Day 1: Cha-Ching! Christmas Club: Seven Days to Saving
Day 2: Let the Prep Begin!
Day 3: Making the Most of Freebies
Day 4: Show Me the Money!
Day 5: Saving with Surveys
Day 6: Shopping Strategies
Day 7: Let the Planning Begin!

Now that you’re all signed up and shopping strategy-savvy, it’s time for the FUN part!  It’s time to make a PLAN!

I’ll be honest.  In past Christmases, I have put a good old fashioned pencil and paper to work planning and budgeting for my Christmas and it has done the job.  But this year I think things are going to be different.  There are SO many great FREE resources available to help organize your Christmas budget, gifts, activities, and whatever else needs to be planned!

I’ve rounded up several spreadsheets and planners that I can recommend.   I’ll leave it up to you to choose:

• Free Printable Christmas Planner

• Free Christmas Planning eBook & Printables

• Free Christmas Budget Spreadsheet Download

• Christmas Shopping List Planner Budget Spreadsheet : Printable and Download

• And don’t forget about the free Cha-Ching! Christmas Club Savings Tracker download!

Keep in mind that the first step in your planning should be your budget.  Make sure to add in any funds that come in from the ‘free money’ sites that I have shared with you.   This year these funds may only be a small portion of your budget, but if you stick with the principles that I’ve shared for future Christmases, who knows?  You may have a $50 Christmas too!

So now what are you waiting for?!  Print out your favorite resources, pop them into a binder, sit back with a cup of coffee and get planning!

And may I be the first to say, “Welcome to the Cha-Ching! Christmas Club!”

Day 1: Cha-Ching! Christmas Club: Seven Days to Saving
Day 2: Let the Prep Begin!
Day 3: Making the Most of Freebies
Day 4: Show Me the Money!
Day 5: Saving with Surveys
Day 6: Shopping Strategies

Now that we’ve gotten knee-deep in loads of ways to save up some extra moolah for our Christmas shopping, it’s time to start thinking about how much we SPEND on Christmas.   Because when you get right down to the nuts and bolts…it really doesn’t matter how much you save if your SPENDing is out of control, right?

So what are some effective spending strategies?

Here are a few questions to consider:

Is there a way to spend less on the normal gifts?

You may be used to going through the same routine every year to purchase certain must-have items. (i.e. Photo gifts for the Grandparents, candy for the stockings, a gift basket for the boss…)   Maybe you feel comfortable with your photo site for creating photo gifts.  Possibly you save some of this shopping for a last minute run and throw them in your cart.  Or you just haven’t asked the question, “Can I get this item cheaper?”

If you feel very loyal to a particular product, I am not going to try to talk you into switching to another brand.  However, here are some tips for finding things at a lower price:

• Create a list of the items that you know you will be buying this year.  (More tomorrow on planning materials.)
• Begin looking out NOW for good deals on these items.
• If you’re looking for a great deal on something in particular, leave a comment on this post and I’ll try to keep my open for you!

Can I buy less this year?

Recently, my husband and I have been discussing the idea of being much more intentional this year on Christmas gifts for our sons.  It’s so easy to get caught up in the madness of the hottest toys and gifts.  My dilemma last year was that I found so many amazing deals that I felt I had to snag them.  Too late, I realized the error of my ways and felt a sense of disappointment as my son tore through his gifts on Christmas morning.  They weren’t nearly as purposeful as they should have been.

Make a plan to be purposeful with your gift giving this year.  Our goal is to focus on quality rather than quantity.  If a gift won’t provide them with hours of fun, learning, or exercise, it probably won’t make it under the tree!  This may mean cutting back on the amount of presents that we give, but let’s be honest–is that so bad?

How can I think outside of the box?

• Instead of purchasing Christmas music, listen to it on Pandora, or Playlist.com or the good old fashioned radio!

• If you have a large extended family, consider the benefits of drawing names this year.  We did that many years ago with my family and have never looked back!

• Are you creative, crafty or handy?  Use your ‘gifts’ to make gift-giving even more special!

