big family, small budget: giving at christmas

every year, i get asked on so many occasions how on earth i am able to afford christmas and birthdays for my children. i have discussed the way we do birthdays several times here on the blog but now it's time to share how we do christmas. 

first of all, i must say that christmas is NOT about gifts. this is definitely a hard concept to teach children, especially when there is so much influence around them in society, including at school and on television. however, our goal during this time of year is to create lasting memories by spending time with our children rather than focus on gifts. 

even if our goal is to focus on the importance of family, of course our children still receive gifts. 

 

my kids have pretty much everything you can imagine, but i won't go into details about what they have. it's pretty irrelevant here. however, i hope that sharing some of the deals i got while christmas shopping will help you get an idea of how to change the way you shop and to get better deals. 

but, the first thing to remember is...

STOP TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH (or outdo) OTHERS!  

stuff does not make the person! here is how we save money to purchase christmas for our children:

1. START SHOPPING EARLIER IN THE YEAR. waiting until the last minute is not only stressful but a strain on the wallet if you are on a budget and haven't been saving all year. don't be one of those people who is stressing over the credit card bills they owe in the new year. 

2. shop yard sales - just because it is from a yard sale does not mean it is used and even if it is, SO WHAT, WHO CARES!. i purchased almost all of elijah's christmas (and some for phoenix and tyler) on a facebook yard sale in my area (click the link to get an idea of what it's like). it's like craigslist LIVE (if that makes sense). almost everything i purchased was still brand new. the same thing applies to yard sales you visit at a person's house as well.

on the facebook yardsale, i purchased books, puzzles, games, dolls, vehicles and more. again, i won't go into details but i will say that out of pocket, i spent approximately $75 on brand new items that would have cost me approximately $500+ in the store (check out the photos below). 

how do i know this? because i priced everything on the site before i bought it. and if you sell your items that you no longer use at the same time, you can turn around and use the money you make to buy other gifts. it's like recycling your money. :)

WARNING: do be aware that some people will try to over price items or sell you junk. don't ever be afraid to turn someone down if you feel you are not getting what you expected. it is your money!

3. bartering - sometimes you can trade items you don't want for items you do. i got an amazing deal on 13 wii games for phoenix and tyler by trading something i didn't need anymore. another great way to take advantage of bartering is if you make homemade items. you can trade your talent, skills, and homemade goods for someone else's. 

4. shop online - i absolutely hate black friday! i hate the traffic, the lines, the rude people, and everything else about it (really people? are you really fighting over materialistic goods? yeah that's what Jesus wants for his birthday...you and someone else throwing blows over a stupid toy your kid is gonna break within two weeks?). black friday for me was at home in my pajamas with a cup of coffee and a christmas movie on the tele. 

in fact, i did 95% of my shopping online this year and paid $0 in shipping. so essentially, i saved money because i didn't have to spend the gas money to get out in all that traffic. i was also able to compare prices between stores right there in front of me.

three very important things to remember when shopping online:

• check sites like ebates, coupon cabin, and retail me not for coupons and discounts before checking out. 
• join websites, like mypoints or swagbucks, that reward you points per dollar spent at select online stores. once you have earned enough points, you can redeem them for gift cards. free money is always nice!
• if your account doesn't show free shipping at checkout, call the company and ask for it! i do this all the time and have never been turned down. 

 

 5. shop at stores that reward you for shopping - the biggest one that comes to mind for me is kohl's. i absolutely love koh'ls for this specific reason. on black friday, i purchased enough merchandise to earn $90 in kohl's cash. $90 free money to spend any way i want. i actually used it to purchase several other gifts for family. 

my shopping experience with kohl's is a prime example of how to all the resources i described to get the best deal. i shopped online (which saved me the gas money), i used a 20% off coupon i found at one of the site i recommended, and i got free shipping. plus, i received $90 in kohl's cash.

6. make your gifts - who doesn't love homemade gifts? homemade gifts deserves a post of it's own. come back next week for a post all about handmade gifts. 

