Search Results for: blog christmas gift shipping tips

Frugal Gift Wrap Ideas

Any frugalista knows that you should purchase your gift wrap and holiday paper during post Christmas sales to stock up for the year. At many of the Hobby Stores and Pharmacy chain stores, you can easily find it for 75% to 90% off. This can easily save you $100 to $200 in gift wrap costs for the year. But what do you do when have run out of gift wrap or (gasp) didn’t make it to the post Christmas sales? You find free options around your home for wrapping gifts. Here are some things you can try. Use your origami … Continue reading →

Tips for Shopping at Amazon.com

Amazon.com is a frugal person’s paradise, especially when you are in the market for school books or Christmas presents. Their second-hand market is comparable to Ebay prices and if a sale does not go the way you think it should, Amazon.com is glad to run interference… unlike eBay. When there is an item I need to buy and did not pay full price I find that my search often ends at Amazon. From vitamins, to hair oils, to homeschool supplies, and electronics. I have even purchased dressy clothes and formal wear. You can’t go wrong with Amazon.com if you know … Continue reading →

Online Holiday Shopping Tips (2)

Shopping online can save you a lot of money if you take advantage of these frugal deal secrets. I’ve already covered some of my top tips for online holiday shopping including my favorite deal sites. Now, let’s continue with more online holiday shopping tips. Shop on the weekends Most people shop online during the week, saving the weekends for shopping in the regular brick and mortar stores. Because the online stores know this, the set some big deals to occur during the weekends in the hopes of getting those sales. Take advantage of this and shop on Friday, Saturday and … Continue reading →

Christmas Gift Shipping Tips

Want to increase the odds that your card or gift will get there by Christmas Eve? Check out these tips from the United States Post Office. The Post office says that 85 percent of all of the hand addressed cards get read by a card reader. This is the fastest way possible, with 36,000 pieces of mail sorted in one hour. If the machine can’t read the handwriting on an envelope, a digital image is taken of the piece and sent to one of eight data centers. There, a human tries to read the address and type it in to … Continue reading →

Holiday Travel: Tips For a Smooth Flight

A year ago this week I was on a flight to Hawaii to spend Christmas with my family. (We actually flew out on December 23rd.) I prepped, planned and packed like a pro, but the brutal reality of flying during one the busiest travel weeks of the year is that you are at the mercy of the airline… and the nation’s air-travel system. If you are planning to take flight this week (or anytime between now and January 6th) you run a good chance of being delayed, missing a connection, or otherwise experiencing some type of travel inconvenience. While there … Continue reading →

Dreaming of a Green Christmas?

Can we go green for Christmas? There are some environmentally friendly ways to prepare for the holidays. One really good way to do so is by recycling things you have around the house as you package gifts for shipping. Start by using boxes you have instead of purchasing new boxes for shipping. Then, try these tips: Plastic Grocery Bags Use clean plastic grocery bags between items in a shipping box to cushion gifts and keep them from bouncing around. Bunch them up and stuff all the empty spaces full to help protect gifts and keep wrapping from becoming damaged, as … Continue reading →

Tips for Shopping Online or via Catalog

Yesterday, the discussion began regarding online shopping and catalogs. Here are some tips to help you make the most of these convenient ways to shop: First, check out any company you’re considering doing business with to see if they are reputable. Make sure a site is secure before giving out your payment information. Check reviews of websites and catalogs online, check the Better Business Bureau, reseller ratings, or just type in the name with the word “complaints” and see what pops up. You can also ask friends and family to suggest catalogs and websites they trust. Be aware that some … Continue reading →

Tips for the Best Holiday Shopping Deals

In many shops and stores, sales are in full swing, but they usually get even better the closer we get to Christmas (not to mention the great bargains after Christmas!). Yet, there are some extra ways that you can make sure you get all the best deals. In Store Specials First, check with your favorite stores for preferred customer discounts. You can call, but many prefer that customers ask in person. Ask the cashier at the check out or seek information at the customer service desk. Also, ask about in store coupons or other special promotions that are not always … Continue reading →

Cheap Appliances: An Ice Cream Maker for $5

Someone who is looking for small appliances to replace old ones or to stock a new home is in luck. Right now, there are many different ways that you can pick up small appliances for really cheap prices. What is the average cost of a small appliance? Of course, it depends on the appliance, but if you take a quick look at all of the must-have-it appliances advertised on television, you know the ones that are available for three or four payments of $19.99, plus the average cost of appliances bought in the store, you are looking at somewhere between … Continue reading →

Thinking Of A Seasonal Home Based Business?

As I was out shopping today, I saw workers in one of the stores putting up Christmas trees in their home decorating department. My first reaction was to feel disgusted that Christmas merchandising seems to happen earlier every year. Seriously people, it is not even officially fall yet. My second reaction was that if I were someone who wanted to operate a seasonal business around the holidays, now would be the right time to start planning and preparing for it. The holidays can take up a lot of time and energy for many people. If you have the time, energy, … Continue reading →