Cha-Ching on a Shoestring™

Living Large on a Limited Budget

Welcome 6abc Viewers!

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If you found me by watching my “Christmas on $50?” feature on Saving with 6abc, welcome to Cha-Ching on a Shoestring!  (If you missed the segment, you can watch it online here.)

I know what you are saying: “Christmas on $50?  Scrooge has GOT to be her middle name.”

But I really LOVE Christmas.  I promise!

You see, last Christmas I decided on a whim that I would combine all the money and gift cards that I had earned from various ‘free money’ sites to attempt a $50 Christmas.

It didn’t happen.  Ahem.

But the past is behind me now, and I’ve had a year to plan, save, and strategize.

And I’ve declared THIS the year of the $50 Christmas!

I’m sure you have questions.  Like “HOW?” and “WHAT?” and “WHY?” I will be glad to answer any questions that you have!

First, let me encourage you to check out this series that I’ve put together sharing how to save on Christmas: Cha-Ching! Christmas Club: Seven Days to Christmas Savings.  You can click through each of the posts below or come back and take it a day at a time, if you prefer.

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!

While it’s highly likely that you will spend more than $50 on Christmas this year, I share tips and deals and coupon codes daily that could help you save hundreds of dollars.  Just stick around!

Want to get started right now? Here’s a jump start on filling those Christmas stockings and decking the halls for free.  The following deals are totally FREE offers that I’ve shared with my readers recently:

I also shared earlier this week how to score Toy Story 3 for close to free!  Check it out here.

Besides saving money on Christmas, I  help my readers save money year round by sharing grocery store deals (click on the dropdown menu at the top) and helping my readers play the Drugstore Game.  You can check out how I’ve saved almost $5,000 using coupons in my weekly Cha-Ching Challenge segment.  I’d love to help you do the same!

If you’d like to learn more about me and my family:

  • Read our story about how this blog began here and our ‘How We Got Here’ series here.
  • Learn even more about how we save money here.

Want to stay in the know on all the latest deals? Then why not sign up for my e-mail newsletter (yes–it’s free!) that will be filled with the day’s hottest freebies and deals and LOTS of Christmas savings!  Or if you use a feed reader, subscribe to our RSS feed. You may even want to follow me on Facebook and Twitter.

I hope I can be a resource to help you save thousands of dollars on Christmas and all year round!

Seven Days to Christmas Savings (Day 7): Let the Planning Begin!

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This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

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:

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!”

NEW $5 Toy Story 3 Rebate Offer from Rayovac Plus Store Deals!

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This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

Would you like to have these great deals delivered right to your inbox? Subscribe to our email digest. Or if you use a feed reader, subscribe to our RSS feed. Thanks for stopping by!

In addition to the $8 coupon and $5 Campbell’s Toy Story 3 rebate, there is a new rebate available from Rayovac!  Buy Toy Story 3 and 2 select packs of Rayovac batteries, and receive a $5 rebate.  I recommend printing it now if you plan to use it.  (Thanks, Frugal Coupon Living!)

The great news about this offer is that the form says that you can send in a copy of the receipt.  This means that you should be able to use BOTH rebates since there are two UPCs on the movie!

Be sure to check out what Rayovac coupons are available right now too!

And if you’d like to know what the best deals are on the movie currently, Carrie has a fantastic list with deals at CVS, Walgreens, Target, and Toys R Us.  This rebate will make her deals even better!

Snapfish and Picaboo: Hot Photo Book Offers

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There are two hot photo book offers going on right now:

  • Through November 15, when you buy a Classic Custom Photo Book or photo calendar from Picaboo you can get a copy for FREE!  Just use coupon code BGFTHX at checkout.  Click here to get started.
  • Through November 8, when you buy one 8 x11″ Custom Cover Photo Book from Snapfish, you can get TWO free!  Simply use code 1BOOK2FREE at checkout.  Click here to get started.

These offers might be a great way to stretch those Christmas dollars!

New Target Toy Printables!

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I love this coupon since we have been considering investing in some Thomas toys for my two year old who loves trains!

There is a hot new coupon to save 50% off Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway Beginner’s Set on the Target site right now.  These are priced at $24.95, so they will be $12.48 after coupon.

Other toy coupons include:

…and more!

Thanks, Common Sense with Money!

Yankee Candles: Buy 2 Get 2 FREE

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Would you like to have these great deals delivered right to your inbox? Subscribe to our email digest. Or if you use a feed reader, subscribe to our RSS feed. Thanks for stopping by!

I know that Yankee Candles are a popular gift during the holidays, so here’s a way to get them cheaper!

Print a coupon to get 2 Yankee candles FREE when you buy 2.

Enjoy!

Seven Days to Christmas Savings (Day 6): Shopping Strategies

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This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

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!

Seven Days to Christmas Savings (Day 5): Saving with Surveys

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This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

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!