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I went to the dollar store today to pick up some Christmas wrapping paper, bags and bows and found a lot of party items and holiday finds on the cheap like large candles, decorative trees, stocking stuffers and blue and white wintery items that I could keep up all season.
Stick to decorating just a handful of areas: the door/entrance, the Christmas tree area, your mantle and dining room table. And when doing so, go all out. Choose your focal points and make a statement. By focusing your efforts in just three places instead of the entire house, you can pool your resources. (And whatever you end up buying, try to make them pieces you can reuse next year or ones you can keep up all winter).
Today's my three-year wedding anniversary. My wonderful husband Jeff had some gorgeous red roses delivered to the office today.
The anniversary has me recalling my frugal wedding and the book it spawned, Cheap Ways to Tie the Knot. In honor of that, I offer some tips on flowers from the book:
FLOWER TIPS
• Have your wedding scheduled during a season when the church is decorated already (perhaps after Mother’s Day or during Christmas or Easter).
• Avoid February when flower prices skyrocket. Paying too much for flowers is not romantic.
• Use in season and easy accessible flowers. Your florist can fill you in on what in season flowers will complement each other (like roses and carnations).
• Mix fake greenery in with real flowers. It will save time and the greenery won’t wilt before the flowers do.
• Mix silk flowers with real flowers—especially in large arrangements. This will save time and money.
• If you choose to make your own arrangements, consult a seasonal flower guide that will give you insight into which flowers will work best for a wedding. Visit www.classyweddingfavors.com for a detailed list of good flower choices for each month.
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CARNATIONS
Some people really hate carnations—but they are making a comeback. You can’t get a cheaper or heartier flower and many times, when mixed in with roses and greenery, they add a punch of color and depth while the roses still shine in the forefront. It’s a cost-effective way to beef up your bouquets and arrangements.
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You can get roses at Sam’s Club or Costco for pretty cheap, much cheaper than from an actual florist. —Amanda, Nashville, Tennessee
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When doing your flowers yourself, less is more. Not less flowers, just less types. Pick a great flower, like Gerbera daisies and that’s it. —Joanna, Southern California
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BARGAIN
Who says you even have to have flowers? Melania Knauss, who married Donald Trump in January 2005, clutched rosary beads in lieu of a bouquet as she walked down the aisle. Choosing to not carry flowers won’t make you look like you were too poor to afford them if what you’re carrying makes a statement. Many brides choose to carry something sentimental like a Bible (I carried a small Bible my grandmother gave me in addition to my bouquet).
There are other non-floral options for bridal and bridesmaids’ bouquets. Consider having your bridesmaids carry candles or small lanterns for nighttime weddings. My mother’s wedding featured clusters of green ivy that were spray-painted gold for the wedding. It created a stunning and dramatic effect.
Another idea is to have an usher or flower girl pass out stems of flowers to the guests sitting on the ends of the pews. As you walk down the aisle, collect the stems and you’ve got a handful of flowers or place in a basket. Guests will be so impressed by the creativity, they won’t care that the arrangement isn’t perfect.
BUDGET
A budget bride can save big by arranging the bouquets and arrangements herself with some help from her bridesmaids—or perhaps you have a talented friend who will volunteer to do the task. (If you have enough time before the wedding, look into a floral arranging class at your local community college. It’s a skill you’ll use the rest of your life—a worthy investment.)
Once you decide that you’ll arrange your own flowers, browse magazines and the Internet (look up wedding photography sites) for examples of wedding bouquets and arrangements. Clip or print your favorites that fit in with the theme you’ve chosen.
Take cues from your wedding theme and general color scheme to plan your flower colors. Don’t forget about considering what type of extras you want—like small branches or berries—this will add uniqueness. Order plenty of extra filler—but use only one type or your arrangements will look cluttered and funky—you can always use this to fill out any arrangement or place around tables at the reception. To save even more money, use fake greenery for your filler.
Do one to two practice runs with a single bouquet. This way you’ll get a feel for how many blooms, how much filler, and how much ribbon you need. Make one of your practice runs the day of your dress fitting. Take the bouquet with you to evaluate the color, shape, or size of the bouquet by doing this.
Boutonnieres and corsages are generally inexpensive to order from a florist, but difficult to try to do yourself if you’ve never done it. Leave these to the pro.
