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How to Save Money on Thanksgiving Decorations

10.19.2020 by admin // Leave a Comment

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Thanksgiving may look different this year but that doesn’t mean you can’t get in the holiday spirit at home. This Thanksgiving, make your home look festive without spending a ton of money. The good news is decorating for Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be expensive. And, with likely less people at your Thanksgiving this year, you can put the money you would have spent on food towards reusable Thanksgiving decorations. There are likely great deals on retail in general due to lower demand which makes 2020 a great time to buy Thanksgiving decorations. Here are 8 tips to save money decorating your home for Thanksgiving.

Buy Quality Cheap Thanksgiving Decorations That Can Be Reused

To spend the least amount of money in the long term on Thanksgiving decorations, buy reusable Thanksgiving decorations. Quality cheap Thanksgiving decorations can be found with discounts and after Thanksgiving sales. Some autumn themed decorations may even go on sale after Halloween like pumpkins. While these decorations may be more expensive at first, you won’t have to continue buying decorations year after year, ultimately saving money. This includes Thanksgiving tableware, [fake] candles, wood centerpieces, and more.

The best way to score deals on quality cheap Thanksgiving decorations is to find what you want to buy first. You can look at sites like Pottery Barn that have a page dedicated to Thanksgiving decorations. Then create a list and watch for the items you picked to go on sale. Some retailers like Nordstrom even send you emails when you put items in your wish list and they go on sale.

Make Your Own Thanksgiving Decorations

Are you crafty? The best way to buy cheap Thanksgiving decor is to DIY Thanksgiving decorations! You can make your own Thanksgiving indoor decorations and Thanksgiving outdoor decorations. There is some decor you can find for free like pinecones and pine branches outside. You can also spend a little money on craft materials from a local craft store. Look out for coupons at local craft stores to buy your supplies and save even more.

Look for inspiration for DIY Thanksgiving decorations on Pinterest such as this DIY wood centerpiece that can be refilled, and ideas for cheap Thanksgiving decor by searching cheap Thanksgiving table settings.

Pumpkins and gourds will cost a few dollars each. If you prefer the real thing to fake ones, grow your own to save money. Then, save the seeds so you can plant them again next year. You can also save money on candles by buying theme candle holders so that the replacement white candles are cheaper.

Borrow Thanksgiving Decorations

Usually, people decorate for Thanksgiving when they are hosting Thanksgiving. If you’re hosting, ask your friends that aren’t hosting if you can borrow decorations or needed kitchen items.

Accept Thanksgiving Decorations and Household Items from Family Members and Friends

Understandably not everyone has the option to get used items from family. But, over time things tend to accumulate especially if you have family that has lived in the same place for decades. Help them declutter by taking Thanksgiving decorations and kitchen items off of their hands. Perhaps they have held onto items that are sentimental but they don’t use. They’d prefer to keep something in the family instead of donating it.

Are any of your friends moving? Or, are you living with roommates now and is there anything your roommates are trying to get rid of? Any time someone moves there are always items – big or small – that they won’t want in their new place. It works out for both of you if you can take something off your friends hands they don’t want anymore.

Ask for Thanksgiving Decorations on Your Wedding Registry

Today, 66% of married couples have lived together before they walked down the aisle according to the NCBI. If you already have the basic items, ask for Thanksgiving decorations and kitchen items needed to host Thanksgiving. There are so many items you need when you host Thanksgiving, and it adds up quickly.

Not sure what kitchen items you need to host Thanksgiving? Here is a starter list:

Turkey Roaster
Kitchen aid
Fall themed plates and bowls
Extra table settings
Pie tins
Extra serving bowls
Extra utensils
Table linens
Potato masher
Baster set
Cooking thermometer
Turkey lifters
Chopper
Zester
Apple peeler
Drying mat
Measuring cups
Mixing bowl
Flavor injector
Cooking twine
Gravy strainer
Gravy boat

Buy Thanksgiving Decorations and Kitchen Items at Estate Sales

Estate sales are great for finding great deals on holiday decorations including kitchen items and cheap Thanksgiving decorations. An estate sale usually happens when there is a death and the family is trying to sell almost everything in the house before putting the house on the market. Estate sales are a great place to find complete sets of Thanksgiving table decorations since the family is trying to clear out the entire house. Considering most Thanksgiving decorations are decorating the dining room table, you’ll likely find many of these items at an estate sale. It’s also a great opportunity to find high end household items like Waterford crystal.

To find local estate sales, enter the town + estate sale into Google. If you live in a city, you may have more success looking at close suburbs. This is also a great time to buy furniture or other household items you still need for your home.

