Halloween can get expensive, but you can save money by making your own costumes. Visit www.frugalvillage.com/2009/10/01/make-frugal-halloween-costumes/ for some ideas. Shop Halloween clearance sales this year to plan ahead for next year, too. Not everything on sale is orange and black. A lot of autumn merchandise will be cleared out, too. Don’t forget to find ways to use up leftover Halloween candy. Visit www.frugalvillage.com/2010/11/03/use-up-halloween-candy/ for suggestions.
The first two reader tips share more Halloween ideas to plan-ahead for next year:

HOST A HALLOWEEN COSTUME SWAP:

Rather than spending $20-30 on a one-time wear costume for our littlest ones, the mommy group that I am in is holding a ‘costume swap.’ We’re all posting our various gently-used costumes and accessories on our message board, where other moms in the group can pick them up at no cost. My daughter is going to be a fabulous little owl, the perfect costume to keep her warm on a very chilly Halloween night. Even better, it’s free! — Nichole, forums

HALLOWEEN GAME:

Tie string to several small prizes, then hide the items in the yard (or living room). Weave the strings over, under and around obstacles until you’ve created a makeshift ‘spider web.’ Give the kids the free end of the string and let them follow it to their prize. For very young kids, use a different color of yarn for each prize; for older kids, use all the same color of yarn and make the webs increasingly difficult. — Denise, Illinois

FREEZE CITRUS ZEST:

Smoosh citrus zest into segments of an ice cube tray and top off with water. Transfer the frozen cubes to a baggie in the freezer. Orange zest is fantastic in chocolate chip muffins of cupcakes. Lime zest spices up my fajitas. Lemon zest makes the best frosting for tea cakes. — Constance, New Jersey

USE MICROFIBER CLOTHS:

I bought a two-pack of microfiber “scrub cloths” (with a scrub mesh on one side) at the dollar store for $1. I cut them in half horizontally and they fit perfectly on my Swiffer mop. Reusable, and they work. — Arnie, Georgia

JAR OPENING:

Put on a rubber cleaning glove to open difficult jars. — Cricket, New Hampshire

LEFTOVER HAMBURGER BUNS:

Use up leftover hamburger buns by turning them inside out and making grilled cheese sandwiches. — LuLu, email

TO REFILL SWIFFER BOTTLES:

Heat a couple of inches of water almost to boiling, then remove from heat. Using a potholder, put the cap end of the bottle in the water for about 30 seconds, then try to remove the cap. If the cap doesn’t budge, put the bottle back in for 10 more seconds. The cap will pop off, and you’ll be able to put it back on with no issues. I’ve been refilling the same bottle with my own solution for about a year. I also crocheted a top for my Swiffer. I rinse it off in the sink or throw it in the wash as needed. — Christina, New York

photo by PaulSwansen

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HANDMADE GIFTS: If you want to make more homemade gifts this year than last Christmas, you can make at least a single gift each month. You’ll have 12 and maybe more items made before December. Popular handmade gifts are sewing projects such as quilts, totes and clothing, knitted or crocheted items such as afghans, scarves, hats, dishcloths and crafty items, such as ornaments. At the very least, you can start to gather your supplies and ideas.

SAVINGS: Set your holiday budget early. You can start a savings account and set aside a certain amount each week, or start a new change jar to help you prepare.

REGIFTING: All those gifts that weren’t quite right can be stashed away in the closet as potential gifts for others. Save containers, tins, bags, bows to reuse. Note the name of the gift giver they were from and who they might be given to.

MAKE A PLANNER: You can create a holiday binder with a calendar to break down all your holiday tasks in an organized way. It can include cleaning and organizing, decorating and meal planning.

– Food. You can start to gather recipes now and have plenty of time to test them. Make note in your planner any that can be made and frozen ahead of time, too.

– Cards. Save addresses for cards you received and organize them in your planner. You can tuck your own self stick-address labels into your planner, so it’s ready and one less thing you have to do.

– Gift lists. Start gift lists now, so when there are sales, you’re ready. Scout out garage sales and thrift stores throughout the year. You can start your own wish list for gifts, too.

