Welcome to Thrifty Tips

Creative Ways to Give Money

This is an article about how to give money as a gift, in creative ways. http://www.pioneerthinking.com/rwmoney.html

Thankful Thanksgiving Wreath

Make a Thankful Thanksgiving wreath. Use construction paper, and have guests trace their hand and cut it out. Then have each guest write something that they´re thankful for on their "hand". Once you have everyone´s, make a wreath out of it.

Gift Bags for All of Your Special Events

Go to http://tinyurl.com/1d0d to purchase, in bulk, gift bags for all of your special events.

Gilded Christmas Centerpiece

Spray pinecones & whole walnuts with gold/silver spray paint - arrange them in a bowl to make a festive centerpiece. Get creative and add other items inside the bowl, as well as outside of the bowl.

Candy and Crafts

Go to http://tinyurl.com/1d09 to purchase Easter crafts and candies in bulk to help save you money.

Ocean Spray Cranberry Plan-It

Check out great ideas at Plan-it Thanksgiving, a new feature of www.oceanspray.com dedicated to Thanksgiving. This special section features out-of-this-world holiday solutions to help you plan and enjoy your celebration. From favorite holiday recipes to cranberry crafts to tips for planning the perfect feast, Plan-it Thanksgiving has everything you need this holiday, available 24 hours a day.

A Gift Idea for Anyone

Buy some microwave popcorn and/or dollar store candy and arrange it in a big bowl. Buy a video that the person would like, put the video in the middle of the bowl and cover everything with cellophane. If you're uncertain what sort of movie to get, you can always give a gift certificate from a local movie rental store instead. Be careful of this one though - my mother did this as a gift for my husband and I, and we had to become members of the video store first - which is FREE, but then we got addicted to renting movies - that´s not thrifty!

Christmas Centerpiece

Group a collection of nutcrackers, teddy bears, or favorite ornaments together for a simple centerpiece.

Party Supplies for All of Your Special Events

Go to http://tinyurl.com/1d07 to buy your party supplies for all of your special events, in bulk, and save money and time.

Printable Letter to Santa Form

Print out this page to help your kids make their own letter to Santa. http://members.tripod.com/~grambk11/LetterToSanta.html

Jazz Up Paper Chains and Cardboard Stars

To make an ordinary decoration stand out, jazz it up a little. Paper chains and cardboard stars can be dressed up with glitter and fancy (leftover) paints.

Birthday Party Supplies

Go to http://tinyurl.com/1d07 to purchase party supplies in bulk, and save money too.

The Gift of Song

Go to www.tinymixtapes.com for a FREE list of songs that go with a theme that you specify. Whether it´s a specific decade, songs with the name Mike in it, and so on and so forth. Once you get the list of songs, all you need to do is find them, put them on a tape or CD, and then you have a personalized gift for the recipient.

Wrapping with Fabric Scraps

Fabric scraps can be used for wrapping presents. Use it like paper, or make into gift bags. You can make a more formal, structured gift bag, or simply make a drawstring bag. Or, cut out shapes from the design of the fabric, and use to decorate gifts wrapped in plain brown paper. You can also tear the fabric into strips, and use it as ribbon.

Birthday Gift for Grandma

A great thrifty gift for grandma´s closet: make your own pomander! Start with an apple, orange or lime and make random holes in it with a skewer. Insert a whole clove in each hole. Roll the clove-studded fruit in a mixture of equal parts arrowroot or orrisroot and ground cinnamon. Wrap in tissue paper or cheesecloth and hang it in a warm, dry place to age. After about three weeks, the fruit will dry and shrink. Finish it off with a pretty ribbon for hanging in the closet.

Printable Form to Make a Letter to the Easter Bunny

Here is a form to help your kid write a letter to the Easter Bunny. http://members.tripod.com/~grambk11/LetterToEasterBunny.html

Have a Potluck Party

Make a list of everything that you need for your party, and have guests bring at least one of the items. This way you aren´t paying for everything.

Christmas Tree Garland

Go beyond the traditional Christmas tree garlands of popcorn and cranberries and try stringing pasta or cinnamon sticks instead. With the pasta, use different types (shells, elbows, etc.) and try painting them different colors as well. You can also dry orange and apple slices and string them for a country holiday garland.

More Broken Garland Ideas

Use broken or worn out garlands to make wreaths or stars. Make the shape you want from a wire hanger, then twist garland around it. Decorate or leave as-is.