Boxing day update

Josh and I have been busy packing and getting ready for our move  but we have also managed to nearly complete our Boxing Day shopping.  Here’s how we’ve made out so far:

Over budget

Mattress and Bed: Over budget by $43

Coffee Table: Over budget by $60

Winter boots: Over budget by $30

Winter coat: Over budget by $138

Men’s shirts: Over budget by $10

Total amount over budget: $281

Under budget

Dresser: Under budget by $230

TV: Under budget by $80

Bras: Under budget by $15

Total amount under budget: $325

Unplanned spending

Antique Tea Trolley: $254

4-pack Undershirts $27

Total unplanned spending $281

In total, we were under budget by $44.  However, our unplanned spending brought us over our budget by $237. Apart from the antique tea trolley I bought, we pretty much kept right on track.  The best thing we did was encourage each other to keep focused and by-passed any stores that we didn’t really need to go into.  Otherwise this “unplanned spending” number could have grown considerably!

Curb your boxing day spending

Planning to head out to the shops to take advantage of the Boxing Day Sales? Be careful. The urge to spend can increase when you’re surrounded by “clearance sale” signs and in competition with other shoppers.  The very best way to use boxing day sales is to shop with a list and make a budget before you go.  Use flyerland.ca to compare prices and then make a plan.  Go only to the stores that sell what you need and stay out of the ones you don’t!  If shirts are on for only $5 a piece but you already have enough shirts, then it’s not a good deal.  

If you make a list and stick to it, you will avoid buyer’s remorse and truly get a good bargain.  Coming home with a lot of stuff you don’t really need will only make you feel guilty, no matter how good the sale was.

Josh and I are almost finished our boxing day shopping.  Normally I avoid Boxing Day shopping because I believe the holidays are best spent relaxing with your family.  But this year is a bit different.  We’ve been saving all year for the things we need and now that we are moving we are taking the plunge to buy many things on our list at discounted prices. It’s a big list - a good quality mattress, bed, dresser, TV and TV stand, coffee table, and for Josh, winter boots, winter coat, running shoes, dress shirts, and for me, bras.  Our budget for everything is $5000.  I’ll update you with how we did when we are finished.

Is anyone else doing Boxing Day Sales shopping or are you avoiding the unbearable crowds all-together? 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all my visitors!

This morning I arose to find 4 beautiful deer in the backyard, in search of food, under a gentle snowfall.  What a great start to the day.

I hope everyone has a lovely day with their family. Best wishes for peace and harmony today.

Have a (mutually) frugal Christmas

Since it’s Christmas Eve, I thought I would ‘wrap up’ the holidays by answering a question from one of my readers.

Andrea says:

SQ, I’d love to read a post on this with tips, etiquette and whatnot and varying budgets. What do you do when say you’re watching your cents very carefully, perhaps your gift-giver isn’t and really doesn’t care of their own finances..or they really can afford to just give but then it’s awkward sometimes…?

So after a holiday of aiming to be frugal, here my thoughts based on what I’ve learned.

1. If you are thinking about scaling back this year, it’s a good idea to get everyone on the same page.  You can mention to your colleagues, friends, and family that you are thinking that it might be a good time to simplify the holidays and see what they say.  Many people find excessive shopping a burden and may be grateful you bought it up.  Maybe you can come to some mutual agreement.

2. Once you’ve made your decision, consider letting people know in an email or letter, but do it with as much tact and grace as you can muster.  I would probably try something like,

“This has been a hard year for many families with so many lay-offs and an economic downturn.  To ease the stress off all of us, the Adams family would like to simplify Christmas this year and we have decided not to exchange gifts. In lieu of the money we would spend, we will be making a donation to our local food bank.  We hope you will join us in our efforts to simplify and scale back. Thank you for understanding. We are so blessed to have such caring friends in our lives.”

Yes, you do run the risk of offending some, but I think most people will understand and even be relieved. 

