Stop.  Breathe.  Read.

Between work gatherings, school events, church activities, parties, lunches, and let’s not forget the Roast Beast Feasts, it’s really easy to get stressed out, worn down, and end up miserable or sick.  You DO NOT want that during what is supposed to be a season of celebration.  Add all of these things to an already busy schedule, and you may just end up hiding in the closet rocking back and forth in a fetal position (not that I’ve ever done that, honest).

With a little planning and some communication with your family, you can avoid a lot of the holiday stress.  So, just in time for every other top 3, 5, 10 tips list to hit the web, I’m going to share mine with you.

1. Get enough sleep: I know you’ve heard that before.  It’s the best thing you can do for your sanity.  Being exhausted makes you eat more, bitch more, and tolerate less… trust me.  So get in bed at a decent hour and get some rest.  Your body and your family will thank you.
2. Limit your commitments: This is the time of year when there is ALWAYS something happening.  Sit down with your family and a calendar and make a plan.
   1. How many things can you REASONABLY accommodate attending?
   2. School and/or church events where the kiddos are performing will probably take top priority, and probably the work thing you have to attend.  Other than that, be picky.
   3. Once the mandatory events are on the calendar, make a plan for the rest of your invitations.
   4. REMEMBER: It’s REALLY OK if you can’t say yes to everyone.  As a matter of fact, I’d suggest saying NO to anything you feel like you’re only saying yes to out of obligation. Just saying no to things you don’t want to do can keep your stress levels lower.
3. Learn to say no:  If your budget and your calendar say that you can’t do the office Secret Santa this year, then say no.  Just send a short note to whoever is organizing.  I did.  My note said: We’re not doing gifts for anyone other than the children this year, to stay within the budget. Which caused a very odd thing to happen… half dozen other people decided to opt out too! My note made it easier for everyone else to bow out gracefully.
   
4. Manage expectations: If you’re doing things differently than you have in the past, communicate that up front to the rest of the family.  Sticking to a budget this year? Tell the family not to expect more than a couple of gifts that they really want.  THEN STICK TO IT.  Make the gifts you give have real meaning instead of just making sure there are plenty of packages to unwrap.
5. Make a plan: Plan who you need to buy or make gifts for.  Write down any preferences you feel are relevant.  Look at that calendar (the one that should only have the commitments you really WANT to keep listed) and figure out when the best days and times are for you to decorate/shop/bake/wrap/whatever.   If you do everything at a reasonable pace, you won’t be running ragged by the time Thanksgiving or Hanukkah or Christmas or Yule or… whatever… arrives.
6. STICK TO THE PLAN: Making a plan does not mean anything if you don’t stick to the plan (ok, so this tip is really just a reminder to me.)
7. Take a timeout: Even the best laid plans mean nothing when you’re running on empty.  There will ALWAYS be “one more thing to do”.  When you start feeling pressed for time or energy or patience, take some time for yourself.  Need some ideas?
   1. Take a bubble bath
   2. Take a walk ~ and leave your cell phone at home
   3. Nap
   4. Read (NOT the holiday planning guides!)
   5. Get a pedicure
   6. Go for a drive
   7. Sit on the front porch and watch the squirrels attack the neighborhood cats (also just a tip for me).
   8. Hug your child … removing the tape from their mouths is completely optional.
   9. Watch some mindless TV
   10. Wrestles with the kiddos
8. Let things fall through the cracks: Nobody is going to care if you’re missing one side dish out of half a dozen … or that one strand of lights is a little brighter than the others… or if the gifts are not immaculately wrapped… or if the candles are not all the exact same shade.  And if they do, they’re an asshole (just sayin).
9. Call a friend: When you find yourself at the end of your rope, call a friend who understands and vent.  Don’t worry about imposing because they’ll be calling you back in an hour.  Remind one another frequently “You are not alone, bitch.”  Trust me, if you’re that stressed out… it’s because you have a LOT of people in your life that love you! 

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If you don’t know how the Publix coupon policies work, you can check those out here. My Publix doubles all coupons up to $.50 and when the items are Buy One Get One Free (BOGO), you can still use a coupon for each one (yes, even the free one!).

My Coupon Management System ebook is still available for just $4.99. Download it today and get started saving 50% or more on your groceries and household items, just like I do.

