Kids Ain't Cheap

But They Sure Are Worth It

Three Things You Can Do to Make Money for Christmas

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Coming up short on shopping money this year? Instead of reaching for the credit cards try these creative ways to make money for Christmas.Did you start this year with every intention of starting to save for Christmas in January, or start buying gifts early? It’s now November and you haven’t started and you’re stressed out? I know I’ve been there and it can be stressful. Though we’ve learned from it, and will start come January 2016, for now we have to focus on this year and what we can do to make the most of it. There is still time to come up with some creative ways to make money for Christmas plans.

Become a Local Vendor

By late fall, Christmas markets in towns of all sizes start popping up and for a small fee you can become a vendor. Sell cookies, bake pies, knit scarves, the possibilities are endless! Stay away from larger cities and concentrate on small towns for the biggest bang for your buck. The rental fee is usually much lower and there is less competition. A friend of mine decided to sell cookies this year to earn some extra income. In one evening at a small town Christmas fair he sold $600 worth of cookies. It took him two days to bake and about $40 worth of ingredients, not bad for a few hours’ worth of work!

Even though we budget for Christmas, this is something I am seriously considering doing for next year anyway for some extra money. I’m not 100% sure what I’ll be selling but it will likely be my (semi-famous) cookies!

Make Use of Online Auctions

Consider selling things you already own online either through online auction sites or online classifieds. If you have a keen eye you could also consider flipping items from garage sales and thrift stores to sell online. There is a woman in town who paid her entire way through university by hitting up local thrift stores for high end vintage clothes and re selling them online. If you have a keen eye for something, you may be able to make some good money fast through online sales.

Offer a Seasonal Service

There is a woman in town who is offering to come in and decorate your house. She used to work in a high end retailer and for a small fee will come in and decorate your house and/or tree like you see in fancy department stores. Though I personally wouldn’t necessarily pay for this service, I know many people who would. Another option may be to offer cleaning and house prepping services before Christmas. I know I like to do a good deep clean before dragging all the decorations out and would love the help.

Spending a day to come up with a creative way to earn some extra money might be a good use of time. It’s easy to get frustrated but sometimes investing a little money into some materials ends up paying you back many times over. Make sure, whatever you decided to do, you price things out and do a little research.

Have you ever done anything creative to earn extra money for Christmas?

Saving Money This Halloween

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Focusing on saving money this Halloween? Here are my best tips for saving on costumes, candy, and decorating.Like most holidays, Halloween can be expensive. For us, the costs are split between costumes, decorations, candy to give out and stuff to make for our daughters Halloween party at daycare. I was hopelessly optimistic that we could accomplish all of this for under $30. Boy was I wrong.

To start, the cost of candy was significantly more expensive that I remember (even from just last year). I want to be prepared for at least 100 kids and a box of 50 candies was coming in at $15. Half my budget. I accepted we would be over budget so I did what I could to re-coop costs in other areas.

Here’s how we’re saving money this Halloween.

Costumes

I was happy when our daughter announced she would be a princess and wear her favorite pink dress-up dress which we already owned (on clearance last Halloween so scour those racks this November!). The only request she had was that she wanted ‘’princess gloves’’ which my husband found for less than $5.00.

If you don’t already own the costume that you require, look into making it. Making it isn’t always cheaper though, especially if it requires a lot of items you don’t already own, but look into materials cost as a start. Also consider time to make the costume. Another option is to look online or second hand stores for used costumes. Costumes are often only worn a handful of times and usually in pretty good shape.

If you know someone you could borrow from, this is also a great option.

Use the Dollar Store

I love the dollar store. Especially when I’m preparing treats for my daughters daycare parties. I admit to spending too much time admiring what others accomplish on Pinterest but when you’re working full-time, and the party falls within the workweek, time is limited. For less than $10, I was able to buy everything I needed at the dollar store (as well using a few pieces of candy we had already purchased) to make up little treat bags for a handful of toddlers.

The dollar store was also where we found the crown and jewels for our daughters princess costume.