3. Consider making a donation in lieu of the gifts.  You do not have to send a donation in lieu of the entire amount you would spend but could make a small but symbolic gesture. 

4. If you make a decision not to exchange, stick to it. I know this is hard, but if you’ve made your wishes clear and your friends still choose to buy gifts then that is their choice. Accept it and express your gratitude and don’t feel guilty.

5. Offer to have people over for a meal or spend time together instead of spending money.

6. Of course, you do have the option to participate in small gift giving in the holidays.  If you choose to do this, keep a small stockpile of little gifts that you can easily share. You can gather up some good buys during boxing day sales or all year round.  Just keep them simple and stick to a budget.

7. Consider “mass producing” small, easy homemade gifts. For example, Crystal Paine at Money Saving Mom made up a whole bunch of little drink mixes.  Try to choose one or two things that you can make for lots of people.  Making more of fewer creations wills save you time and energy.

8. Regift. I actually think regifting from time to time is okay - as long as you think the person would genuinely enjoy the gift. Regifting something you know the person would probably not use is not in good taste, but regifting a lovely gift that you’re sure the person will like is fair game.

9. Consider drawing names. You can do the traditional “secret santa” or try something new, like a donation draw.  Pick names amongst your friends and then make a donation to a charity that reflects your friend’s values and hopes. If your friend loves animals, for example, make a donation to the Humane Society.  This way you can combine gift giving with your philanthropic plans and get a tax-receipt, too!

10. If you have a large family, you can try our family’s trick: Have everyone bring a $5 gift for a person of their own gender. Then drop it in pile.  Everyone gets to pick up a gift and no one has to spend a lot.  And everyone has the option not to participate.

Other tips and strategies for your next frugal Christmas

1. Plan ahead, way ahead. If you’re making gifts yourself, they will take more time so recognize that you need to set aside more time in advance to avoid stress.

2. Factor generosity into your budget.  Plan to be generous with tips? Hoping to make donations or contribute gifts in kind?  Work these financial goals into your budget to avoid having to choose between being generous and being practical.

3. Factor the cost of materials into your budget, too.  Homemade gifts aren’t free.  Calculate the cost of materials in advance.

I hope this helps with next year’s plans!

But this year, concentrate on your many blessings and congratulate yourself for all your hard work.  Don’t expect perfection. Maybe you went over budget. Maybe you expected your homemade gifts to come out looking like something Martha Stewart hand crafted and your expectations of yourself fell short.  But whatever the outcome, be proud and happy that you worked hard to make a change and act in ways that reflect your values. Now it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labour!

Have a wonderful Christmas Eve!

Twinnings coupon

I just received a coupon to save on tea in my inbox - but only for my readers who live in the UK, unfortunately!  I hope my British visitors get some use out of this one! Save 40p on your next Twinnings purchase!

Unfortunately, when I downloaded the coupon it eliminated the bar code. If you want one, I can email it to you and you can print it out on your home computer. Let me know if you would like this coupon!

Reflections on a Christmas Budget

Refelections

With the holidays are upon us - yesterday was the first night of Hanukkah and Christmas is only a few days away - I thought it was a good opportunity to reflect on how well we’ve met our financial goals and what lessons we’ve learned this season.

I must admit that this Christmas I have really done things differently than I normally do.  We scaled way back.  I have made mostly homemade gifts for people and almost all my store bought gifts were simple.  Usually at Christmas I spend hours in the malls, scouring for the “perfect” gift, and always going way over budget.  Although I usually have fun doing it, this year was an opportunity to simplify my life and reflect on what is really important to me.

I’ve read a number of blogs recently where the authors are second guessing their Christmas budgets, even going so far to worry about becoming “stingy” or Grinch-like. As Christmas nears, it’s easy to question the decisions we’ve made, wondering whether it is really enough.

For me, when it comes to gift giving, the difference between being frugal and being cheap is an important one.  Being cheap means you are only concerned with the price-tag and not concerned with how the gift makes the person feel.  But a frugal gift is one that is rich with sentiment.

