Holiday Money Saving Ideas from DCW Members

Bartering
I have found that over the last few Christmas's bartering with other moms for Christmas gifts has saved me tons on money. Not to mention cleaned out some of my extra inventory I have accumulated over the year!

by Deane Williams

Home-made Greeting Cards
Home-made Christmas cards made easy! And your kids can join in the fun as well!

Take a few large potatoes and cut them in half. Draw a simple shape on that half, like a square or a triangle. Take a knife and cut out the sides of the shape so you are making a stamp out of your potato.

Buy carton and/or premade cards and paint. Use the potatostamp to stamp the shapes on the cards.

A block of 4 squares with a bit of space in between quickly looks like a parcel, especially when you take a gold felttip and draw lines and a bow on top of it.

A random line of pointy triangles on a darkblue card becomes the edge of a forest, especially if you use a silver felt tip to make stars over them.

If you use your imagination, it is inexpensive and very easy to create something magical!

by Armande Borghardt

Barter/Swap
Barter with others. If you are in direct sales and have a bunch of products in your inventory, swap with other Direct Sales wahms so that you can get a variety of gift items - just the same, they can get gift items from you. It's a WIN-WIN situation. If you offer services, barter your service for products.

by Marie Ynami

Fund Raiser
Organize a Fund Raiser

by Stacey Kutz

Dress up with Bows
Dress up your teddy bear collection for Christmas by giving them all red or plaid ribbon bows and then place your well-dressed bears here and there around your house.

Follow the Victorian rule for filling Christmas stockings: Something to eat, something to play with, something to read, and something they need.

by Patty Lee

Use Tissue Paper

I wrap my present up in a chosen colour tissue paper and then take a piece of shiney gold or silver paper (actually any coloured shiney paper will do) and punch little dots out with the paper punch. I stick little shiney dots all over the present. (Space them out if you are n't very patient or time is short) Then finish off with a piece of ribbon tied around the present and tied with a bow. Simple but effective. You can cut any shapes out, but the hole punch is quick! This idea can be used at any time of year, just make it more sparkly at Christmas.

by Nat Hall

Frugal Wrapping

I buy very pretty Christmas wrapping paper, usually in the color combination of white/Gold/Cream. I then get (here I go again w/ the lace) lace to match and use that with or instead of ribbon to finish off the package. I always add a little gift to the outside of the package too, like a handmade Victorian fan ornament or a small angel soap or ornament, snowball or votive candle(s) in a pretty organza drawstring bag, what ever you like. The packages end up being so pretty no one wants to open them!

by Pennie Mills

Use Old Greeting Cards

Use old greeting cards to make gift tags instead of purchasing them. I cut out snowmen, snowflakes, santa and most of all Angels (I love 'em!) and use them to make gift tags.

by Carrie

Frugal Tree Ornaments

Boxes little soaps and candles in the shapes of Christmassy items are generally sold off in the sales! Buy them up, store them away and take them out next year. Wrap them up individually and hang them as little tree presents! Lovely gifts and always welcomed!

If you DO get time though, another good place to get little tree pressies - and you can do this any time really and just put them away - is from my favourite, the CHARITY SHOP!

You can buy a WONDERFUL selection of virtually new books - paperbacks and big ones too - an absolute fraction of the price and doing a good turn at the same time!

by Tracey Smith

Discounts online

My husband has a large family and as a result our Christmas list is quite long. I Christmas shop by shopping clearance sales at better department stores, on the internet at sites such as www.Overstock.com (only charges 2.99 shipping no matter what the size of the order), and shop at stores that discount higher end merchandise. When you can save 50%-75% off it does help to cut costs. I usually spend about $20 per person, which isn't much in this day. I wished I had more time and could make more of my gifts. I used to do this, but there just isn't the time anymore.

by Sara