Related posts:

1. Publix Deals 02/08/09 through 02/11/09
2. Southeast Publix Deals 3/9/09 to 3/11/09
3. Publix Southeast Deals week of 5/3/09 – 5/6/09

They come in peach, cucumber melon, and vanilla. Since they contain moisturizers, you don’t have to worry about your skin drying out the way it does with normal antibacterial hand gels. At $.99 (normally $1.99) you can’t beat the price. I’m getting ready to buy another dozen or so for Stocking Stuffers! I’ll be the kids’ teachers would love these.

It’s a TEENY bit tricky to find this on the Avon website, but here’s where you’ll find the deals!

1. Go to http://www.youravon.com/idadavidson
2. Click the Shop Now tab near the top of the screen
3. Click Online Brochure from the list of options on the left
4. All of the current deals and brochures will be right there for you. This special is on the bottom right!

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Ok, so they’re having a sale on LOTS of gift items… but I’m really ok with just the kitchen gadgetry.

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But I have some gorgeous friends. They always seem to look fabulous and well put together. They’d never find themselves wearing two different colored shoes while walking into the office on Monday morning (I’m pretty sure that’s just me). Luckily, they’ve offered me … and now you… some wonderful tips on how to manage to look great on a budget.

As long as they keep sending me really great tips, I will be hosting Frugal Fashion Friday. First up, the lovely Danielle Bovee. Not only does she know a lot about looking great on a budget, she makes beautiful clothes herself and knows quality workmanship when she finds it. Danielle shares these tips:

1. 

   Photo By D Sharon Pruitt

   Know what looks good on you. What colors/styles suit you best? If you have no idea, go spend a couple of hours at the mall with a friend. Try on what interests you, but get your friend’s honest opinion. Don’t buy anything unless you can both agree on it. (Editor’s note: Now there’s an idea… get them to go to the store WITH me.)

2. 

   Image from StyleDecoded.com

   Make sure your “wardrobe basics” fit well and still look good. You should always have certain items in your closet, like jeans, neutral pants/skirts, plain solid-color tops, etc. But it’s important that these pieces which you will wear all the time fit well and don’t look too worn out.

3. 

   Photo by LizMarie

   Know what’s in your closet already. Do you really need another pair of black pants? Are the ones you have in great shape or is it time to replace them?  Or, you found a great top on sale- if you have to buy three other items to complete the look, is it really worth the investment?

4. Investments: shopping the clearance racks. Often this means buying out-of-season, so be prepared to wait a few months before wearing a certain item. Special note, thrift stores are great for buying nice winter coats at a fraction of department store prices.
5. How will you care for your new purchase? Personally, I avoid almost anything that has to be dry-cleaned. If it can’t be put in the washer or hand-washed, I don’t really need it. Also, avoid using the dryer as much as possible. Hanging your garments to dry will dramatically extend their useful lives.
6. Sign up for email sales alerts and discount coupons. Have a favorite store? Make sure you are on their mailing list for deals, sales, and many times huge discounts and/or free shipping. If you’re not sure that the item you want is on sale or that the discount applies, just ask an associate.

What are your best tips on staying fashionable on a limited budget? I’ve got a lot to learn here!

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1. Frugal Things To Do In Atlanta, Georgia
2. Frugal Halloween Party Tips
3. You’re Not Frugal Enough ~ And You’re Killing The Planet!

Last night was my night to do our weekly shop. I loaded up all of my coupons and my list from **The Grocery Game and went to Publix.  I love going on Tuesday night.  Everything is restocked from the other couponers earlier in the week, and they haven’t begun switching out the sales displays for the next week (which they do on Wednesday nights).

Publix has fantastic BOGO sales every week, and it’s an incredible deal when I have coupons to stack on that sale.  I got In the end, I spent $45.49 and saved $76.35!  Savings of 63% with sales and coupons.

Kroger deals this week are FANTASTIC!  They have their $5 off when you buy 10 promotion this week, and stacked with coupons, the savings are incredible.  I had to run everything through in 2 transactions.   Here’s how the savings went:

• Transaction One: Full Price  $111.18 – Paid: $38.51 – Saved: $72.67 ~ 65%
• Transaction Two: Full Price: $119.57 – Paid $67.38 – Saved $52.19 ~ 44%

I mentioned earlier that I lost out on $26.50 in savings.  It happened on Transaction Two.  I forgot to hand my coupons to the cashier before swiping my debit card.  I was kicking myself in the ass pretty hard when the floor manager let me know that I could bring them back in today (I was shopping at 11 PM and the cust service desk was closed) and they would take them and give me back the money I would have saved.  I didn’t know that!