• Have you ever considered the wonders of the Dollar Store?  My Mom just bought me six beautiful mugs there.  Had she not told me, I would have never known!

Look for ways to save on what you DO buy:

If you are shopping online, here are some sites you may want to take advantage of:

• Retailmenot.com: Use it to search for coupon codes that could reduce the amount you spend on any particular site.

• Ebates, Cashbaq, ShopAtHome: These are all cash back sites.  Sign up for an account and then search for a store on the site.  Click through the link that they provide and receive a percentage of your purchase back in your account.

And FINALLY, be sure to follow me for GREAT deals!  Click here to sign up for my Christmas savings newsletter, which begins in early November!

Are you ready to make a PLAN to tackle your Christmas Savings?  Then check out our FINAL day of Seven Days to Christmas Savings: Let the Planning Begin!

Day 1: Cha-Ching! Christmas Club: Seven Days to Saving
Day 2: Let the Prep Begin!
Day 3: Making the Most of Freebies
Day 4: Show Me the Money!
Day 5: Saving with Surveys

I’m excited to share this next step in making the most of your Cha-Ching! Christmas Club membership.  Many of you have asked me about various survey sites and whether they are legitimate or not.  I’ve been doing lots of research and have pulled together a list of survey companies that I feel totally confident to recommend.

A few pointers:

• Surveys often take anywhere from 15-30 minutes or more.  Most surveys will let you know upfront how long they will take and how much they will pay.  Again, keep in mind that none of these will get you rich, but are just a way to bring in some extra cash with your extra time.

• These companies may want to know a good deal of demographic information when you register in order to qualify you for specific surveys.

• Figuring out which survey company works for you will take a lot of trial and error.  It will differ for everyone, so try a few out and then stick with the ones that fit you best!

MySurvey:  This is one of the survey companies that I have been a part of and I have been impressed with how user-friendly and simple the site is.  Surveys arrive on a daily basis and I have qualified for many of them.  (If I don’t qualify, they let me know very quickly and I still receive 5 points.)  Once you reach 1,000 points you can get $10 via PayPal.  Sign up for MySurvey.

Toluna Opinions: Earn $1-$5 for taking surveys.  You may also receive opportunities to test products from time to time. Earn 500 points just for signing up and additional points for taking sponsored polls, opinion surveys, writing opinions and more.  Sign up for Toluna Opinions.

Opinion Outpost: Earn points to redeem for money or amazon.com gift cards. 10  Opinion Points = $1.00 and you must accumulate a minimum of 50 Opinion Points ($5.00) before redeeming..  Also refer a friend and once they complete their first survey, you’ll receive 20 points = $2!    Sign up for Opinion Outpost.

LightSpeed Research: When you earn at least 600 Lightspeed Points, you can redeem them for an online gift certificate or music downloads. Another option is to get a $5 Amazon.com e-certificate. Closed to applicants at this time.

SurveyHead: Earn money paid via your PayPal account for taking surveys.  You’ll get $5 just for signing up and when you accumulate $25 you’ll get paid.  Other rewards include Amazon gift cards.  Sign up for Survey Head.

Valued Opinions: Earn between $1 and $5 for each survey you complete.  Payment is offered through ‘virtual money’ that can be redeemed for select gift cards (i.e. Amazon, Marriott, Macy’s, etc.).  Sign up for Valued Opinions.

Ipsos I-Say Panel: Complete surveys and earn points. Earn just 1,000 points and you can “cash them in” for money (in the form of an authorized check), donations, American Express Gift Cards and more. Sign up for Ipsos I-Say Panel.

Pinecone Research: In my opinion, this is the best survey company out there.  Get paid $3 via check or Paypal for every survey that you take.  They are currently accepting limited number of applicants in certain demographics. Apply here.

Next up: It’s time to talk Christmas shopping and saving strategies! Come back tomorrow for Day 6 of our Seven Days to Christmas Savings: Shopping Strategies!

Day 1: Cha-Ching! Christmas Club: Seven Days to Saving
Day 2: Let the Prep Begin!
Day 3: Making the Most of Freebies
Day 4: Show Me the Money!

