'Tis the season for an empty wallet....

Yes, it is the season for a wallet that appears cavernously empty and credit cards that are screaming for mercy. At least it is for most people. I've been doing my best to end up with stockings full of freebies or under $1 items, and gifts that cost me at least half of the MSRP. Sounds impossible? Read and learn, my friends.

Let's start with the stockings. Starting around September or October, I start scouring every freebie page I can find. I find freebies for coffee, tea, snacks, stickers, cookbooks, and anything else that someone I know might like, and request them all. Then I start going out to any website for anything that my friends or family might like, and get on all the mailing lists. That way I am set up for any freebies they may put on their site. This year, I added Facebook to this routine. I became a fan of any product or company that I like their stuff, and kept checking for any freebies. I've gotten some interesting stuff so far (I can't say what because my family and friends read the blog), and boy are some people going to be surprised. I also keep an eye out for $1 deals everywhere I go. My local Avon lady has an open house in late November every year, so I can stock up on hand cream, lip balm, shower get, and anything else I can think of for under $1 each. I also scour the $1 section of any store I go to.

The 50% off gifts is a little harder to do, but very possible. I start in September again, and check the clearance area of every store I go to each time I shop. I've found the coolest stuff in the Halloween clearance area. If I've got coupons, I use those on the clearance items to get even more off the price. I have never been turned off by "accidentally" opened Lego boxes in the clearance area. After starting to build the kit, if a piece is found missing, I just call Lego's help line and tell them the kit number and what pieces are missing, and they replace them no problem or cost (as long as it is a recent kit). Then I start combing the internet. I find EVERY coupon I can. I search for printable coupons to take to stores, and get books, jewelry, clothes, and toys way cheap. I search for coupon codes, and stack as many as possible on WAY discounted items online all the way up to early December. I also hit any discount or bargain store in my area for odd-ball stuff. I've found weird stuff in my local grocery store, like REALLY cheap books or Food Network videos in the clearance area.

The best cheap gifts tend to come with the "gift with purchase" deals. You buy one item, and get something else for free, and you can gift any or all for cheap. Here's an example I can use because my dear mother-in-law doesn't read this blog (Anyone who knows her that tells her is in HUGE trouble). I've been wanting a waffle maker for a long time, but hadn't had the time or money to get one. One day, while scouring freebie sites, I found a code for Gevalia coffee where you could get a waffle maker and an insulated coffee mug when you bought 4 boxes of coffee or tea for $20. I got 2 boxes of decaf, ground, gourmet coffee for my mother-in-law, two teas for the household, and got the waffle maker (that turned out to be a Cuisinart) and the coffee mug for my mother-in-law. Not a bad deal. I also keep a look out to see if Hallmark is giving a free ornament if you purchase 2 (I almost always buy 2 ornaments every year anyway, so free gift for someone). Bath and Body Works sends out coupons for a free item under $13 with any purchase of $10 or more. Buy a bunch of travel size things to get to $10, choose your freebie according to your coupon, and you've got little gifts for any occasion ready at a moment's notice. Just keep your eye out for clever ways to make any of these available coupons or offers work FOR you.

Yeah, I still get some stuff full price. Hey, you can't find a coupon for everything! But my goal always is to see how much I can get for the least amount of money. If I have to purchase without a coupon, I try to make sure that my money benefits more people than just me. An example is that I purchase most of my holiday books through my son's Scholastic book order or at the book fair that the school holds in December. That way the money benefits the school. Or I try to buy from brands or stores that are having fundraising days for different charities.

By doing all my shopping this way, I tend to be mostly done by Black Friday, with just a few things to pick up on Cyber Monday with all my coupon codes. Hey, this is the time to enjoy the season with your family, not witness the local mall become "the maul". Have a wonderful holiday season all, and stay sane!!!