Save Money Before Your Child Even Gets Here- What?!

In 2011, CNN reported that the cost for having a baby had grown more than 40% in the last decade, and that chances were good that this trend would continue! If you are a new mom or you are looking forward to a pregnancy, that’s about the last thing that you want to hear. Being a parent isn’t cheap, but the truth of the matter is that it doesn’t have to be as expensive as some people are making it out to be, either. When you are considering how to save money on your baby products and your household products, there are a few tips that you can use.

Network
If there are other moms in your area, chances are good that they are going to be wondering how to get rid of things just as you realize that you need them. Baby equipment like cribs and changing tables are expensive, but they are also limited use items. After their babies get to a certain age, they are going to want to trade them out for different things. Network with other women to figure out what items can be traded around.

Clip (Online) Coupons
While you are going to get plenty of coupons through the mail, don’t forget to look up coupons online. More and more stores are offering online deals and email coupons and if you get on the right mailing list you can expect to see some truly impressive savings. Clip your coupons. Ideally, start doing so long before the baby arrives. There’s nothing wrong with stockpiling things like baby food or diapers.

Get On Mailing Lists
While most people pass of mailing lists as spam, the truth of the matter is that the right mailing list can be worth all of the frustration. Get on mailing lists for a number of different places where you shop, and you’ll discover that you can find out about deals long before other people do. Also, simply being on a mailing list can make a huge difference when it comes to things like pre-sales and secret deals.

Hit the Second-Hand Stores
Some items you will want to buy new, especially where infant safety is concerned, but there are plenty of items that you can find very easily if you go to a second-hand store. For example, you can find many small home appliance at the right store, including toaster ovens, toasters and mixers. Similarly, if you need dishes or pots and pans, a second-hand store will give you some excellent options. Be ready to do some searching and remember that it can take several visits to different places before you find everything that you need.

Get Crafty
When it comes to clothing for young children, there is a good chance that you can make them yourself. Babies are small and require only a small amount of fabric. If you know how to thread a needle, you will discover that it is very easy to sew some clothing for your small baby.

Don’t despair; while it is expensive to have a child, you’ll find that there are some great ways to save cash.

DIY Christmas Decorations: Elegance Without the Price Tag

For a couple of years now I have enjoyed decorating my own home for each season and holiday. However, decorations don’t always come cheap. So, instead of buying all of my decorations this year, I chose to put on my ‘creative cap’ and think of some ideas of how to spice up my home and give it that warm cozy feeling for the holidays without breaking my bank account!

Here are a few of the projects I did that will look spectacular in anyone’s home:

Centerpiece for the Dining Room Table

We all know the centerpiece of the dining room table will be looked at by all of our guests and who wouldn’t want that jaw dropping, stop in your tracks b-e-a-utiful piece? I DO! So I decided to keep is simple this year. Simple is elegant. Elegant is classy, and classy usually means money- but not this time! Here’s what you need:

·       A Clear plastic or glass vase,

·       ornaments (I like to use sparkly and shiny ornaments)

·       ribbon (to match the ornaments).

 All you do is fill the vase with the ornaments and glue the ribbon to the bottom of the vase about 2 inches from the bottom. I found that silver and gold ornaments with matching ribbon turns out the best and looks the most chic.

Candles

Spice up your end tables with a few candles. All you need is:

·       Various sized red candles (height and width is up to you)

·       Candy canes (unwrapped)

·       Hot Glue

·       Red Ribbon (optional)

These items can be bought at the dollar store costing less than $10 for this candle project. Start by breaking the candy canes into even sized pieces that will reach about ½ - ¾ of the way up the candle. You will need enough candy canes to go around each of the candles. Glue the candy canes vertically to the side of the candle until the candle is covered. The top portion of the candle should be the area left open. If you want to add a little something extra, tie a red ribbon around the candy canes.

*Candy Canes can also be glued to the sides or vases for decorating bouquets, like this one I found on Christy Stewart-Bright's  Pinterest! 

Flowers/ Plants

Instead of buying expensive potted plants that will only last a couple of weeks to a month, if you’re lucky, find fake plants and flowers and pot them yourself. This will allow you to reuse them year after year. You can also mix and match flowers each year to create a whole different look! Since I like the glitz and the glam, I chose to buy gold leaves to place in a glass vase and covered them with gold glitter. Plants and flowers bring that cozy, warm feeling into your home.  

By sticking to a simple color scheme through out the main rooms of your home, like red, gold and silver, or gold, black, green and white, you will maintain a sense of consistency and create a feeling of cohesiveness when guests are visiting. There are always great sales on décor after the holidays, so if you plan ahead for next season… you will be sure to get the best deal!