..................................................................

i use all of these suggestions to save money when shopping for christmas. a general rule in our house (that i don't always follow) is that our children each get a new pair of pj's, a book, a new outfit, a small gift, and a big gift. 

even when we follow that general rule, they still receive gifts from grandma deborah, poppy & grandma darling, and ganma & ganpa. plus ryan and jacob receive gifts from their mom and her family, and mackenzie, phoenix, and tyler receive gifts from their grandma marsha. so you can see, they get plenty!

any mention of specific stores or websites mentioned in this post are my own personal recommendations and were not influenced in any way. i was not compensated in any way to mention these sites.

joni - sixcherriesontop (at) gmail (dot) com | twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram: mamacherry

using coupons is pretty smart thinking

Thanks to Tervis for sponsoring my writing. Visit their website http://www.tervis.com to learn more about the world’s first smart cup. ___________________________________________________________________________________
for some people, couponing is their life. they spend countless hours collecting coupons, looking for deals, and shopping the stores all to get as much as they can for next to nothing...sometimes even NOTHING. it takes a lot of hard work and dedication.

however, that is time i just don't have. i do use to save quite a bit of money, but i don't spend a whole lot of time doing it. even if you are saving just a few dollars, that IS money saved, and that money will eventually add up. who doesn't wish they had a few extra bucks each week to treat themselves or even to save for gifts this christmas?

the first thing to remember is that being a "couponer" does not mean you go into your grocery store and clear shelves. i certainly don't. and besides, extreme couponing is like a job. i am not looking to make this a full time career.

the best way to get started is to decide what store you will shop at. if you think trying to coupon at every store in your area to get the best deal is going to be easy, i can promise you it's not. you will become frustrated and more than likely, give up.

stick to one or two stores. my rule of thumb is one grocery store and one drug store.

once you have decided what store you are going to be using, find out what their coupon policy is, including how many you can use per transaction/per day, how many of the same coupon you can use, and whether they double or triple coupons. finding out this type of information helps you decide how many coupons you need before going to the store.

why collect 100 coupons for the same item if your store only allows you to use 3 coupons for the same item per day? coupons usually expires within 6-10 weeks and most items only go on sale once every 12 weeks.

collect & clip: there are several ways you can acquire coupons: ask a friend, neighbor, or co-worker for their coupons they don't want, buy the newspaper, or visit a recycling facility. there are also coupons in magazines, at the grocery store, and even the ones that can be printed from online.

then just simply clip coupons and match them with sales going on at your store to get the best price.

i don't make it difficult and time consuming, yet i am a still able to save money to feed my large family.

i once filled a basket with toiletries for an unexpected house guest. i also filled a basket with different pastas and sauces to welcome a new neighbor. i have even donated to my local food bank. i was able to do this because of coupons.

so, next time you think about throwing those coupons away, think again and save some money by actually using them.

___________________________________________________________________________________
I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. To learn more about Tervis, visit their website http://www.tervis.com.

joni - sixcherriesontop (at) gmail (dot) com | twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram: mamacherry

big family, small budget: having fun - outdoors

 

as a previous childcare teacher, it was always a requirement to get the children outside at least twice a day weather permitting. weather permitting usually included temperatures below 45 degrees, code orange or higher heat warnings,  or dangerous weather like a storm. going outside on a hot day was okay as long as we provided water and rain was a great sensory activity. as a parent, these are good guidelines to follow when getting your child outside for some fresh air each day.

having a big family doesn't mean we have to have a lot of money to have fun. there are so many activities in our area that we can enjoy all throughout the year. here is a list of activities that are available in our area, around raleigh, NC. be sure to check your area for similar activities.

here are some free and inexpensive outdoor activities that can be enjoyed throughout the year: 

• parks and recreational areas
• hiking trails and neighborhood walks
• bonfires: roasting marshmallows, making s'mores
• fruit and veggie picking at a local farm
• seasonal festivals (in the community and at your child's school)
• holiday activities (fireworks displays, parades, performances, pumpkin farms & carving, egg hunts)
• seasonal activities (hayrides, outdoor ice skating rinks, swimming, beaches, spray parks and sprinklers, camping, fishing, kite flying, snow activites)

