of course, it still got everywhere outside, but I wasn't freaking out about having to clean up minuscule glitter particles.  My husband applied glue to Landon's hand and I pressed it to an ornament, then followed it up with a sprinkling of glitter.

They didn't turn out as neat-looking as the (perfect) Pinterest picture, but I didn't care.  It was a fun family activity that my son sure enjoyed, and you would have thought we gave his grandparents the world when we presented them with two personalized ornaments.  I also included Landon's name, his age, and the year on the back of the ornament.

Here's the best thing: I found the glass ball ornaments at Goodwill for less than a buck.  There were six of them and I bought them before I knew what I was going to do with them.  They turned into some great handmade gifts and fun memories.

2. Homemade granite cleaner:  I discovered the value of creating homemade cleaners a couple of years ago when I downloaded a eBook about making them.  I've made several of the recipes (The book is called Homemade Green Cleaners by Claire Bowman, link here), but hands down, my favorite has been the granite cleaner.  It makes my counters so very shiny, only has 4 ingredients, and it smells yummy but never overpowering.  My mom-in-law and sister-in-law both have stone countertops so I decided to whip up two sprays for them.  Up until that point, I had been using lavender essential oil in my spray because it's my favorite scent, but since it was the holiday season, I decided to change things up a bit and swap out lavender for peppermint.  In about 5 minutes, I created 3 batches of peppermint granite cleaner (one for myself) and put them in spray bottles I got from the dollar store.  Then I printed colorful tags for the ones I was gifting and had two great gifts that are useful to boot.

3. Santa ornament: I bought a little ornament kit from Michael's when they were running a half off sale, making this ornament under a buck.  I showed Landon how and where to put the sticks and let him place them and then glued them myself.  Instead of attaching the string to make an ornament, I taped the foundation stick to a gift card and gave it to my husband as a gift from my son.

I plan on making and gifting many more handmade gifts this year, and not just for Christmas.  Do you like to make gifts?  Can you think of anyone who would love to receive one from you?  I hope this post inspires you to get busy making magic with homemade gifts!

Secret Santa Savings

This is part 2 of my 3 part series called Serious Holiday Savings.

Oh what fun it is... to participate in a Secret Santa gift exchange!

Tell me I'm not the only one who enjoys doing this.  I guess I like it because I enjoy surprises myself, so I find it fun to surprise someone else with little things I think they'd enjoy.

We are currently doing a voluntary Secret Santa exchange at the school where I work.  I wasn't there to draw a name, but another teacher drew for me and I received the name of a dear Kindergarten teacher.  I seriously doubt she's reading this blog, but just in case, I won't mention her name just in case I spoil a surprise!

Over three weeks' time, the Secret Santas are to place a minimum of two gifts per week in the recipient's mailbox.  At our holiday celebration, we are to bring one final gift and reveal who we are to the recipient.

I was excited to get started with my secret gifts, but wanted to stay within a certain budget without my gifts coming across as cheap and unusable.  So, I started a list of ideas for this certain teacher.  I decided to run to the store and get some of the things I needed on the list.  The only problem was, I wasn't able to get to the store that evening and I wanted to give my first gift the following morning.  So, I got a little creative and went shopping in my own house!  Don't worry, I didn't choose some kind of used, junky gift that I hadn't gotten around to throwing away yet.  I found a new, unopened set of yummy-smelling tealight candles that I wrapped and was quite satisfied with my first gift.

Just in case you're interested in participating in a Secret Santa, but are worried about spending too much, here are a few budget ideas that are sure to please both you and the recipient.

1. Go "shopping" at home.  At any given time, I have perfectly usable "stuff" hanging around my house that I'm just not going to use myself, but it might make a lovely gift for someone else.  If you have a give-away pile, check that first for any new items that you could regift.  Just make sure you're not giving an item to the same person you received it from!

2. Bake and take some holiday goodies.  Another one of my Secret Santa gift ideas came to me naturally after hosting my annual cookie exchange.  I had plenty of fresh, homemade cookies that I was never going to eat by myself, so I bagged them up, added a pretty tag, and they were ready to be gifted!

3. Hit the dollar store for themed gifts.  If you've read any other post on this blog, you've probably figured out that I'm a true fan of the dollar store.  I was actually there for something else, but I started noticing that some of the holiday-themed items would make great Secret Santa gifts.  I ended up getting a lovely holiday mug along with some hot chocolate packets and some peppermint tea.  I put them all together and had a perfect themed gift.

4.  Make a gift.  I like this idea so much, I'm devoting the entire next blog post to it, but people always seem to appreciate a handcrafted gift.  Put your skills to work, whatever they are.  I like to make jewelry and stamp cards.  Maybe you can sew simple ornaments or bedazzle a plain ball ornament with rhinestones.  You probably already have the supplies you need in your house.  Take an afternoon and work on some holiday crafts and you'll have some great gifts as a reward for your time.

5.  Re-gift a gift card.  Disclaimer: please make sure you check the balance first of any gift card you plan to regift and make sure it matches the price displayed on the front!  There is nothing worse than going to use your gift card and discovering it only has five cents left!  However, if you have full-value gift cards to restaurants and stores you don't think you'll visit anytime soon, these can make great free Secret Santa gifts!

I hope this post inspires you to get creative with your Secret Santa gifts this year!  There's no reason you can't provide great gifts and still stay on budget.  Happy Holidays!

For more awesome savings tips you can use year-round, check out my book called 8 (Really Creative) Ways to Save here.  It also makes a great Christmas gift!