So, big time bonus points for Kroger for having such a great policy.  And even more kudos for empowering their employees to help out the customer by proactively letting me know about the policy instead of waiting for me to ask.

What will this do to my savings on Transaction Two?

• Transaction Two Revised: Full Price: $119.57 – Paid: $40.88 – Saved: $78.69 ~ 66%

Want to save 50% or more on your grocery and household items? Download my ebook for only $4.99 and learn how to save money on things you use every day.

**The Grocery Game is giving their 4 Week Trial for free! Give them a try and use momma@3princessesmomma.com for the referral email address.  You will be SO happy you did.

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Frugal women just don’t view gift giving the same way the rest of the world does… much to the confusion of our men.  Don’t get me wrong.  Frugal women enjoy nice things.  We like to dress up, look good, and feel appreciated and cared for.  We just know that the measure of our love isn’t determined by the cost or sparkle of the gifts that we give and receive.

Frugal people in general have an entirely different set of things they value than “normal” people.  For example, I don’t have much use for jewelry… or electronics (laptop exempted!) … or the next greatest pair of shoes or sweater.  I’ve always been this way.  I think it’s just a built in feature of Momma 1.0.  But, as I’ve mentioned in the past, my dearest husband has not always been a frugal person.

In the beginning of our relationship, he bought me gifts that he wanted me to have… gifts that he felt were providing for me in the best way he knew how.  They were always beautiful and thoughtful and expensive… and very much not me.  Since we’ve made so many changes to live on a budget, and set financial goals, the type of gifts I receive has changed.

Now I get practical gifts.  The gifts that are always at the top of the “do not buy this for holidays and birthdays” gifts.  For Christmas last year, I got this fantabulous stand mixer… and I was so happy I cried. It’s the only thing I really wanted.  I didn’t ask for it, because Mark had been out of work for a while and funds were super short.  But he made it happen anyway.

I’ve used this mixer a minimum of twice a week since I opened it on Christmas morning.  The best part about it isn’t that it was an expensive kitchen gadget (and compared to most kitchen gadgetry, it was!).  It wasn’t that it was shiny and I WANTED IT.  The best part was that my husband knew me and my needs so well that he bought me a gift that made my life easier.  Not glamorous, I know.  But perfect for me in every way.

Today is our anniversary.  It won’t be a day filled with expensive romantic dinners and bouquets of flowers and long romantic walks at the beach.  Not because we both wouldn’t LOVE to have that.  But because we have other plans for our money and other goals we want to reach.  My wonderful husband brought me another gift that makes my life easier, and gets me out of the kitchen faster to spend time with my family.

I got my new Kitchenaid (OMG!) food processor on Sunday.  Again, I cried.  My mother thinks it’s sad that I’m “so easily pleased.”  (see… not normal)  Last night, I had all the veggies chopped for dinner in 3 minutes flat.  Seriously.

This morning, I got out of bed and made homemade zucchini hashbrowns, omelets, and toast before Mark realized I was gone and came looking for me.  It’s exciting to me that my abnormal gift enabled me to gift my husband a great anniversary breakfast in the same amount of time it would have taken me to make some scrambled eggs, and I wasn’t even late for work to do it.

I get that this may not mean as much to other people.  And not all Frugal Women are going to have the same pleasure from a mixer and a food processor, maybe not even most.  But we all have one thing in common.  We want things that make our lives easier, that don’t add to the clutter or create just another thing for us to clean up, and that show us that you really do know who we are and what we value.  And BONUS if you got it for a great price.

Happy Anniversary honey… and thank you.

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1. Anniversary on the Cheap
2. Forgotten Goodies

I’m a very goal oriented person.  I LOVE having a list of goals.  I make lists.  LOTS and LOTS of lists.  Lists of  things I’d like to do… places I’d like to go…  even 1, 3, and 5 year plans.  As a matter of fact, I get SO caught up in the planning that I never seem to be able to pull the trigger and get busy crossing those things off the list.

Ok, so back to the apples.  I’ve had canning foods on my list of Things Frugal People Do and Therefore I Must Do for a long time.  There is a box of jars and lids on my front porch shelf right now, waiting for me to get to work.  I just can’t get myself past the enormity of CANNING.  It’s time consuming.  It’s hard.  It’s SO MUCH FOOD.  So I wait… for a day that I have nothing planned (heh… yeah, with 3 teenagers, a hubby, a full time job, a social life … I’m waiting for a free day…) so that I can try my hand at this canning thing.