Being frugal is about living consciously. It is about learning to recognize and rejoice in the bounty within which we already live. It’s about using all means at our disposal - time, energy, creativity, love - and not just money, to accomplish our goals, including helping others.

My goal in life in general is to make a difference, to contribute to the world, to perpetuate peace and compassion.  I’m far from perfect, but that’s my goal.  I aim to be a generous person. But what does this mean, really? What is our purpose of giving a gift?  If it is to show love and gratitude, and if it is given with the intention of making someone’s life a little brighter, does it really have to be attached with a high price tag?

I think it’s sad that we’ve been told so many times that it does.  No wonder it’s hard to step back from that and choose a different path.  But when I remember the heartfelt Christmas letters my Dad used to write me, and the homemade coupons he used to give us as kids, I remember that a store bought gift could never be as meaningful.

I heard on the radio the other day some lovely stories about families who were choosing to eliminate gifts entirely, or severely scale back, in order to put 100% of their efforts towards helping others.  Entire families were dedicating themselves to helping out at shelters and food banks throughout the holidays.  Even the adolescent children were on board. Really, what greater lesson can you share with your children, than one about the joy that comes from selflessness, generosity and goodwill?

So, how did I do with my Christmas budget? In all honesty, we did splurge a little more than we intended. But I also did not do an ounce of shopping in a mall.  All but two of the gifts I bought this year were from small, local stores in my community.  I supported local businesses, shortened the time I spent shopping, and spent more time in the kitchen and crafting, making gifts. I also reused at least some of my gift wrapping supplies from last year and even the tissue paper I saved from my friend’s bridal shower a couple of months ago. I also did not buy anything for myself; by avoiding the malls and shortening the time I spent shopping, I did not even get tempted.

How did you all do with your holiday budgets? Did you stay on track or get led astray? And most importantly, how do you feel about your decisions? 

Another emergency for the emergency fund

Yesterday Josh and I took the car to get an oil change and to replace our rearview mirror (it cracked inside and fogged up, leaving just a small space of clear glass). We decided we could kill two birds with one stone by taking it to the GM dealership, after calling to confirm that they had the part in stock.  Half-way through the oil change they told us they didn’t have the part after all.  This was pretty frustrating because a Mr. Lube or Jiffy Lube would have been faster, cheaper, and closer to us if all we needed was the oil change.

After a pretty frustrating day, Josh and I got ourselves ready for my sister’s party, and were on the highway (Lakeshore) when we blew a tire.  Josh pulled into the third lane to change the tire.  Since the tire that burst was on the drivers side, and there was no shoulder due to the snow, Josh squatted right near the dotted white line, in black trousers and a dark grey jacket, attempting to change the tire, while I panicked watching the cars swerve to nearly avoid hitting him.  Meanwhile, neither of us were dressed for the weather, assuming that we’d be outside for mere moments and into a warm house.  No gloves, no hat, no sweater, no boots.  Josh attempted to change the tire in his bare hands.  For some reason though, it wasn’t working - the hubcab wouldn’t flip off.  I called my Dad, who called CAA for me, who took 1/2 hour to call back to say that it would be a three hour wait.

Just as Josh got connected with another auto assistance company, our only cell phone died.

I asked some pedestrians to help us (there is a pathway along Lakeshore) but they didn’t know any more than we did.

Thank God we were close to a Canadian Tire.  I ran all the way there and basically begged the manager to help us. He agreed and sent one of his men, Carlos, in a shuttle. Carlos explained that the reason the hubcap wasn’t flipping off was because it needed a special key, but even after I found the key in the glove box, the car wasn’t jacking up as it was supposed to.  Carlos said the body was bending.

Instead, Carlos took us back to the Canadian Tire where they called us a tow-truck.  We were told it would take an hour to wait for the tow. So they instructed the tow truck company to pick up the car and bring it to the body shop, where they would repair the tire, and we would pick it up tomorrow.  We took a cab to the party.