Flower Care Tips
If you choose to do your own arrangements, be prepared for a lot of prep work. You’ll have to clean, trim, and keep the flowers alive for two to three days.
Be sure to ask the vendor you purchase the flowers from how the flowers have been handled and what might help prolong the life of the flowers.
You’ll want to get the flowers into water buckets as soon as possible. Clip three inches off all the stems and immerse in the water, leaving flower heads wrapped in paper until they’ll be arranged.
Arrange the flowers one to two days before the wedding.
Where to Buy Flowers
• Wholesale Flower Market—Located in larger cities, these markets sell flowers to the public after wholesale buyers are finished with their purchases (they come early, early in the morning). Call for hours of operation and take a trip a couple of weeks before the wedding to see how things work and to ask about what flowers will be available to day you come to pick them out. Some vendors might even take an order for you. (Another option is to check out your local farmer’s market.)
• Online Suppliers—Order flowers online from a warehouse like Sam’s Club, Costco, or B.J.’s or www.freshroses.com, where one bride says the total cost for her wedding flowers was less than $100. Shipping wasn’t cheap, but she saved a bundle on labor by having her and her bridesmaids arrange the flowers.
• Overseas Online Wholesaler—Ordering from an overseas online wholesaler such as www.fiftyflowers.com or www.marisolblooms.com could also save you around 20 percent.
Other Options:
Local trade schools can be a great resource if you want to get a deal on flower arrangements. Students will be eager to please their clients for the experience of running a florist shop. To find out about classes, check with your local school district or community college.
Another option most couples don’t realize to use is your local grocery store’s floral department. These guys are equipped to do major arrangements as well as bouquets and boutonnieres—often at 40 percent less than your local florist.
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Using the florist at a local grocery story can get your wedding flowers that look just as good the local florist shop. If you're a little squirmy about that, you can check a reference or two from weddings they've done. —Janine, Washington D.C.
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Use flowers with large blooms. You’ll save money simply because you won’t need as many to fill out a bouquet or corsage.
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Don’t be picky. Because my wedding was on January 1 in Southern California (Rose Parade kinda corners the market.) There was a premium on flowers and I couldn’t really be choosy. But I was so happy with what I got. Instead of specifying a certain type of flower, be specific about color and style (e.g. tropical, white.) —Joanna, Southern California
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BLING
If you decide to go the florist route, be sure you use a reputable florist. Interview two to three and get recommendations from friends, as you would with any wedding vendor. Once you’ve decided on a florist, be completely up front about what you’re willing and able to spend on flowers. This will save you time, money, and headaches. They can suggest what flowers will fit within your budget.
I had suggested to my florist that I wanted corsages instead of bouquets for my bridesmaids because I thought it would be cheaper. The florist offered to create bouquets with three blooms (the amount a corsage would have had) and fill in the rest with a ton of greenery. They made beautiful and dramatic bouquets (with ribbons trailing the greenery) and the florist just charged me the same as a corsage.
Give your florist an idea of the color scheme or theme of your wedding. Be flexible with what type of filler flowers you’ll have (and make sure you mention if there are any flowers you absolutely hate—or are allergic to—so they won’t be included). Many times a florist can pick up whatever’s in season for cheap at a floral market (make sure your florist passes on the savings to you if you give them this flexibility). If you ask only for a specific flower, it will have to be ordered and will probably be more expensive.
If you have the money to spend, it’s a nice touch to provide flowers for anyone who is playing a special role in your wedding, including extended family or friends who threw your bridal showers, or the servers at your reception. Think tussie-mussies for the women, or a simple long-stemmed rose with ribbons. A small boutonniere will work for the guys.
I don’t know anything about video games, but Amazon is going to be offering this system with a big discount. There are only 1,000 of them and they go on sale at 11 a.m. Pacific Thanksgiving morning.
Xbox 360 Core System
Normal price $299.99 Amazon price $100.00 (1,000 units at this price)
A co-worker tells me there's an upgrade to this system that cost about $400, but you could still score a sweet deal on the basic unit.
In this post I cover: service-oriented gifts, subscriptions, personalized gifts, photo, print and video gifts, themed gift baskets and gift cards. Also, I link to an article Radiant ran in its current issue that highlights $20 for $20 this season.