After grocery shopping last week, while doing the weekly jigsaw puzzle that is making room in my stockpiled freezer and pantry to put the groceries away, I noticed that the bag of apples I bought the prior week was going bad.  Evidently, small apples aren’t as appealing for snacks as great big apples.  *NOTE* Getting more apples per pound backfires if nobody eats them. I really didn’t want to toss a whole bag of apples into the compost, so when the BRILLIANT idea to make apple butter with them crossed my mind, I forced myself to ignore the voice in my head screaming about how complicated it is to preserve food.

I cut all of the bad spots off the apples, cored and chopped them, and put them into the slow cooker with with 2 cups of apple juice, a tablespoon of cinnamon, some allspice and nutmeg, and a cup of Splenda.  I turned the slow cooker on low and left it overnight.  The next morning, I poured the contents into my handy dandy stand mixer (Honey… have I mentioned that this is still the BEST Christmas gift I’ve ever received???)  and beat the cooked apples until they were nice and smooth.  The beaters grabbed all of the apple peels that didn’t mix into the apple butter easily, making it SUPER easy for me to toss those out.

The apple butter was a little soupy when I finished making it, but after being refrigerated for a day or two, it thickened up.  It’s not like “store bought” apple butter.  It’s ZERO POINTS per serving (for those Weight Watchers folks) and tastes far better than what you can buy in the stores… but definitely on par with what you can find at fall festivals or roadside stands.

I didn’t do anything groundbreaking… but I feel much less anxiety about making food to be preserved.  It can’t be THAT difficult to learn the home canning process.  Look at how much easier it was to make apple butter than I thought it was going to be.

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1. Recipes
2. Coupons – Making them work for you
3. The New R Word

Hannah’s Socks Holiday Sock Drive

Sometimes a charity comes along that started with a truly inspirational story, such as Hannah’s Socks. During Thanksgiving 2004, four-year-old Hannah Turner in Toledo, Ohio helped her mother Doris serve food at a local homeless shelter. While there, she saw a man with holes in his shoes and no socks. Hannah asked her mom if she could offer the man her own socks. The next day, Hannah’s mom took her to purchase and distribute socks to local shelters. They collected and donated over 100 pairs of socks around Toledo. Over the next two years, with the help of her Mom, family, and friends, Hannah distributed nearly 10,000 pairs of socks to shelters.  Since then, Hannah’s Socks has collected over 100,000 pairs of socks for homeless and domestic violence shelters. Today, the organization kicks off the Hannah’s Socks Holiday Sock Drive, to collect socks and funds for this year’s upcoming winter and holiday season.

Inspired by Hannah’s story, The Clorox Company became a sponsor of Hannah’s Socks this season as Hannah’s Socks strives to gather and donate 10,000 pairs of new socks to underprivileged children’s programs as well as homeless and domestic violence shelters. Not only do I love the heart-warming message of this story, but also I find it provides a great way to teach our kids about simple, yet profound, ways to give back to those in need around us.

I would love it if you could spread the word to your community to collect socks at home, school, work, or church for this great cause. Families can also donate funds and find out more about Hannah’s Socks and the Holiday Sock Drive at www.hannahssocks.org. In addition, a pair of socks will be donated in the names of the first 200 Moms who sign up here.

We also hope to spread the word on Twitter with Tweets about Hannah’s Socks by using the hashtag #HannahsSocks and to follow the charity on Facebook at www.facebook.com/hannahssocks and Twitter at www.twitter.com/hannahssocks. Please email Allison at aparker@momcentral.com if you have any questions or feedback.

I look forward to connecting with you during this upcoming holiday season!

Warmest,

Stacy

*~*~*~*
Stacy DeBroff
CEO, Mom Central Inc.

stacy@momcentral.com| Twitter: MomCentral| Linkedin: Stacy DeBroff

Facebook: Stacy DeBroff | Mom Central Consulting Facebook Fan Page | Mom Central Facebook Fan Page

www.momcentralconsulting.com | www.momcentral.com | www.mothertalk.com

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I’m still here.  Just processing real life and working to get day to day living back on an even keel.  Life is crazy busy right now, but I wanted to take the time to share this deal with you.

**Disclosure: This is not a paid endorsement.  My family went through FPU.  It worked miracles getting all of us on the same page and really helping us pull our plans together for taking ownership of our financial lives.  I’m not an affiliate, or in any way benefiting from sharing this sale with you.

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