Avoid over-decorating

I wouldn’t decorating at all if it was up to me, but my daughter wanted to know why we couldn’t. She would ask every day if we could decorate ‘like they did at daycare’, and like her Auntie does. I was about to give in and head to my local dollar store for a few items (I was a kid once who loved to decorate for Halloween too) but thankfully my Halloween-obsessed sister-in-law had some extra stuff laying around which we could borrow for free!

Unless you love Halloween more than some people love Christmas, don’t spend too much money on decorations. If you enjoy a few decorations buy a few that you can reuse rather than one-shot deals that you’ll throw out.

Halloween can be a fun but like anything, busting your budget is never fun. In the end we ended up spending closer to $50 on Halloween this year, an amount I know has the potential to be much higher in years to come.

How much will you spend on Halloween?

Throwing a Frozen Themed Party on a Budget

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Throwing a themed party doesn't have to be expensive. Here's how we were able to throw a Frozen Themed Party on a budget.My daughter is ‘’into’’ many things, the biggest I can thank Disney for, Frozen. It was the first movie she watched and was actually engaged with. She loved it, especially all the songs. When it came time to plan her birthday party asking the question, ‘’what kind of party do you want to have’’ was a stupid question. We already knew it would be Frozen everything.

Disney is smart. They know how to market to kids arguably more than any other company in the world. She wanted everything we saw that was even somewhat Frozen related. Needless to say, if we were responsible for hosting over 20 people at our house for a party, we would need to keep as many costs down as possible, while trying to plan around Disney’s current hot theme. I’m happy to report that for less than $40 we were able to decorate to the theme of Frozen.

DIY Frozen Themed Cake

If you want to save money with a party you’re going to have to DIY some (most) things. Don’t let this scare you though. It can be easier than you think.

One of the biggest expenses for us in the Frozen themed items, was the cake. She wanted a princess cake but I wasn’t willing to fork out $40+ for a themed birthday cake. I toyed with two ideas in my head instead. I was either going to buy an undecorated cake from Costco (with only basic piping around the edges) and decorate it myself with some plastic Frozen characters and sprinkles we had at home or, what I ended up doing, making a cupcake princess dress for about $10.

Between my sister-in-law and I, we were easily able to replicate a ‘’cake’’ that was similar to this one. Tip- buy icing gel dye (usually less than $2 per color) over food dye as it works much better to get the color(s) you want. This was one of the most fun, and easiest, DIY party things I’ve ever done.

Simple Decorations

Decorations were also pretty simple. I found a local discount party store not too far from our house that had some Frozen things. It wasn’t all cheap (balloons started at $5.00 and went up to $15) but I did find a set of matching Anna and Else six foot wall decals for $5.99. These two decorations alone made our daughters day. She was super excited to see our wall literally covered in Anna and Elsa. I combined this ‘’main’’ decoration with some dollar store Frozen wall stickers and streamers and was done. I was surprised at how well it all looked.

(Inexpensive) Frozen Inspired Food

Some of the food was Frozen themed as well. Again there were many branded food ideas out there but I opted to go cheap and practical. Along with the cupcakes for dessert we offered ‘’snowballs’’ which were powdered donuts and for a snack before the meal (a buffet style BBq) we had ‘’Olaf noses’’ to munch on (baby carrots and dip). Owing a punch bowl already, I threw some blue fruit punch, pineapple juice and 7-up into it and blew the kids’ minds with Frozen inspired punch.

I had every opportunity to go completely overboard with this Frozen themed party but we didn’t. While we did spend a bit of money feeding 23 people we had major savings with the stars of the party- Anna and Elsa.

Have you thrown a themed party and saved big?

Mother’s Day Gifts by Age and Budget

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Unsure of what to get Mom this year? Check out these Mother's Day gift ideas by age and budget.I have always loved Mother’s day. As a child growing up I found Mother’s day crafts in school we’re always the most fun (in hindsight probably not a coincidence since most of my teachers we’re female, and moms themselves- always prepping cool gifts they’d want to receive themselves!). As an adult, and now a mother myself, it’s a special day.