SERVICE-ORIENTED GIFTS
If you’re aware of a need someone has, whether it be their gutters cleaned, a babysitter, a brochure designed, offer your services as a gift. Write a thoughtful note to give to them when gifts are normally exchanged and outline your intent to provide a service to that person. Ensure it’s something the person wants done and make sure you follow through as soon as possible. Within the week if possible, or at most within the following month. It could cost you nothing except time and effort and could be so much more valuable to the recipient than a cheap gift.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Last year I gave quite a few magazine subscriptions as Christmas gifts. Each were under $15. I think it’s a great, economical gift—and works even better if you get a magazine that is especially suited for the recipient. This year I’ve already received one gift magazine subscription from my aunt. It’s for a magazine that I had heard of before but never had really checked out. I can tell I’m really going to enjoy it, so it was a perfect gift.
PERSONALIZED GIFTS
For some reason, I’m really into monogramming right now. Some of my friends and family members are getting personalized items from LLBean. To me, this is one of the easiest and best ways to personalize a gift. Mom loves the Tennessee Vols, so she’s getting a bright orange tote bag (which I found on sale for $14) from LLBean with her initials monogrammed on it (an additional $5). Always look for sale items first!
Neighborhoodies.com is a fun site that allows you to personalize apparel with colors, messages and fonts. Last year I got my husband a shirt for our anniversary with his nickname on it. Shirts start around $20, but it’s worth it if you have the perfect idea for a T-shirt, hat or hoodie.
PHOTO AND PRINTED GIFTS
Photo and printed gifts have become very popular these days—and with good reason. Since everyone can shoot like a pro with today’s cameras, it’s easier to enlarge prints and have them screened on calendars, posters and even mugs. Snapfish.com is one site to check out, but if you have a membership to a warehouse like, Costco.com, check out their offerings, as they’re likely to be cheaper.
To take this idea a step up, visit Lulu.com, a site that allows you to self-publish and print on demand any book you create. Take those photos from your trip to Europe and create a photo book that you can order a handful of copies (costs are comparable to regular books) to give as gifts. Or, if you have a collection of family recipes, compile them and have them printed.
VIDEO DOCUMENTARY
Interview the eldest member of your family about his/her life and the beginnings of your family. An oral history will be invaluable to your family for years to come. Have it burned on a DVD and make copies for your family.
THEMED GIFT BASKETS
If you have a friend who is a movie fanatic, think about a themed gift basket. Take a popcorn tub and fill it with a couple of bags of popcorn, a favorite movie (that you found in the clearance rack), seasoning salt and a book like The Film Snob’s Dictionary.
GIFT CARDS
I used to abhor the idea of gift cards. I thought they were an impersonal gift, but I’ve come to change my mind about them in recent years. They’re great as thank-you gifts, especially for a service or favor someone does for you, but they’re also great for occasions like when someone moves into a new home. They’ll be spending loads of dough at Home Depot anyway, so they can probably get more use out of a gift card than they can a cheap bottle of wine.
I have heard a good rule of etiquette about gift cards is that they should only come from a store/restaurant/etc. that the person wouldn’t normally go to (because it’s too expensive) or because the gift card could buy go toward a service (like a pedicure). I agree with this, but also see the value of getting a gift card for something more practical if its for an occasion like a baby shower, graduation or house warming. But since it’s Christmas, let the gift cards be creative if you go that route.
20 GIFTS FOR $20 OR LESS
I’m editor of a young women’s lifestyle magazine called Radiant. We recently ran a Holiday Gift Guide of 20 gifts for $20 or less. It occurs to me that many of these gifts would be appropriate to list here in my Cheap Christmas Gifts series. For a PDF view of this story, click here: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4 and Page 5.
In my last post I talked about the approach I recommend for planning Christmas gifts. In this post I’ll talk about specific gift ideas. I’ve broken them down into categories to give an overview. My hope is that these broader categories spark other gift ideas, even if the few specific ones mentioned don’t work for you.
Please share! Post your comments with your own ideas—I’d love to hear some additional gift ideas and how you guys approach holiday buying.
CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS
The truth is very few of us “need” anything. If you’d like to contribute to the growing counter-cultural trend of forsaking the traditional Christmas gift in lieu of making a charitable donations, here are some sites to get you started:
• FixMas.org
• BuyNothingChristmas.org
Although donating to charity in a person’s name is a noble way to spend money this Christmas, it doesn’t give the recipient a tangible gift to play with on Christmas morn’. If you decide to go this route, accompany your note with a pin, framed photo or other item that symbolizes your gift.