– Declutter. When you do your spring-cleaning, decide what you want to toss, give away, sell or donate. Organize a garage sale, and any money made can be put aside for gifts. Organize a cleaning schedule in your planner. Break it into weekly tasks such as organizing the pantry, freezer and decluttering room by room. This can include going through closets, drawers, toy boxes, etc. Breaking up the cleaning and organizing into weeks instead of days makes the tasks more manageable.

– Decorating. Make note of any decorating ideas you liked from catalogs or magazines. Decide whether you can make anything yourself.

– Photos. Last-minute photo sessions aren’t fun and festive. Plan professional photo appointments, or take your own photos early. Gather your favorite photos from throughout the year, too.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Some people are breaking the news that things will be different for the holiday. Letting family and friends know far in advance of any major changes will make it easier for them to accept. Maybe you want to host the big meal this year, cut back on gifts, or change the usual routine.

PRIORITIZE: Often, there are activities you wanted to do and couldn’t fit into your schedule. Make a note of any movies, music or activities you missed last year. Take time to talk to your family about what’s most important to them. Find out what worked and what didn’t. You have months to plan, so listen to what they fondly remember most and pinpoint any activities they’ve outgrown or specific details that were stressful so you can make any changes.

Are you planning ahead? What are you doing?

The post Never too early to start planning appeared first on Frugal Village.

REINDEER CANDY BOWL: Take any size clay pot. Glue on wiggle eyes and pompom nose onto the front of the clay pot to form the face. Cut antlers out of dark-brown craft foam by tracing a child’s hand. Using light-brown craft foam cut out ears. Glue antlers and ears to the back of the clay pot. Fill reindeer pot with candy.

PEPPERMINT GARLAND: Using curling ribbon, tie individually wrapped mint candies together. Keep tying until garland is desired length. Instead of using mint candies, you can string colored beads onto curling ribbon or plastic cording, too.

REINDEER JINGLE BELLS: Take a 2- to 4-inch jingle bell, and glue on wiggle eyes and a pompom nose. Then twist pipe-cleaner antlers onto the bell loop for a cute little reindeer ornament.

PERSONALIZED POTHOLDER: Buy a potholder that has a white center. Let kids place their hands into paint, and press their handprint onto the potholder. They can paint their name and the date on the potholder, too. Use other items such as a dish towel, T-shirt, apron or canvas tote.

CANDY SUNDAE: This makes an easy homemade gift.

Supplies

sundae glass or root-beer glass
clear plastic for the top, such as milk jugs or pop bottles cut to fit, or coffee-can lids
candies, any type, such as colorful hard candies
packing tape
large spool of white curling ribbon (about 20 yards)
hot glue gun and glue
scissors
1-inch red pompoms (think cherry size)
plastic straw or spoon

Turn your sundae glass upside down onto the piece of plastic, and draw around the outside to trace the diameter of the glass. Cut the circle you traced. This is the lid. Fill the sundae glass with candy. Place the plastic cutout lid on top. Use tape to secure the lid onto the sundae glass. Cut sections of curling ribbon, and curl it. Mound the curled pieces together, and tie it into a ball. This will be the whipped cream on top of your sundae glass. Glue the white curling-ribbon whipped cream to the top of the plastic lid on your sundae glass. Glue the red pompom on top of the curling ribbon so it looks like a cherry. Insert your plastic straw or spoon. — Lori, Illinois

GUMDROP ORNAMENT: Take a small Styrofoam craft ball. Bend a pipe cleaner into a loop for hanging, and insert the point end into the craft foam. Insert half a toothpick into each gumdrop. This leaves the other half to insert into the foam ball. Continue until the entire foam ball is covered.

MINI WREATHS: Using pipe cleaners or 22-gauge florist wire, string beads or buttons to form a wreath. Bend wire into a circle, and twist close. Tie a piece of ribbon to hang the mini wreath.

MINI CHRISTMAS TREE: String 10 to 12 colored beads onto a green pipe cleaner. Bend the pipe cleaner back and forth to form a tree. Starting wide at the bottom and narrowing as you get to the top. Add a larger yellow bead on top, small bow or sequins. You can keep the pipe cleaner straight and attach a jingle bell onto the bottom, too.