I admit that it takes a lot to be a mom. It is the hardest thing I will likely ever encounter in my life. From pregnancy to raising a successful child, it is hard. I think Mother’s day and Father’s day are two of the most important days of the year. Though gifts aren’t necessary, much like a birthday it’s nice to feel appreciated and most people enjoy tangible objects.

What a child is able to accomplish in terms of gifts will vary depending mostly on age and as well, budget. The best gift I ever received (and likely will never be topped) was a homemade video my husband made for me on my birthday- it’s not always about how much money one spends. Time, effort and thought far outweigh any monetary denomination.

Gift from…Babies

Budget Idea: Have the babies’ footprint or handprint placed on something. Moms love baby feet and hands more than can ever be explained. Make an impression in dough or casting kit or use ink to take imprint and place on an object (picture, ornament, flower pot….anything!)

More Expensive Idea: Have a piece of custom jewelry made with mom and baby birthstones. You can do this with rings, necklaces or even keychains. There is no shortage of birthstone ideas. They can be purchased at local jewelers as well as online at craft sites like Etsy.

Gift from…Young Children

Budget Idea: Plants. This is a general idea that can be broaden however you want. A simple vase with flowers is nice, custom paint a flower pot and have a child plant some seeds or bulbs. For less than $10 you could come up with a fun craft with that young kids would enjoy helping with

More Expensive Idea: A family dinner out. Now that my daughter is a little bit older, and able to sit down without wanting to run around everywhere, I enjoy taking her places (without worry of toddler containment!). A nice dinner out would be much appreciated by mom for sure!

Gift from…Older Child-Adult Children

Budget Idea: Time with mom. Probably the cheapest idea of them all but honestly the most important. Especially as kids get older, busy, and more involved in their own independence, mom would LOVE a day with you- distraction free.

More Expensive Idea: Take mom on a date out. A mom/child date is a super nice idea. Totally up to you what you plan but whatever it is, she will love it. Huge bonus points if you’re earning your own money and budget a date for her!

Mother’s appreciate the thought put into Mother’s day. They know how hard they work and honestly deserve at least one day of recognition! Show mom you care and make her feel special.

What plans do you have for Mother’s Day?

10 Inexpensive – but Priceless – Gifts for Mom for Mothers Day

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Inexpensive Mothers Day GiftsMother’s Day is just a couple of weeks away!

Some Moms love flowers. Some Moms love jewels. Some Moms love candy. Some Moms would just love some piece and quiet — at least for one day. I’ve got great news for all of you, who are trying to come up with a Mother’s Day gift. You honestly don’t have to spend a lot of money, to let the special woman in your life know that she is loved and appreciated.

Nope! You really don’t. That’s the great thing about Moms they love anything their kids (and hopefully their husbands) give them, even weeds from outside.

My boys gave me weeds they thought were flowers. These sat in a cup, in my kitchen for over a week. When I finally threw them away the boys asked me where they went. After I explained that they were all wilted and I had to throw them out — they promptly set off to get me some more. Aww!

Since I am a Mom, I have a Mom, I’m friends with lots of Moms and I worked in the retail industry for many years — I guess I would be considered and expert on the subject, of what makes a great Mother’s Day gift. This is why I have decided to share what I know, with anyone who might be having a hard time coming up with the perfect gift.

Below you will find a list of some really fantastic – if I do say so myself – ideas. I am very confident that there is something for everyone here and that there will be at least one item on this list to fit your budget.

1. Kids’ Hand Prints

Moms love anything that are handmade by their children and it’s especially sweet when it contains the child’s hand prints. This can be as easy as using some paint and construction paper to make a beautiful card. The hand prints can be used to make a wreath or flowers.

2. Give Mom a Day Off

We love being with our kids but sometimes it’s just nice to take a day – or even a few hours – and spend it anyway we would like. So a nice thing to do might be get her a gift card to one of her favorite places. It doesn’t have to be expensive just something you know she would enjoy. Or you can assemble a homemade gift certificate that she can redeem -to spend some time – doing whatever she wants.