So by now, I can hear you saying, “You keep talking about this ‘free money’ stuff.  Where is it?!”

So glad you asked!

Before I share my favorite rewards sites with you, I’d like to clarify a few things:

• You will not get rich with these sites. (That sure would be sweet though!) These rewards programs are simply a means to turn your extra time into a little extra money.

• As you sign up for these programs, you will begin to see an increase in emails on a daily basis.  Remember if you dislike receiving that many e-mails, you may want to consider creating a new e-mail address that is strictly set up for these rewards programs.

Listed below are my favorite sites that offer rewards for searching online, reading emails, shopping through their site, or entering codes.  Most of these sites take very little time per day.  (Tomorrow I will share more about survey companies which are a bit more time intensive.)  Click through the links below to find out more about each.

• Swag Bucks: This is my all-time favorite free money site.  Earn rewards like Amazon gift codes or Starbucks gift cards by searching online–it’s that easy!  Learn more here.

• MyPoints: Earn points for reading e-mails, taking surveys and shopping through their site.  Learn more here.

• Pampers Gifts to Grow: You do not need a child in diapers to enter the free codes that I share.  Your codes can be redeemed for a variety of rewards.

• Inbox Dollars: Similar to MyPoints (see above).  Get $5 in your account just for signing up.

Do you recommend any other ‘free money’ sites?  Leave a comment below and fill us in!

Are you ready to learn about some legitimate survey sites?  Then come back tomorrow for Day 5 of our Seven Days to Christmas Savings: Saving with Surveys!

Day 1: Cha-Ching! Christmas Club: Seven Days to Saving
Day 2: Let the Prep Begin!
Day 3: Making the Most of Freebies

So now that we’ve got you all prepped for your Christmas Savings Adventure, let’s get onto the good stuff!

Repeat after me: “Freebies are my Friend!”

One of my favorite (and easiest!) ways to save on Christmas is by taking advantage of all the fantastic freebies that come across the internet each day.  In fact, you may never have to buy another stocking stuffer again!  Here is just a sampling of some of the freebies that have made their way into my mailbox recently:

Zebra pen
Full-sized bag of coffee and travel mug
Coupon for FREE Pringles, FREE wipes, FREE Advil and more!
Travel sized bottles of lotion
Stationery
Travel sized toothpaste
Woman’s Day and Martha Stewart Living issues (FREE subscriptions!)

And that was just in the last week or two!  Imagine the dent you could make in Christmas spending if you set these little goodies aside all year!

Now I’m going to let you in on a little secret. If you have not signed up for Roboform yet, it might just become your new best friend.  It is a web form filler software that will automatically fill in all those sign up forms with just the click of a button.  It has been a fantastic time saver for me.

Click here to learn more about it.  Download it for free here.  (Roboform Pro costs money, so stick with the free stuff!)

Since most freebies are time sensitive, I also recommend following me on Facebook or Twitter or subscribing to this site in a reader, so you get instant alerts when new freebies are available.  Some of my least favorite words to type are “This offer has now ended.” 🙁  I want ALL of you to get in on these great offers!

Here’s another little secret: One of my top savings resources this year was REBATES.  Throughout the year, as I took advantage of various rebates, I tracked the money that I received in my Christmas Club Savings Tracker and tucked it away for Christmas.  I’ve saved hundreds of dollars this way!

You can check out the rebates that I’ve posted recently here.  (Be sure to double check the dates on them!)  Yet another way to take advantage of ‘free money’!

Next step? Start snagging those freebies and rebates!  You can check out my most recently posted freebies here.  Then stick around–I’ll have plenty more goodies for you to stick into those cute little stockings!!

Next up: Learn about how to make the most of rewards sites!  Check out Day 4 of our Seven Days to Christmas Savings: Show Me the Money!

Day 1: Cha-Ching! Christmas Club: Seven Days to Saving
Day 2: Let the Prep Begin!

The first step to becoming a bona fide money-saving Cha-Ching! Christmas Club member is PREPARATION.