• local sporting events ( minor leagues, high school teams)
• outdoor games (tag, hide-n-seek, bike riding and skateboarding, scavenger hunts, ring toss, badminton, horseshoes, corn hole, frisbee, kickball, other basic sports)

• outdoor arts and crafts ( tie dye shirts, bleaching shirts, sidewalk chalk, bubbles, mud pies
• local outdoor flea markets
• gardening
• the zoo
• picnics

as you can see, there are so many things you can do outside with your family that doesn't cost a whole lot of money. i am sure there are so many more. carolina parent is a local magazine and website in our area that always lists upcoming events in our area. in addition the the activities listed above, we can always find a variety of activities to get us outside for some fresh air.

be sure to think outside the box when doing any of these activities. instead of just blowing bubbles in your own front yard, take them to the park with you. or create a scavenger hunt list before you go on a hike. make it fun and enjoy some time outside with your family.

joni - sixcherriesontop (at) gmail (dot) com | twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram: mamacherry

big family, small budget: having fun - museums

sometimes being at home gets boring, but most people just don't go out because they think it costs a lot of money to have a good time. like i have mentioned many times before, most kids just want you to spend time with them and really don't compare price to the quality of fun. however, there are so many free or inexpensive ways to have fun in your community. although, i can not give you specifics about what is available in your community, these helpful suggestions may give you an idea of what may be available in your area.

for those of you who are curious, i live in the raleigh/durham area of NC and these ideas come directly from what is available in our area. i have provided links to some of my suggestions for those who do live in my area. visit links for specifics for each location.

i can name three museums in our area that are free of charge, the NC museum of natural sciences, the NC museum of history, and the NC museum of art . some special events do cost extra, but there is so much to see and do that paying extra is really not necessary. at times there are even special events that are also free of charge. just recently, the natural science museum had their annual bugfest, which is free to attend. we went a few years ago and had a blast.

some museums do charge to visit their facility, sometimes even for a very inexpensive fee. be sure to check those museums as well for reduced pricing days or to ask about membership. marbles museum is an awesome museum that encourages learning through play. their facility provides a wonderful play and learning environment that encourages social, emotional, physical, and intellectual growth. tickets for one day for our family of 8 on a reduced pricing day was over $30. however, i recently purchased a one year membership for right at $100. we can go as many times as we want for one full year.

Another museum in our area is the Museum of Life and Science. an annual membership fee for our family of 8 would be $160. considering the ticket price per person to get in is around $10 each, i would say that $160 is an excellent price for our family to go as many times as we want over the course of one year.

although getting outside is something my children love, museums are great for those cold or rainy days when you want to get out of the house but don't want to be outside.

joni - sixcherriesontop (at) gmail (dot) com | twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram: mamacherry

big family, small budget: having fun- tv & movies

i actually wrote a guest post over at skinned knees last year for her "family fun on a budget" series. this week for big family, small budget, go check out my post on how i save my family money when watching tv at home or going to the movies.

next week, we will be looking at ways to have fun with your family in your community. 

{image}

joni - sixcherriesontop (at) gmail (dot) com | twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram: mamacherry

big family, small budget series: saving on vacation

please welcome faith from over at simplicity as our guest this week for the big family, small budget series. thank you so much faith for sharing how your family saves money when vacationing.

___________________________________________________________________________________

The days are getting shorter, school is starting again and summer is coming to an end and maybe you're wishing you could have taken that summer family vacation... but wondering how you can afford to take your big family on a nice vacation? Well, we have done it twice and I want to share a few little things that made a big difference.

1. I did my reasearch - sites like Expedia.com show hotel rates on an easy to view map. Using one of these travel websites I found less-expensive areas to visit. We might not be able to afford to stay at Jackson, Florida but we could afford to stay at Myrtle Beach, North Carolina.

2. We choose someplace nearby. Myrtle Beach is just a few hours drive. Savannah is another beautiful place I want to take the kids when they are older and not far away. By choosing to vacation in a city nearby we're saving a lot of money on airfare or gas and meals that a ling car trip would require.