It may sound silly. You may think “She can take time and do whatever she wants anytime. She doesn’t have to have a gift certificate for that.” For some Moms, they may feel guilty taking time for themselves, or they just don’t do it. If this sounds like someone you know, then this is perfect. If you get a little bouquet of flowers to go with it — that’s even better!

3. Have Her Car Detailed

The car is mom’s mobile command center – she’s driving the kids around all day long, and chances are they aren’t the cleanest bunch. Things spill. The car gets dirty. And mom just doesn’t have time to clean it up all the time. Even when she does have the time, it’s not likely at the top of her list.

There are a lot of ways to get the car detailed – you can do it yourself, take it to a car wash, or even take it to the car dealer. We recommend the car dealership because they detail cars everyday, they usually do it very well, and the prices are very reasonable.

4. Make Mom Feel Special All Day

Let her sleep in, make her breakfast, leave the house or get the kiddos outside for a bit so she can get ready for the day, in peace. Try your best to make the whole day revolve around her. Do whatever it takes to keep things as stress free as possible. The rule for the day is that Mom isn’t to do any household chores. She’ll probably try, but keep it to a minimum. My husband did this for me last year and I really appreciated it!

Remember Catherine’s rant last year about What Mom’s Really Want For Mother’s Day? Yes, remember that.

5. Pamper Mom

There are so many thing you can get for Mom that are pampering. A great smelling bath set, lotions, candles, super comfy slippers, a gift certificate for a manicure and pedicure, etc. — just think about what she enjoys, and you are sure to come up with the perfect gift.

You can even combo this with #4 and give her a full day of pampering.

6. Have Kids Write a Story

Maybe it’s because I’m a writer, but I think a wonderful gift would be to help your kids make up a story all about Mom or Grandma. You can have them cut pictures out of magazines to illustrate the story, or they can draw their own. Depending on the ages of the children — this could get very interesting and fun. It will be a treasured keepsake and something she can bring out a read year after year.

7. Think Spring!

There is a very good reason Mother’s Day is in May and I think it is because – in most places – spring has sprung. All the flowers are in bloom and it is just a beautiful time of year. You can always run down to the local farmers market and pick up a beautiful bouquet of flowers — but they also have gorgeous hanging baskets and other flowers, plants, trees, bushes, etc. that can be planted and enjoy for many months — or for many years to come.

8. Photo Gifts

All Moms and Grandmas love photo gifts! There are so many things you can put together and it can really fit into any price range — photo mugs, photo books, mouse pads, office supplies, clothing, etc. I am featuring Snapfish for two reasons — 1. They run awesome deals! 2. They offer a 110% quality guarantee. They aren’t giving me anything to say this, I am just a really satisfied customer! Check them out. I’ve also used Walgreens and Costco with great success!

9. Jewelry

This may sound expensive but it doesn’t have to be. Sterling Silver charms are quite reasonable and can be placed on a bracelet or a simple silver chain. Craft stores also have beads – and other jewelry making supplies – so the kids can make something special that Mom or Grandma will love — and wear with pride.

10. Shower her with Love!

This should be the easiest, least expensive and most meaningful gift of all!!

“A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.”– Agatha Christie

Do you have suggestions? What was your favorite Mother’s Day gift, you ever received? What was your favorite Mother’s Day gift that you have given?

Non-Sugar Easter Egg Ideas

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Looking for some Easter egg ideas? Here are nine of them that aren't candy!I love Easter. Whatever reason you celebrate the season, it’s a fun time. It’s often less busy than Christmas and I look forward to the slower pace. To me it’s pure innocence. Kids have fun with the Easter bunny, churches are beautifully decorated, flowers make their appearance and usually, spring is here.

It’s a time for family which I always look forward to. We get a long weekend to be with each other and have a feast with our extended family to celebrate. Having kids put a whole new element of fun into it. Though I’ve always enjoyed the holiday, having fun with my daughter and watching her explore everything has been super enjoyable.

