The 1st Day of Christmas with Ruth Soukup–Living Well, Spending Less
Welcome to the 7th annual 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways!!!
12 Days.
12 friends guest posting sharing a Christmas idea, recipe or favorite with you.
12 great giveaways for you to enter along with one GRAND PRIZE for someone who comments to enter all 12 days!!
Let’s get started with Day One! {I’ll be announcing what the grand prize is a little later. You know, to build suspense!}
Please help me welcome the relentlessly savvy – Ruth Soukup! Ruth believes with all her heart that a life well lived is not so much about what we have, but 
who we are. Her mission is to empower and inspire women everywhere to seek—and find—the Good Life. Through her popular blog, Living Well Spending Less,, she encourages her readers to follow their dreams and reach their goals, sharing easy-to-implement tips and strategies for saving time and money while focusing on the things that matter most. Her practical advice has been featured in numerous publications, including Women’s Day, Redbook, and ALL YOU, and her new book, Living Well Spending Less: 12 Secrets of the Good Life will be available in bookstores on December 30th. Connect with Ruth on her blog, Facebook or Pinterest.
Keeping your holiday budget (and stress) in check.
With Thanksgiving behind us and the holidays now in full swing, it can be really easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of this busy season. There is seemingly always one more present to buy, one more ingredient to get, or one more card to send. While it is easy to put off dealing with the repercussions until later, all those little costs can add up to a lot more stress come January.
Good planning is SO key! It is so important to decide now what you can afford to spend, and to break it down into categories to get a clear idea of what that means for your family. And in the spirit of stockpiling, planning your menus, grocery lists, and gift needs ahead of time will also mean giving yourself an opportunity to stock up on the items you need when they are at their lowest possible price.)
While it’s wonderful to give gifts to our loved ones, remember that it’s in celebration of the larger season—and it’s not just about consumerism. Give a gift of yourself, or consider making something special for the people on your list this year. Encourage children to make meaningful items, write letters and cards, or perform an act of service.
For the past few years my husband and I have used a simple holiday planner to help keep our family organized. Writing out and narrowing down the most important family activities has really helped us cut back on the strain of a jam-packed schedule, and if taking on too much is adding to your stress, you might find that it helps you too. For example, maybe you’ll discover that everyone in your family LOVES making Christmas cookies together, or family game night, or watching a Christmas movie—these are your must-dos. However, perhaps your husband can’t stand caroling, your daughter doesn’t like to be cold while looking at Christmas lights, and you’ve been invited to nine Christmas pageants. Eliminate the activities that are not “must do” items and stick to the truly meaningful. No one needs to do everything!
Another great way to get focused on the things that matter most is by joining my free Stress Free Christmas Challenge. Each day you’ll receive a short but encouraging five minute video sent straight to your inbox. Each day focuses on one small practical tip for not only getting things done–everything from setting goals to saving on groceries and getting our house in on order for the holidays–but for keeping our priorities in check along the way too. The challenge is completely free to join, and when you sign up here, you’ll also get instant access to the 2014 Holiday Planner!
Now for the Giveaway:
Ruth is generously offering 3 copies of her upcoming book Living Well, Spending Less: 12 Secrets of the Good Life, to the winners of today’s drawing.
To enter for a chance to win, simply enter a comment on today’s post sharing how you find ways to spend less at the holidays. {Or why you wish you did!} Or, what do you do to plan ahead.
Don’t forget to come back for all 12 days! {And remember, if you comment on all 12 posts, you might win the Grand Prize!}
We have always been givers of our time and handmade gifts as Christmas presents and we love coming up with new ideas each year. This not only enables us to save money, but also to put thought and lots of love into our gifts.
I plan ahead each year, using Flylady’s Holiday Control Journal. Really helps to keep me in check. :)
Different ideas:
I cut, colored, and laminated paper dolls (about 200 pieces-I started in November) from different countries for my grand-daughter. She absolutely loved it.
Bought mailboxes and as a family we painted scenes on them with the last name Schuhow and gave one to each family.
Bought crystal clear glass plates, various fabrices, glitter, modge podge, and covered each plate with fabric/glitter, then finished off with modge podge. One of them had a shooting star pattern that looked so cool with the luminescent glitter.
Cross stitched Christmas Ornaments and put their picture in the middle of the “poinsetta” looking frame.
