Budgets and discounts are synonymous with holiday spending. ‘Tis the season.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday aren’t the only options for being thrifty. Use the information in this blog to celebrate the holidays, give gifts that matter, have crafts for the kids to do, and come in under budget.
Discount Days and “Bonus Points” Days
Are you a thrifty shopper but sometimes “miss the boat” when it comes to “bonus points” days, discount days and sales? Use the checklist below so you don’t miss out on getting the perfect gifts and party supplies when they’re on sale or you can receive “bonus points”. Start with a list that includes:
- the gifts, party supplies and services needed
- a short list of retailers for everything on the list
- discount and “bonus points” days for the retailers
- the regular retail prices
Include regular retail prices on the written list so you can check flyers and quickly see opportunities to save money.
If you are a senior who shops at stores that have “bonus points” days or discount days for seniors, you may be surprised at how many people on your list you can shop for at those stores. For example, toys aren’t a staple item at Shoppers Drug Mart, but the chain has an increasingly good selection of toys.
Know what’s on your list so you can watch for deals. Be ready to shop when the price is right. This isn’t about DoorDash and convenience shopping. It’s about making a mad dash to the store when you can get the biggest bang for your buck. If on-line purchases are an option, you can get great deals delivered to your door.
Party planning and gift buying is just one way this checklist can be used. Use it when you are buying a home or doing renovations.
I’m a self-confessed checklist junkie because checklists keep me organized and they help me save time and money. My way of budgeting started with a checklist. It helped me save money and make money. Here is a link to information about budgeting and a web browser budgeting app. https://moneymeasuresinc.com/
Crafts for Kids
There is a link below to low-cost crafts for kids. I like these crafts because they are suitable for pre schoolers and older kids can get creative. Instructions aren’t needed for most of the crafts since you can see from the picture what is needed and what needs to be done.
Parents will like the crafts since they are suitable for different age groups and they are inexpensive. Kids will enjoy doing the crafts because there is glue and tape involved.
https://www.howweelearn.com/christmas-crafts-for-kids/
Budgets and Discounts – Helpful Links
Many restaurant chains offer everything from time-of-day meal deals to free meals for kids. The short list includes Denny’s, Montana’s, East Side Mario’s, Humpty’s Restaurant, and Lone Star Texas Grill.
There are many organizations that offer discounts and other perks for students, seniors, first responders, and people with disabilities. Here are a few links.
https://dealhack.ca/blog/canadian-disability-discounts-guide
https://dealhack.ca/blog/canadian-student-discounts