Since my husband and I started playing the role of the Easter bunny (something we’ve already failed at since our almost three-year-old found our stash), I’ve become more aware of sugar and treats. Don’t get me wrong, I love candy and chocolate, and I certainly allow my daughter to have some too, but when we as her parents do an Easter basket for her, and I know other friends and family will also have treats for her, I try to control what I can on our end. No three-year-old needs as much candy as I know is coming to her in the upcoming week.

We bought her very little candy and chocolate full-well expecting the rest of the family (grandparents and aunts mostly) to act out on their need to buy treats for her 😉 Instead we opted to focus on some non-sugary treats to put inside the eggs for her Easter egg hunt and I thought I would share my list of ideas:

  • Tattoos. I don’t know about all kids but my daughter thinks they are the coolest thing ever.
  • Stickers. The local dollar store has small baggies of loose stickers making them easy to put in her eggs.
  • Jewelry. Again dollar store to the rescue for cheap plastic play jewelry.
  • Hair stuff for girls.
  • Playdough. You could fill the egg with playdough and keep the original container to place back in.
  • Money. Who wouldn’t love few extra dollars? My grandparents put money in some of our eggs at Easter with the expectation we’d put some extra on the collection plate later that day at church.
  • Toys. We found some extra-large eggs this year, something like a hotwheels car would be able to fit easily.
  • A Prayer. If you follow a religious aspect of Easter placing a sweet Easter prayer inside is a nice way of passing it along.
  • Gift certificate (or alike). Depending on how much you spend it might be an idea.

Again, I’m not a candy hater. In fact I look forward to Easter candy more than any other treat in the rest of the year, but kids tend to get so much sugar it is nice to have other options. The less candy she gets, the less I eat so there’s an added bonus too 😉

What sort of Easter treats will you put in your kids eggs?

Also read:

Valentines Fun For Kids

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Are you looking for some cheap Valentines fun for kids? I spent only $15 to have an amazing time with my daughter. Here's how.I admit that I’ve never really loved Valentine’s day. I’m one of ”those” who believe it’s an over commercialized day which encourages us to spend money we otherwise wouldn’t out of guilt.

I won’t make my husband feel bad if he doesn’t show up at home with a dozen roses and chocolates and fully expect to cook dinner . I know a lot of people who love it though. They love everything about it, making reservations at fancy restaurants months in advance. Flowers delivered to work, roses at home and chocolate for dessert. While I don’t really ”get it” I respect that as long as people are happy, the over commercialized holiday doesn’t bother me.

Then I Had Kids….

A funny thing has happened since having a kid though. I love all holidays. I find myself wanting to celebrate every small holiday because I can make it fun for her. Kids love having fun and I love seeing my kid have fun. I’ve already bought her Valentines cards which she’s signed (scribbled all over) for her friends at daycare, and even bought her a little present. Something I never thought I would buy into, but kids just have so much fun with even the smallest of holidays I can’t help but have fun with it too.

Valentines day fun with kids doesn’t have to be outrageously expensive though! We spent a total of $15 and bought her valentines cards for friends, a small chocolate, some stickers and a toy she always sees in a particular store, which we got on clearance. There’s no doubt she’ll have just as much fun with the day as the kid whose parents may have spent significantly more money.

Here are a few fun, and cheap Valentines fun for kids ideas!

Start the day with all things red, pink, white and heart-shaped

I remember growing up,  my mom once made us pancakes and cut them with a heart-shaped cookie cutter. I, to this day, don’t love pancakes but those heart-shaped chocolate chip pink pancakes were delicious!  This would work for french toast as well. Adding a small drop of red food coloring in milk to make pink milk might be a fun idea as well. Paper doilies and sprinkling powdered sugar over the pancakes or toast also gives a pretty design that is sure to impress kids.

Special Treats

Every kid has a favorite treat. Spending time to make their favorite dessert or treat is a nice gesture. If you don’t have time (or baking skills) to make the treat pick it up in store.