Use Coupons When You Buy Thanksgiving Decorations

When you do want to purchase new items prior to the Thanksgiving look for coupons and deals. The deals won’t be as good as after the holidays but you can still find 10% or 20% off the store coupons that you can apply to Thanksgiving decorations and kitchen items. Bed, Bath and Beyond always has 20% off coupons. For higher end decorations Bloomingdales Home has Friend & Family sales (it’s free to become a loyalist).

2020 is the perfect year to take advantage of these coupons and sales. With Amazon delaying their annual Prime day sales until Oct, retailers like Target and Walmart followed with great deals. While these days have since passed, retailers appear to continue the specials they normally don’t offer until Black Friday in an effort to easy crowding during normal busy shopping periods. Also, with fewer people at your Thanksgiving dinner, you won’t need as many items until next year when you can have a full Thanksgiving dinner. Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel already seem to be starting their autumn decoration sales early this year, even though the holidays haven’t yet happened.

Buy Thanksgiving Decorations After Thanksgiving Has Passed

If you want new decorations or a particular decoration buy it after Thanksgiving. Stores want to clear their inventory quickly to make more room for Christmas. And, there are a ton of deals on Black Friday, especially on kitchen items. While the selection may dwindle quickly as the sales get better it’s an excellent way to save money. Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel and Macy’s are a few stores where you’ll find Thanksgiving decorations on clearance after the holiday.

Budget Your Money Wisely

It’s very easy to get caught up in the excitement of the holidays and spend way more money than you had planned. This is only the start of the season too, so you definitely don’t want to start out on the wrong foot! Create a budget for how much you want to spend and stick to it. Personally, I created a household items and repairs budget and included any holiday decorations and cookware that was required in that part of that budget line.

Saving money on Thanksgiving decorations is only one way to save money during the holiday season. Here are ways to save money hosting Thanksgiving.

Spending Guilt? Stop Feeling Bad About Spending Money

10.11.2020 by admin // 1 Comment

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Spending more than you earn is a problem. And, it’s easy to look at debt amounts and realize when something needs to change. On the opposite end there are super s avers, saving more than 20% of their income. There are a lot of benefits to building financial independence; however, saving too much money may be a problem as well. Do you fear spending money? Do you avoid spending money at the expense of your health or happiness? This year especially has taught us that we won’t always have the opportunity to go on that dream trip, see a Broadway show or see a sports game. We’ve seen firsthand how many people and businesses are struggling and that we’re in a position to help. Here are 7 reasons why it’s OK to spend money.

Your Favorite Small Businesses May Not Be Around In A Year

This year has been incredibly difficult on small businesses. Many of them had to close for months and are struggling to barely get by, if they’re even still open now. According to a small business survey by PNAS the median firm with over $10,000 expenses a month only had enough cash to last roughly 2 weeks. Small Business for America’s Future polled 1,500 people and 34% said they can’t make it to the end of the year without some help from the government.

That restaurant or bakery you only go to for special occasions or a rare treat? They may not be open when that special occasion comes around. Now more than ever small businesses need our help to stay in business. With the high unemployment numbers many people can’t afford to support local businesses right now. If you’re employed and have some spare cash any business you can give to local businesses will help them avoid closure.

Your Health Is Priceless… And, Being Proactive About Your Health Will Always Be Cheaper

It is always ok to spend money on your health. A healthier diet cost $1.50 a day more than an unhealthy diet on average. This ends up being $550 a year. An unhealthy diet is one of the leading causes of poor health and accounts for up to 45% of cardiometabolic diseases. Now, more than ever it’s important to be in your best shape. Obesity and diabetes are two of the highest risk factors for disease severity and mortality rates now.

There are also plenty of benefits attributed to regularly working out. Gym memberships may even be partially covered by your health insurance driving the cost down.

Don’t feel guilty about the money you spend on your health and staying healthy. It may seem like an area to cut costs but don’t lose sight of the long term high costs of being unhealthy. Your life literally could depend on it.

Your Charitable Contribution May Change A Life

In 2018 an estimated 1 in 9 Americans were food insecure which amounts to over 37 million Americans including 11 million children. If these 11 million children weren’t going hungry, what would they be able to accomplish at school? Unemployment is high right now, and there are countless stories of how long food bank lines are now. Helping these families during these incredibly difficult times makes a huge difference. And, you can possibly quadruple the impact of your charity donation with these simple steps.

Charity Choices shares some statistics on charitable giving in the United States. For example, they share the average adult gave $1,050 and the average household gave $2,030 in 2014. They also found that on average Americans give 2.1% of their disposable income to charity. Now, think about your own charitable giving and consider the amount of money you spend on yourself and your savings rate. Can you afford to give a little more?

