Family Christmas Stockings for under $20!

Christmas stockings can be EXPENSIVE! At most stores (barring dollar stores) for basic ones cost over $10 each, and the more decorated they are they more expensive they become. I was searching for a set of modern style Christmas stocking for over a year now. Especially since we became a family of four, I wanted to have a nice set of stockings moving forward. I found a handful that I sort of liked on Etsy, but they were $35 EACH. We're talking $140 JUST for stockings. I couldn't justify that.

Finally I decided, I'm going to make them. Next decision. What design? I found this fantastic tutorial. I followed it with a few modifications. I didn't do a cuff, and I ironed the interfacing to the back of the colored parts. But it's so easy, even for someone with mediocre sewing skills like myself. I found a really cool design on a business card, and thought I'd mimic it onto our stockings. I love typography and this was bold and modern and perfect! So I found a font and made them the size needed to be clipped just right inside the stocking design. Then printed the stocking design and my "J", "A", and "S".

The total cost for ALL FOUR stockings? About $20!! I went to Jo-Ann fabrics for their Black Friday sale + picked a last minute switch at Michaels.

The colored parts are all from quilting "Fat Quarters" just a rectangular piece of cotton fabric. I was able to cut the front and back of the stocking from one square. Best of all they were 99¢ on Black Friday at Jo-Ann Fabrics! So that was $3.96 (+ .24 tax). This was cheaper than buying small amounts of fabric by the yard. And this way, all of them could be different.

The interfacing (kind of like batting) was $4.24 for a yard. Regularly $8.49, so that was on sale for 50% off.

The lining was a twill fabric at $4.99 for a yard. Regularly $9.99, that was also on sale for 50% off.

The letters are made from white felt, instead of the twill fabric I orginally planned on. The felt worked out better because it won't fray. That was $2.99 for a yard at Michaels, but I used a 50% off coupon so it was $1.50!

Finally, the letters are attached to the colored fabric with fusable webbing, the two packages I got cost me $4.

Grand total, $16.61! I had the ribbon and the thread on hand.

I'm so happy with them, and I'm even more happy to have saved all that money!

Saving Money vs. Spending as Little As Possible

When you do your shopping/planning, how do you do it? Based on where you can "save" the most or where you can pay the lowest price possible for the product? Most people don't realize there IS a difference!

Picture that you have 2 ads for 2 different grocery stores in your area in front of you. Store 1 has your favorite brand of Ice Cream on sale for "$2.00 off" and the Store 2 has it on sale "2 for $6". Store 1, regular price is $5.99 Store 2 regular price is $4.49. So the "savings" are easily recognizable, Store 1 you can save $2 on it, Store 2 really only has a savings of $1.50. BUT at Store 2 you'd only pay $3, instead of the $3.99 at Store 1. Which one would you go for? Ah ha! Spending as little as possible.

When purchasing anything, it's always best to consider the bottom dollar out of pocket (OOP) cost. This can apply to small grocery purchases or larger ones like vehicles. Advertising is such a huge roll in giving the illusion you are getting a great deal on something, when it fact it may be a mediocre or terrible deal! Watch out for %-off vs $-off deals and even the "buy more save more" sales. Compare everything! All it takes is a few minutes and a little math.

I always think back to a few years ago, when my first son was starting solid foods. Baby food was on sale 10 for $10. The shelves were pretty well picked over from people trying to stock up. Well, I notice under the sale tag, the regular price for this baby food is only 99¢. People were paying 1¢ MORE for the product (yes, it did ring up at $1) but thought they were getting a great deal!

Whenever I plan my grocery shopping lists I always have a top dollar amount in mind. Our weekly budget is $60. I try to get the MOST out of that money as possible. Which means spending as little as possible on individual items. When I first started couponing I didn't change my budget, I simply shopped smarter. I was getting more food for my $60. I'd stock up on essentials when they were extremely cheap, thus meaning I wouldn't have to buy them at a later date at a higher price. I spend at my budget almost every week, even if I don't *need* much I use it to stock up on other higher priced things like meats that I can put away in the freezer. A well stocked kitchen is the best savings in the long run. Fewer unnecessary trips to the grocery store paying full price on last minute ingredient.