Plan a family night in

Family fun doesn’t have to involve going out to spend more money. Spend Valentines Day with the family at home over a nice meal and some form of family fun. I plan on finding a few Valentines Day printables on the internet and giving the kid some crayons to go nuts with. She loves having us sit beside her and help her play with crayons. Might not be super romantic but she’ll have fun and when you have kids, as long as they’re having fun you’ll be happy!

Do you have any fun plans for your kids Valentines Day events?

 

Should I Give into ‘’Elf on the Shelf’’?

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I'm torn as to whether my family should adopt an elf on the shelf. Here's why we currently do not have one.When my husband was a child he had this old tree ornament on his Christmas tree that was a gift from his grandfather when he live in Germany. It was a quirky little elf that his mom would use during the Christmas season to keep the kids in check.

‘’The elf is watching’’, she’d warn them.

My husband and his sister grew to love the weird little elf, and as an adult he wanted one of his own, for our family tree. Then a little phenomenon called ‘’Elf on the Shelf’’ started.

While it isn’t the exact same thing, it’s sort of similar. We have tried to find a small elf ornament like my husband had growing up, always coming up empty handed. After all, his was purchased by his grandparents in the country with a mecca of all things Christmas. Until ‘’Elf on the Shelf’’ started in North America, elves weren’t a very popular Christmas decoration as a whole. I see way more Santa’s and Snowmen than I do elves, even to this day.

I think I am the only one of my friends and family, with a child, who is not yet partaking in the ‘’Elf on the Shelf’’ phenomenon. Most of me thinks it’s weird and creepy, while part of me thinks it could be really fun. I don’t know if we should give in and buy one for next year or not.

I struggle with using something like this as a ‘’threat’’. I expect my child to always behave well, not the last month of the year and not because an elf is watching her. So I don’t know in what manner I would use the elf if not for this reason? How would I explain his (or her) arrival and why they’re there if not to ‘’watch her’’?

The other issue I have is that I have friend who has children who have developed a huge fear of the elf. One little boy was having problems using the washroom thinking the elf was ‘’always watching’’. He was a bit better after mom explained he didn’t watch all of the time but it still instills a bit of a creep factor to me given that it is a physical presence in the house and not a hypothetical (like Santa).

In having said all this, I really love Christmas and the magic that kids bring to the season with their beliefs. I love seeing their eyes when you even speak of Santa and the sheer innocence that comes with it all. While part of me thinks this Elf capitalizes a bit too much on this unassuming innocence, part of me thinks we could have fun with it as a family. That, and it’s cheaper than flying to Germany in search of the perfect elf tree ornament!

So if you have an Elf do you like it or do you wish you’d never bought into the insanity? I want to hear everything before I decide if it’s worth buying into! Are you for or against the Elf on a Shelf?

How to Plan a Family Friendly Christmas Party

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Will you be the holiday host this year? If so, here are some great ideas on how to plan a family friendly Christmas party that everyone will be sure to love!While some people dread them, one of my favorite parts of the Christmas season is the parties. I love socializing with all of my favorite people at the same time. It’s a great way to reconnect and often reminds me to make a point of seeing some of these people more than once a year!

Hosting and attending parties pre-kids was easier I won’t lie, way fewer logistics to worry about. Remember that, generally speaking, only the people’s names on the invitation are those who are invited so if you receive and invite lacking your children’s name(s), it’s likely that it is an adult-only party so don’t ask if you can bring them (unless you know them well and think it was an honest oversight).

I personally enjoy parties where families can come. While a good adult-only night out is fun, Christmas is about celebration with family so my husband and I have made a point of hosting a great Christmas party that people of all ages can enjoy. We never want our friends and family to feel like they need to make a choice between their kids and a good time!

Here’s how to plan a family friendly Christmas party.

Start the party at a respectable hour

If your friends and family plan on bringing their children, especially young, it can probably be assumed they will likely need to leave early so to maximize time together, start the party at a decent time, late afternoon or early evening works best find. This gives guests their entire morning to themselves, and allows afternoon naptime for younger kids attending. Any time after 3-4pm usually works well.