3. We rented one larger suite with a kitchenette instead of two rooms. When you have a big family you often run into room capacity issues. For example on one weekend trip we took the motel insisted we pay for two rooms, even though we ended up only using one room and snuggling six people into two beds (it was wonderfully cozy - but then my kids are still pretty small). When I booked our hotel for our vacation I found one of only about a half a dozen places that had suites that allowed all six of us. It was worth it! Also because it had a kitchenette we were able to eat some our meals in our room, which worked perfectly for us since everyone was much too tired from playing in the ocean to want to go out for lunch.

4. We just stayed for the weekend. Since my husband has nearly no time off of work this made more sense for us. We left on Friday as soon as school let out on the last day of the school and came home late afternoon on Sunday.

5. We spent all of our time at the beach. There are lots of wonderful things to do and amazing things to see at Myrtle Beach but we haven't been to any of them. To us nothing is better than walking the beaches and splashing in the waves of the ocean and spending time outside and together as a family. Plus it's free!

6. We saved money on food by packing a dinner for our car trip on Friday and I also brought breakfast and lunch for Saturday and snacks for the trip home on Sunday. That only left Saturday's dinner and Sunday's breakfast to pay for. We always get breakfast at the Krispy Kreme on the main drag in Myrtle Beach. They have some pretty amazing doughnuts there and is a great way to end our vacation.

I packed a lot of fresh fruit (there's nothing like a big bowl of watermellon after a long day on the beach!) stuff for sandwiches, mac and cheese - the kind with the pre-mad sauce in a pouch, pop tarts (we almost never have these at home so it's  real treat to have them while we're on vacation.

A few other tips:

Rates are even lower if you're able to book your vacation during the week.

Look into staying with family - one year when I was a child we went to Disney World Florida and stayed with my great aunt - the day we spent with them was my favorite part of the entire trip! Anither year we spent a week with another great aunt at her dairy farm. I got to play with cousins, meet other distant cousins and we took a trip to the lake with my grandparents at the end, it was wonderful and only as expensive as the gas it took to get us there.  Maybe you have a great aunt of your own somewhere?

I'm saving for our next vacation by using a cash-rewards credit card to pay for things like gas and groceries. I have only had the card for a few months and I already have over $100 in rewards points!

I have also saved for vacations by putting $20 of my grocery money in an envelope in my sock drawer at the beginning of each month. If I've done really well with my budget I might even be able to add more to it at the end of the month! That is the equivalent of eating out or ordering in one time. We can eat out one time less each month if it means having a memorable family vacation!

Take LOTS of pictures and print them out into a photo book. (see mine here.) Even though I only have one day of photos they still are a reminder of a great time we spent as a family and brings a smile to our faces every time we sit down to look at it.

Another thing you could do is rent one big home and share with another family.

If your kids are not yet in school, or you homeschool go during during the off-season. There are wonderful places to go and things to see at every time of year and you'll get hotel rooms at a real bargin if you go while evryone else is busy with school!

Faith is the mother of five, blogger and online photography teacher - connect with her on her blog Simplicity and follow her tweets on twitter.

___________________________________________________________________________________

thanks again to faith for stopping by today. and, remember that when planning vacations, it's not about how expensive and lavish the vacation is that is important. it is about making memories with your family that will last a lifetime.

joni - sixcherriesontop (at) gmail (dot) com | twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram: mamacherry

big family, small budget: organizing those expenses

the hardest part of saving money is not seeing where you are spending it. two weeks ago, i had you track your expenses by writing down EVERYTHING you spend your money on. I have even gone as far as keeping a calendar of my monthly expenses so i am able to see at quick glance what i should expect each month; there are never any surprises.

if you are looking for a good guide to help you take care of debt and save money, i always recommend reading books and listening to audio from financial guru, dave ramsey.  this series isn't really about how to set money aside for your savings account. it is more about how to save money when you spend it. if you are struggling financially and looking for your saving grace, this series may not be for you. however, we all have to spend money, and my ideas may help you keep more money in your pocket when you do.

as i have said before, i am NOT an expert, so don't hold me responsible for your financial successes or failures. i am simply sharing what works for me, that could possibly work for you.

now that you have a list of expenses, there is one thing you need to start doing.