In order to prepare, there are a few questions you should consider:

1) Am I Ok with receiving a great deal of new e-mails at my regular e-mail address?

This really comes down to what your preference is.  As you begin to sign up for ‘free money’ sites, you will receive as many as 5-10 emails per day per site that you join.  This can be overwhelming at first.

• Some people prefer to create an e-mail address that is strictly used for these sites.  It’s easy to do.  There are many to choose from: gmail, AOL, Yahoo, Hotmail, and others. It seems that the preferred email these days is gmail, but you may prefer to stick with your current email provider.

• Another option is to set up filters in your current e-mail account.  (You could easily find tutorials on how to filter your incoming emails by doing a google search for them.)

2) How will I keep track of the money that comes in?

As you begin to accumulate rewards and money from rewards sites, surveys and rebates, you will want to keep track of how much money is coming in.

• I use my handy dandy Cha-Ching Christmas Club Savings Tracker (an Excel spreadsheet) to keep track of my savings.  Simply download your own copy (click on ‘File’ and then ‘Download’) and then make it all your own.  I like the fact that it does all the adding up for me! I also like this because it helps me keep track of ‘virtual earnings’ such as Amazon gift codes and Paypal cash.

• You could also open a Christmas account at your bank and deposit your earnings in it throughout the year.  Or…if you trust yourself…find a safe box to keep your earnings tucked away.  No dipping into it before Christmas though!

3) Ask yourself, “How much time do I want to allot to this savings adventure?”

You can spend as little as a minute or two per day to upwards of an hour taking advantage of the rewards programs I am going to introduce you to.  It’s a good idea to consider how much time you’d like to dedicate each day to this venture.  You may also want to consider setting aside a segment of your day that will become your ‘free money’ earnings time.  You might consider a half an hour in the evening or a chunk of time in the morning.  It’s up to you how much time you choose to invest!

But keep in mind – in this case, time really does equal money!

Ready to take the next step toward saving money on Christmas?  Go check out Day 3 of our Seven Days to Christmas Savings: Making the Most of Freebies!

Remember my series “How I Plan to Spend Less than $50 on Christmas” from last year?  As you may recall, I was unsuccessful in sticking to my $50 spending allotment.  (But thanks for being so nice to me in spite of the big let-down!)

However, with a year of planning, saving, and strategizing behind me, I have complete confidence that this year will be different, ladies and gents!

This year will be the year of the $50 Christmas for me!

(Note: Just for the record, my husband’s spending isn’t included in the $50 limit.  Partly because he doesn’t have the same amount of time as I do to shop for deals–and partly because he is shopping for ME!  :))

Many of you decided to join the Cha-Ching! Christmas Club last year by setting aside ‘free money’ throughout the year to offset our Christmas spending.  It’s been fun to read your updates each month sharing how you are slashing your out-of-pocket costs for Christmas.  Together, we are on our way to better Christmas spending!

For those of you who haven’t joined in the fun yet, I’ve decided to make things easier by breaking down the steps of the Cha-Ching! Christmas Club into a 7 day step-by-step process.  Even if you are already taking part in the club, I encourage you to follow along as I will be sharing more specific strategies to make this ‘Club’ work for you.

Keep in mind a few things if you are just joining us:

• Plan on making a small difference in your Christmas budget this year by joining now, but the biggest difference will be made next Christmas after you’ve taken part for an entire year.  This is a strategy that takes time. Most likely it will only require a few minutes per day, but it’s the savings that build up day by day over the course of a year that make the difference.

• Please don’t feel like you need to attempt a $50 Christmas.  This is a goal that works for me but will not work for most people.  Much of my success has to do with you, my readers.  I often reap the benefits of those who sign up for various offers that I post.  I have great confidence that you can see a noticeable difference in the amount of money that you spend on Christmas by following the strategies that I share.  But please don’t set yourself up for disappointment.  Set a reasonable goal and if you happen to exceed it, then all the better!

Are you ready to get prepped for saving money on Christmas?  Then come back tomorrow for Day 2 of our Seven Days to Christmas Savings!