Think of the kids when planning the menu

If you love calamari that’s great, but I don’t know many kids (regardless of age) who do. Try to plan a generally accepted menu. I personally prefer to do buffet style foods since this gives a large variety of food and most people can find something they like. I have distinct memories as a child attending these parties with my parents and me leaving hungry because I didn’t like anything beyond the cheese plate. Never again. If kids will be there, think of them!

Give the kids something to do

I remember one party in particular when I was a kid where the hosts set up a movie theater in their loft/attic. It was amazing. They had popcorn, treats and pillow for us. The age range of kids was probably 2-16 years and we all hung out looking out for each other watching Christmas movies. Last year my husband and I went to the local dollar store and bought the kids at our party each a coloring book and box of crayons, this way they were all with us but hung out together coloring in each others books (we bought them all different ones and let them decide). It cost us less than $10 and was a huge hit with parents.

Considering hiring a babysitter

Though this was something I don’t think I would ever do, my sister was recently hired to be a babysitter at someone’s party (whom she didn’t know). She replied to a public add looking for someone to help. There was a large party going on (100+ people) and they wanted an adult supervisor for a kids room they set up at the event, about 15 kids of all ages. She stayed for five hours, made some extra money and basically just made sure the kids were safe and not bugging the adults too much. The room also had some cribs/beds/highchairs for use.

I personally sort of enjoy the insanity of having the young kids run around high on sugar they stole, the older kids usually finding a spare television and everyone being together under one roof!

How do you make your parties kid-friendly?

3 Ways to Pay for Your Christmas Expenses

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Worried you're going to bust your Christmas budget? If so, check out these three ways to pay for your Christmas expenses!Christmas can be a very expensive time of year. For most, waiting until November to deal with all the impending expenses won’t work and cause undue stress.

The easiest way to manage Christmas expenses for most is to start early. That is, immediately following Christmas! Yet after saying this, I find most people have a hard time thinking about the following Christmas before this one is even finished but arguably the easiest way to manage your Christmas cash is to set aside the money every month beginning in January.

An alternative is that you actually buy presents every month until December by taking the number of people you have to buy for and divide by 12. I have done both and personally prefer to save the cash every month.

Here are some other ways you can keep Christmas from blowing your budget.

Sell your stuff.

Opening an account where you can save any extra money is a great way to not interrupt your daily cash flow and still save for Christmas. Again if you start early and save year-round you may be surprised how much extra money you can come up with, especially if you hold a yardsale(s) in the warmer months!

Get a second job.

Though I never actually did this, plenty of my friends did. They would pick up a seasonal job that allowed them to bring in extra money and get discounts at some of their favorite stores. Conversely I had a friend who would get a second job at her favorite clothing store every year and buy almost her entire year wardrobe during her employment there, saving all of her clothing spending money year-round for Christmas.

Use extra paychecks.

My husband and I are paid bi-weekly but budget monthly. This means there are two months of the year where we’re actually paid more. Rather than budgeting this extra money in our monthly cash flow we opt to use it for one-off expenses, Christmas being one of them. One of our pay-periods is October or November depending on when payday falls and of that extra pay we take out our extra money and use a portion of it for our Christmas expenses. While this works well for us I understand it’s not for everyone! Point in case, we won’t be completing our shopping until middle of December this year. For some that may stress them out but we’re so used to it we’re both very organized and are able to go out in one to two trips and get everything accomplished.

Whatever method you use to pay for your Christmas expenses, the point is that you do whatever you can to limit stress on you and your family. Please also remember that not doing gifts can also be perfectly acceptable and don’t be afraid to suggest it!

Though I prefer our current method to all other suggested I’m curious to know how other people manage Christmas expenses. Where I’d rather not even think about it until at least November I feel like most people in my life prepare year-round, what do you do? Do you use different ways to pay for your Christmas expenses?