You Can Always Make More Money But You Can’t Make More Time

The F.I.R.E. movement (financial independence retire early) talks about making sacrifices now so you can become financially independent and retire early. You either work a ton to make more money early or become frugal so that you can retire on less (or perhaps both!). Sacrifices you make in your 20s do pay off in your 20s and beyond. But, you’ll never get that time back. What are you giving up so that you save money?

Everyone gets 168 hours a week. If you get the recommended 8 hours / night of sleep you’re down to 112 hours. If you work and commute a total of 50 hours / week you’re now down to 62 hours a week. In that 62 hours you have to shower, eat meals, run errands, workout, take care of kids / dog (if you have them). The more responsibilities you have the faster that “free time” dwindles.

Map out your week. How many hours each week you truly have as free time when you’re not working, sleeping, eating, showering, taking care of kids, etc. Now, how much is each of those hours worth for you?

Now, this doesn’t mean to “YOLO” and rack up a ton of debt outsourcing things you don’t enjoy like cleaning and traveling the world. But, you shouldn’t act like money is finite and time isn’t. Just like you create financial goals and plans create plans to manage your time. It’s much easier to make more money than it is to buy more time.

Opportunities Don’t Last So Take Advantage While You Can

You shouldn’t act like every single opportunity will only come by one time. If you can’t go to a dream destination next year you can likely save up for a few years and go at that time. There are certain situations though that will only last for so long, or will only happen once and you should think harder if it’s worth skipping these moments because you want to FIRE.

It’s a lot cheaper to go on vacation with a bunch of friends in your 20s- rent a house, carpool because you all live close together. People grow up, they move away, they have kids. You may be in a financially better situation in your 30s but the opportunity to travel with a huge group of friends cheaply may not be there anymore. This doesn’t mean spend like YOLO, but you shouldn’t say no to a once in a lifetime trip to save $500. Especially if spending that money won’t put you in debt and there are plenty of ways to travel for less.

If you absolutely love a band or love a sports team go to their concert or go to a game. You don’t have to buy the most expensive ticket to get the experience. It’s just as exciting being in the cheapest seat in the house as it is being up front and center. You still saw the concert or sports team live.

If Pictures Are Worth 1,000 Words What Are Experiences Worth?

11% of Americans have never traveled outside their home state. 40% of those questioned have never left the country according to Forbes. International travel helps broaden your creativity, become aware of other cultural values and helps you develop a broader view.

There are plenty of free attractions, including these free attractions across America. Even if the cost of the experience itself is free, often you need to spend money to get there. It’s ok to spend money on experiences that will enrich your life.

Items That Bring You Joy

For years I wanted a quilted Burberry jacket. I convinced myself I couldn’t afford it (I could have) and I needed to invest that money. When I finally bought it (on sale!) I loved it and frequently wear it every spring and summer. I’ve now had it for almost 4 years and it’s still in near perfect condition. I’m sure I’ll have it for at least a decade, if not longer. Looking back, what was the point of delaying this purchase? I still needed a jacket so I bought a jacket I didn’t love instead of this. I ended up spending more money than if I had just bought the jacket I really wanted in the first place! Sometimes by delaying a purchase you end up saving money- for example not having a car for a few years- but in this case I just delayed joy.

Obviously there is a limit to this. If the purchase will put you in debt you should go with something that brings you less joy and is much cheaper or wait to buy. Feeling guilty after buying something expensive is completely normal. Remind yourself that you shouldn’t feel guilty on buying expensive things you can afford that bring you joy.

A Reminder That It’s OK To Spend Money Summary

When you’re a super saver, you may have a fear of spending money. Remember, tomorrow is never guaranteed. So, make sure to enjoy the moments you live today. Set goals for how much you want to save, how much debt you want to tackle this year, how much you want to invest. Automate your savings directly from your paycheck into your savings account so any money in your checking account you’re free to spend. Once you’ve hit those goals, don’t feel guilty about spending money.

8 Tips to Save Money on Halloween Decorations

09.26.2020 by admin // Leave a Comment

cheap halloween decorations, halloween decor, diy halloween decorations, halloween decoration ideas

Halloween may look different this year but that doesn’t mean you can’t get in the holiday spirit at home. This Halloween, make your home look festive without spending a ton of money. Whether you want to buy cheap Halloween decorations or high end Halloween decorations for cheap there are ways to buy Halloween decorations on a budget. You can also skip decorating this year and score big on the after Halloween sales to get great decorations for next year. Here are 8 tips to save money decorating your home for Halloween.

Buy Reusable Halloween Decorations

To spend the least amount of money on Halloween decorations, buy reusable Halloween decorations. While it may be more expensive at first, you won’t have to continue buying decorations year after year. A pumpkin can cost $2-25 each depending on size, variety and location. Target sells light up jack-o-lanterns for $8 which you can reuse year after year.