So what about you? How do you normally think about your shopping?

Birthday Party - On the Cheap!

Well it has been several months since my son's birthday party, but I'm finally getting around to posting this! I created, what I think, was a super cute birthday theme for my son's 3rd birthday on a dollar store budget! The whole party, including food cost me around $60

The overall look:

As you can see the theme was kind of under water. I drew inspiration from some wrapping paper I found at the Dollar Tree.I just thought these characters were absolutely adorable, and KNEW I could do something with it.



What I purchased:

• 2 Rolls Wrapping Paper ($1 each at Dollar Tree)
• 3 Blue Tablecloths ($1 each at Dollar Tree)
• 1 Pack Blue Tissue Paper ($1 at Dollar Tree)
• 1 Pack Craft Foam Sheets, assorted colors ($1 at Dollar Tree)
• 2 Rolls Green Crepe Paper (89¢ each at Party City)
• 2 Red Oval Platters ($1 each at Dollar Tree)
• 2 Blue Bowls ($1 each at Dollar Tree)
• 2 Chip/Dip Trays ($1 each at Dollar Tree)
• 1 Pack Blue Styrofoam Plates ($1 at Dollar Tree)
• 1 Pack Plastic Cups ($1 at Dollar Tree)
• 2 Bags Balloons, dark & light blue ($1.50 each at Target)
• = about $17 + tax

 My favorite features were the table cloths! So easy too. I just took one of the blue table cloths and cut out the circles from the tissue paper and then used a glue stick to glue them on (just a dab in the middle held them fine). I used the green crepe paper to make seaweed groupings. Those needed to be taped up because the glue wouldn't hold very well.

The water wall was kind of exhausting! I blew up all of the balloons, tied strings to them and then taped them up in a hanging pattern. I ran out of balloons, and was hoping for a fuller effect; but the idea still came across. I used the green crepe paper to making more hanging seaweed. 

I made the characters by taking pictures of them and then blowing them up and printing them out. I then used them as templates to cut them out of the foam and construction paper. The shark I actually cut out of the wrapping paper.

And these little platters were so darn cute! I simply cut out the claws, legs and eyes from the red foam, with a little white construction paper and then taped them to the underside of the oval red platter!

The food was simple, but good. I based my menu on food I was able to get cheap. I also used some items I already had on hand. It was a fairly easy menu: pulled pork, baked macaroni and cheese (check out the recipe--it's great!), salad, chips & salsa, pretzels, goldfish snacks. Plus, of course, the cake. Which I unfortunately don't have a picture of and I actually ended up disappointed because my icing melted on it. I drew the shark on it. It would have been so cute!

So there it is, my 3rd birthday party on a budget! I honestly planned the whole thing in about 2 weeks, and put together the decorations in a few days. I hope next year to plan a little better and make it even greater!

Cute FREE Kindle Children's Books!

Have a Kindle or the Kindle app for another device? Check out these cute FREE children's stories!

Frugal Idea: Reusing Handsoap Pumps!

The Dawn Hand Renewal is frequently on sale at Rite Aid and CVS for 99¢, and there is usually a $1 coupon available making it FREE. I don't know how many bottles of this I have! I ran out of hand soap next to my kitchen sink the other day and had a though to put the pump part of the soap on top of the Dawn bottle. Ta-da!! It fits!! The 'straw' part of it doesn't reach all the way to the bottom so I did hold onto the top so I can replace it later. But now washing dishes or washing hands is just as easy as a squirt away!

Another option would be to just refill the hand soap container with the Dawn or any body wash (which is also very often available for cheap or free).