START paying your bills ONLINE. it seems like a scary thing at first, if you have never done it, but once you see how easy it is, you won't go back. NO writing checks, NO filling out envelopes, NO stamps, NO remembering to put it in the mailbox, and NO delays.

 my story... 

i used to pay my mortgage through the mail every month with a check and sometimes it would take 3 weeks for the money to come out of my account. when i questioned my mortgage company about it, they told me that the address i sent my money to was a processing center and that once it got there it was actually sent over to another department, which was why it took so long. when i asked if i could just send it directly to that department, i was told it had to be sent that way, but i could pay online and it would go directly to that department. crazy, i know! 

{image}

STOP using checks! they are so 20th century!

once you are an online bill payer, you can start using manilla to make paying bills online even easier. manilla is a free online service that links up all of your accounts in one convenient location. you still use the actual companies website to pay your bills, but you log in only one time.

all in one place, you can link up your bank account, mortgage company, credit cards, paypal, magazine subscriptions, loyalty programs, and other household accounts to keep track of them. right there on the site, it tells you how many days until a bill is due, or how many days it is past due. you even get little email reminders as well.

one of the most stressful things for families is money. when you are unorganized, you will make mistakes and even overspend. why not make having to deal with your finances a little easier?

next week, we will be looking a little further into specific areas of our lives where we can save money. from groceries to eating out, vacations, and even buying clothes, i will help you find ways to save money. be on the look out for guests posts from some of my favorite money saving moms as well.

 joni - sixcherriesontop (at) gmail (dot) com | twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram: mamacherry

big family, small budget: all those expenses

have you ever stopped to think about EVERYTHING you spend money on? you make a bunch of petty little purchases, a starbucks here, a pack of gum there, a quick dinner out because you don't have the time to cook, and then...BAM! you're broke!

yeah, i've been there. and to be honest, i've been there far more times than i'd like to admit. even recently! hey, i did NOT say i was money perfect! i just said i was going to tell you what it is i do to raise six children on what little money we have.

and believe me, we have a lot more of a little than a little bit of a lot!

whoa! that was kinda confusing!

if you missed the beginning of this series, feel free to go back HERE and start from the beginning.

last week we talked about setting small goals that are a reflection of what is most important to you. learning to set and achieve those goals will hopefully help you to set and achieve small money goals as well.

how did you do? did you accomplish your goals?

i won't waste time pestering you about it. either you did or you didn't. if you didn't then perhaps you either need to set smaller goals, or you just aren't ready for any of this. either way, we are all big boys and girls here and you make your own decisions.if you did accomplish your goals, good for you. continue to set goals for yourself. remember to start small and work your way up to the ones that may take more time and effort.

moving on...

this week is pretty simple. over the next week, write down everything you spend your money on. EVERYTHING! then, using your total income earned, write down a ballpark figure of how much you spend or would like to spend on each one.

if you go over your total income, guess what? i am pretty sure i don't need to tell you what you need to do!

but just so you don't think i am holding back all my secrets...eliminate something or lower your standards.

what does my list look like? it looks a little like this:

yep! that is everything we spend money on.

now it's your turn. grab a pencil and some paper and start writing.

*here's a helpful tip: instead of writing down toilet paper, include it in "groceries" and write that down as one item. or, instead of writing redbox movies and bowling, write "entertainment".

next week, once you have everything written down, i will share some awesome websites with you that will help you get better organized.

now that you have your list of expenses, try to eliminate or make changes to one thing. do you really watch all of those tv channels? do you really need to stop at starbucks every day? can you shorten your vacation by one day or go camping instead of staying in a hotel?  do something to put money back in your pocket and then quickly put it in a safe place (a savings account is great). 

joni - sixcherriesontop (at) gmail (dot) com  twitter | facebook | pinterest