One year, we gave coupons for back scratches, go to bed late, one free get out of washing dishes, etc.
I make lists & stick to it/
I am trying to slow down and appreciate each moment during this magical season. As a family, we are prioritizing to make sure we do what is important.
As much as I enjoy getting Christmas Cards and photos of family and friends, we determined several years ago that eliminating the Christmas Cards as a “Has to been done” item has really helped the stress and the budget. Photo cards are a big thing and yes you can find good deals, but they still cost, plus then you have postage. Instead I do try to put a Christmas greeting online- either Facebook and/or blog, but we have also found that you can get those photo cards made anytime of year. SO we have sent Easter Cards and have received a Thanksgiving card- which is something that we haven’t done but was very cool.
My budget is much smaller than it once was and so I too use lists to make sure I stay within the budget and don’t get stuck paying off big bills later. I also use lists to prioritize what I want to do in the limited amount of time we have, since I travel in the semi with my husband most of the time. It is also a way to count my blessings.
Making baked goodies & making a pretty platter of them to give to everyone at the church office where my husband works…and to friends and to eat a few too! :)
i bake treats instead of buying useless and frivolous stuff. it’s more tasty and personal!
Shop at a favorite sale of mine and buy in bulk for teachers, neighbors, etc! I also love Costco!!
Thanks for the ideas!
My husband and I have time set aside at the beginning of the Christmas season to plan our activities and budget for the coming days. We have found that it is very helpful to have a plan, even if you end up having to change a few things as you go along!
I set a budget for each person and try to stick to it!
“Have a plan” ahead of time and I keep a Christmas journal so that I can refer to it each year to change or adjust as needed.
I try and get things throughout the year as I see them and when they are on sale….. I don’t always do so good and storing them is always tough. Plus, I always forget where I have “hidden” them! LOL!!
I really take time to scope out the sales and clearances. I even pick up items throughout the year as I find awesome deals. I’ve saved over fifty percent of the cost of toys by just waiting for the right deal to come along and of course I wait for free shipping as part of the offer. I have two very small children, so hustling and bustling through a bunch of stores is just not possible right now. I have a budget for each person and we stick very closely to it.
Spending less is something I try to do year round-coupons and sales. Then comes Christmas and though I want to be generous and kind, I don’t want to spend so much that the savings from throughout the year are used up. One way to help is by putting a limit on spending(and/or a limit on the number of items you give to each child, friend, spouse etc)so you say/write down the dollar amount you can spend on each child, friend or husband etc, BUT you have to stick with the amount you set:) I would add, plan for “extra” gifts-those times where you have to go in on a gift for a boss or an extra person is coming to a gathering and will need a gift to open.
I have found that certain online sites sometimes have the items I’m looking for at a reasonable price and many times you can get free shipping. Those are just a couple ways to save and yet still give at Christmas:) Merry Christmas and may Jesus be the center of all that is done!
Perfect!
Great ideas! Thanks for sharing!
This is an area that I struggle with every year. I also want the perfect Christmas but am constantly disappointed. I am trying to focus less on things and more on memories.
Looking for bargains online…way better than hitting store after store trying to find stuff. Most of the time cheaper and less time (although time can still get away from you!).
What I wish I did was plan better. Pay more attention throughout the year to what my loved ones like and don’t like and watch for bargins. Before I know it Thanksgiving is here, then Black Friday and then December and I haven’t planned and feel stressed and rushed and broke the closer I get to Christmas. One thing I did do last year, but not as well as I’d hoped, was I started saving $30 here and there. My intent was to pull out the cash each week when I went to the grocery store and then set it aside so we’d have some breathing room when it came time to start Christmas shopping. Some weeks I felt like the grocery bill was too high so I wouldn’t pull any out, but I’ve saved up a good amount and am determined to do even better this next year.
A friend and I have challenged each other to make it a homemade Christmas this year.
My efforts to simplify gift giving and focus on Christmas in recent years have been that the gifts are for the children and the adults have already received the greatest gift…Jesus! I don’t spend a lot of time shopping but I do spend a lot of time with my family and loved ones! And in quiet time patiently waiting for the coming of our Savior, Immanuel… God with us!
We draw names in my extended family and that helps a bunch. This has taken a lot of financial stress off my mother. My biggest challenge is shopping for my two teenage boys.