I am still waiting to hear from Canadian Tire.  I hope that everything went smoothly.  I hope that our car didn’t get smashed before the car got picked up.

I’m very grateful for that Canadian Tire and even more grateful that we made it home (and to the party) safely.

The bottom line: Once again, build that emergency fund.  We have to pay for the tow, the tires, and labour. But we have the money to pay for it, so it’s not a big deal. If you build up your emergency fund, accidents can happen and you can concentrate on taking care of yourself and your family, without worrying too much about the money.  It reaffirms that the frugal life Josh and I have chosen, living below our means, is the only way to go.

Wal-Mart rebate offers

Normally I don’t post deals that can be found at Red Flag Deals, but I thought I ought to mention these great offers at Wal-Mart because I don’t want anyone to miss out on them.  Until the end of the month, you can get in on these two excellent rebate offers:

Buy $25 of Scott, Cottonelle and Kleenex products at Wal-Mart, get a $10 gift card.

Buy $50 worth of P&G products at Wal-Mart and get a $20 gift card. 

Use your coupons, buy the goods on sale, and you’ll end up with a great bargain.  The amount you spend is cumulative, so you don’t need to spend $50 in one trip.  But remember to keep those receipts! Attach them with the forms above and you’re all set.

My only caveat is sometimes it takes a long time to actually get your gift card.  I did this with Zellers once and it took me months to get my HBC gift card in the mail.

Saver Queen Shopping Challenge - update

There is still time to join Saver Queen Shopping Challenge to donate food and personal items to your local food bank! Deadline for participation is December 24, so there is still time to enter to win a prize.

I filled two big boxes with food and I will be dropping them off tomorrow at the fire station, which is a dedicated drop-off zone for the Daily Bread Food bank.

If you want to participate, simply let me know what you bought, or take a picture and send it to me, or link back with a blog post that shows what you bought!

I’ve heard this year has been particularly tough on the food banks.  So let’s be as generous as possible!  Remember you can contribute more by combining great sales with coupons!

So far Kate, Nancy, Annie, Money Minder and Erran have expressed interest in participating.  Annie has already made her donation.  For everyone else, please update me with your progress by December 24th in order to be eligible for the draw!

A tasty, simple salad

So I caved and went to the grocery store. However, I only spent $10.23. This got me a bunch of green onions (which looked beautiful) celery, two broccoli crowns, 1 litre of half/half cream, and a “Texas BBQ chicken” pizza. The green onions were on sale (I used up a bunch of them in the chicken salad and need more for the salmon cakes) for only 59¢ and the broccoli crowns were on sale too. I love it when the crowns are on sale (in this case, cheaper than whole broccoli) because that way, you don’t have to pay for the stalk if you’re not going to use it. The cream, which was the main purpose of going to the store (Josh didn’t like the idea of putting milk in his coffee for the next several weeks, and I don’t really blame him) was on sale for $1.99 for a whole litre - great deal! The pizza was regularly about $7.99 but on sale for $4.99 and I used a coupon for $1 off, so it came to $3.99. For some reason the checkout girl questioned the validity of the coupon; surprising, since it was from Save.ca. The expiry date wasn’t until December 21, but she looked at it and said, “what’s the date today?” When I told her, she didn’t believe me and then went and asked her supervisor. She told me that they would accept coupons up until the expiry date - even though it was still days away! I just nodded and she deducted the coupon.

Anyway, I am putting those items to good use. Today I made a simple salad using the broccoli and a recipe from my Mom. The great thing about this recipe is that it helped me to use up a lot of ingredients I had on hand. I finished up a container of yogurt, feta cheese (it’s expensive so I’m glad it didn’t go to waste) and it helped me deplete my existing supply of mayo, sunflower seeds, onions and raisins!

Dressing
1/2 cup low-fat yogurt
1/4 cup light mayo
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt, pepper

Combine first ingredients, pour over salad. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 2 days.