This includes Halloween tableware like serving plates, serving bowls and plates. If you buy only paper items, you have to throw them out after one use. If you spend a little more money buying plastic or ceramic you can use the Halloween tableware every year.

DIY Halloween Decorations

Are you crafty? The best way to buy cheap Halloween decor is to DIY Halloween decorations. You can make your own Halloween indoor decorations and Halloween outdoor decorations. Spend a little money buying materials from a local craft store and look around your house / yard to see if you already have some of the materials. Look out for coupons at local craft stores to buy your supplies and save even more. Cheap Halloween decoration materials include spiderwebs, clothespins, black pipe cleaners, construction paper and white sheets.

Pinterest is abundant with DIY outdoor Halloween decoration ideas for your front porch and front steps. This includes the usual jack-o-lanterns as well as witch hats, spider webs, ghosts and DIY gravestones. Many of these you can make for cheap. For DIY Halloween gravestones for example you can cut and paint cardboard.

Pinterest also has a lot of DIY Halloween indoor decoration ideas. For example, you can decorate your mantle with spiderwebs, pumpkins, candles and bats. You can also buy or DIY Halloween kitchen decor like pumpkin mugs, Halloween theme canisters and more.

For more inspiration for DIY Halloween Decorations on Pinterest here are 40+ Spooky DIY Halloween Decoration Ideas Pinterest Pin and ideas for cheap Halloween Decor like this 100 Dollar Store Halloween Decor Ideas Pinterest Pin.

Grow Your Own Halloween Decorations

Love decorating with pumpkins and gourds? Instead of buying them year after year, grow them in your own garden. If you’re buying pumpkins this year, save the seeds and plant the seeds next year. If you aren’t buying a pumpkin this year, pumpkin seeds are relatively cheap at less than $5.

Halloween Decorations from Family Members and Friends

Help your family declutter by taking Halloween decorations off of their hands. It’s amazing how stuff accumulates over the years. They may have Halloween odds and ends from hosting Halloween parties over the year like extra trick or treating buckets or decorative tableware.

Are any of your friends that have kids moving to another state? If they are, do they have items they are looking to get rid of? Any time someone moves there are always items – big or small – that they won’t want in their new place. Especially with out of state moves it’s often cheaper to buy new instead of ship cheaper items. In 2020, there are countless references to the amount of people moving and planning to work from home from another location. It works out for both of you if you can take something off your friends hands they don’t want anymore.

Buy Halloween Decorations After Halloween

If you want new decorations or a particular decoration buy it after Halloween. Stores want to clear their inventory quickly to make room for Thanksgiving and Christmas. While the selection may dwindle quickly as the sales get better it’s an excellent way to save money. Target has a lot of great outdoor Halloween decorations including light up jack-o-lanterns, light up ghosts, skeleton LED decor and more that isn’t too expensive if you don’t want to wait until it goes on sale.

And, who could forget all the great discounts on Halloween candy after Halloween is over. With trick-or-treating up in the air this year, there may be even better sales than usual.

Buy Halloween Decorations at Local Estate Sales

Estate sales are great for finding great deals on holiday decorations including reusable Halloween decor. An estate sale usually happens when there is a death and the family is trying to sell almost everything in the house before putting the house on the market.

Use Coupons When You Buy Halloween Decorations

When you do want to purchase new items prior to Halloween look for coupons and deals. The deals won’t be as good as after the holidays but you can still find 10% or 20% off the store coupons that you can apply to Halloween decorations. Wondering where to buy cheap Halloween decorations? Bed, Bath and Beyond always has 20% off coupons. Bed, Bath & Beyond usually accepts coupons that have expired as well. Everyone makes fun of the long CVS receipts with coupons, but those coupons for $10 off $30 for example can be applied to the Halloween decorations they sell and Halloween cards. For higher end Halloween decorations Bloomingdales Home has Friend & Family sales (it’s free to become a loyalist).

Use coupons after Halloween as well. While some stores limit combining sales with coupons you can always try and see if you can get that extra discount.

Include Halloween Decorations On Your Wedding Registry

Today, 66% of married couples have lived together before they walked down the aisle according to the NCBI. When you’ve already lived together there are less things you need from a traditional wedding registry. If you already have most of the household basics, use this opportunity to start collecting stuff you want to decorate your house for the holidays, including Halloween. A great group gift idea is to give decorations for each holiday.

Save Money on Halloween Decorations Summary

It’s easy to overspend on the holidays, so create a budget for how much you want to spend and stick to it. There are plenty of ways to save money on Halloween decorations including growing your own pumpkins, DIY Halloween decorations, buying cheap Halloween decorations on sale, and scouring estate sales for Halloween decoration deals.

What are ways you’ve saved money on Halloween decorations?