Example:
• Aids Pin
These pins are hand crafted by local Tanzanians from Arusha, Tanzania. You must order pins in batches of 10. The cost is $1.50 per pin plus shipping.
• If your family has recently lost someone to an illness, make a donation to a research organization in his/her name and give family members framed pictures of that loved one.
• If you’re giving to a social justice-oriented organization, find out if they offer any handmade items, like pins or other artisan crafts that your gift recipient can have to reflect on the gift made in his/her name.
Some social justice oriented sites:
• Blood:Water Mission
• AngelTree.org
• One
SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS GIFTS
Or, if you really want to give a tangible gift, but still want to help out a social justice org, buy fair trade products.
Example
• MadImports
Jet, $20
This handbag (from a company that’s a member of the Fair Trade Federation) was originally $59 and is on sale now for $20.
Example
• Global Exchange Fair Trade Store
Beehive Glass Beeswax Candle, $16.00
(You can add recycled gift packaging for $3.95)
Other fair trade sites:
I'll continue in my next post with more gift ideas in the categories of subscriptions, photo and print gifts, themed gifts and more!
Reader Danielle posted this comment on the previous post:
“Do you have any good ideas for cheap Christmas gifts? Christmas is coming quick—and I’m just trying to think of how to be creative and still give a nice gift to everyone on my list from ages 2-52. Any tips or do you know of any good websites that don't just teach you how to make ornaments, candles, and potpourri—that's all I've really found. Any thoughts on the whole Christmas gift thing?”
Great question! Thanks for the prompt, Danielle. Gifts are my dominant love language so I have a few strong opinions in this department.
The first is that that old adage really is true: it’s the thought that counts. Your gift communicates a message to the recipient—make sure it’s one that says: “I care about you,” “I love you” and/or “You are known.” It sounds cheesy, but one of the greatest desires we have is to be known and when you give someone a personal gift that reflects their taste and personality, you are tangibly showing that person you know them and love them for who they are.
With that in mind, there are some practical steps you should consider before letting your emotions get the best of you when you’re shopping for gifts.
1. Make a budget! Hopefully you’ve been putting money aside throughout the year so Christmas gifts don’t take a chunk out of your regular spending. Figure out how much you are willing to spend collectively on gifts (keep in mind any traveling expenses you might need to budget for during the holidays as well).
2. Make your list. Once you have a figure to work with, make a list of those you want to buy gifts for, and those you will have to buy gifts for (like a generic office present, or contributing to a group gift).
3. Assign priorities. Take your list and arrange it according to the level of gifts you’ll be giving. Obviously your mate and your immediate family members will receive more substantial gifts, but you might also want to give something to your coworkers, but the value of those gifts will have to be more economical.
4. Brainstorm gift ideas. Don’t blindly go into a mall looking for something that will fit everyone on your list. I’ve done this in the past and walked out with more presents for myself than those on my list. Pre-plan your gifts so you’re sure to get a meaningful present.
5. Do your homework. Before you start buying (or making) your gifts, research to find the best quality and prices (online or locally). Read online reviews and find out when stores are offering sales prices.
6. Buy. Be intentional about when you buy or create your gifts. Keep in mind shipping dates if you’re ordering online, and make sure you budget time in your schedule to create gifts during the busy holiday season.
7. Package for presenting! A gift is not complete without packaging! Just like your gift, the packaging sends a message to the recipient. But it doesn’t have to be expensive paper and bows. My husband’s favorite way to wrap presents is to use newspaper, but he gets creative and uses pieces that reflect the recipients’ personality (like the sports pages or comics).
In coming posts, I will blog about specific gift ideas for those on a budget. I’ll also tackle homemade gifts and gift wrap ideas. Stay tuned!
A 100-year-old woman, Eugenia Dodson, designated $35.6 million of her wealth to go to diabetes and cancer research after her death last year.
Most of the money went to the University of Miami’s Diabetes Research Institute. Donald Kubit, co-trustee of her fund, said Dodson inherited her wealth from her husband and lived frugally in a small condo and refusing in-home medical care until she was nearly 100.
“She denied herself the trappings of wealth," he said in this article. "She was dead-set on doing good for humankind. She had a big heart.”