What crafts or homemade gifts have your kids made?

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This year, you might cut back on gift giving, but there are some people you simply don’t want to cross off the list — for example, the people who have done a great job or provided excellent service throughout the year, such as teachers, your mailman, your child’s school-bus driver, a childcare provider or a doctor. These people can be tough to shop for. You don’t want to go overboard, but you still want to show your appreciation. Practical gifts will be appreciated this year, but don’t wait until it’s crunch time, when you’ll be more likely to overspend.
Here are a few suggestions.

LETTER: A note of thanks can mean a lot. If the gift recipient has a boss, write her boss a letter that praises her. People are quick to complain and often overlook writing a letter that compliments a job well done.

MONEY: Let’s face it: Money is appreciated. An alternative option is giving a gift certificate for restaurants, grocery stores, bookstores, movies, gasoline or supplies. For example, a teacher can make practical use of a gift certificate for school supplies or food more than another plant during the holidays. You can try talking to others and see whether they’d like to pool together to get a group gift. By teaming up, you can all give one meaningful gift instead of several trinket gifts.

CATERED GIFT: Make or buy food for the day for them. If buying food gifts, consider purchasing in bulk to keep the cost down. It’s always nice to receive a free meal during a busy season. It can be a simple cold-cut platter, soup and salad, fruit, pizza, cheese and crackers and veggie plate, bagels or plates of baked goods such as muffins, cookies, quick breads or caramel popcorn.
Here are two homemade recipes you can give as gifts.

Caramel Popcorn

3-5 quarts popped popcorn
1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 250 F. Place popcorn on a baking sheet lined with release foil or sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in baking soda and vanilla. Pour over popcorn until coated. Bake for 1 hour. Stir popcorn every 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool. Break apart. Store in plastic baggies or tin.

Cookie Truffles

1 pound cream-center sandwich cookies, with chocolate- or mint-cream centers
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
crushed star-mint candies
1 pound milk chocolate

Using a food processor, pulse cookies to a powder. With a mixer, blend cookie powder, cream cheese and vanilla until well combined. Roll into small balls, or use a melon baller, and place on wax-paper-lined baking pan. Refrigerate for 45 minutes. Crush mint candies. In double boiler or fondue pot, melt chocolate. Dip balls in chocolate. With slotted spoon, remove balls from chocolate, and let excess chocolate drip off. Place on wax-paper-lined baking pan. Sprinkle on crushed mint candies. Let cool. Store in airtight container, in refrigerator. Optional: Try strawberry cream cheese and vanilla sandwich cookies. — Kathy, Washington

What gifts do you give to these people in your life?

The post Give gifts they really want appeared first on Frugal Village.

It’s time to plan ahead for the busy gift-giving season. Why not make something yourself? Homemade gifts from the comfort of your kitchen will stretch your holiday budget. They contain inexpensive ingredients and are simple to make. They can easily be made ahead of time, and, when given early, they can be enjoyed and shared during the holiday season. They’re great gift solutions for hard-to-shop-for people on your list, hostess gifts and those last-minute gifts that catch you off guard, but they are equally perfect for friends and family. Your thoughtfulness will be appreciated.

Wrapping your homemade gifts can be frugal, too. There’s no sense in saving money on making your own gifts and then spending a lot on packaging and gift wrap. You can reuse containers or find great bargains on items such as glass jars, baskets, ribbons, vintage plates and tins. Even if you purchase new, wrappings such as cellophane, mason jars, mugs and gift bags aren’t terribly expensive.

The following recipes are so delicious that you won’t mind having an abundance for your own family to enjoy.

Pumpkin Spice Creamer

6 to 8 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 teaspoons ground ginger
4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons allspice
2 cups nondairy powdered coffee creamer

Mix ingredients together. Store in an airtight container.
Yield: 2-1/2 cups

Malted Mocha Creamer

2 cups instant hot-cocoa mix
2/3 cup nondairy powdered coffee creamer
2/3 cup malted-milk powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix ingredients together. Store in an airtight container.
Yield: 3-1/2 cups

Baked Caramel Popcorn

2 sticks butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 cups brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup peanuts (optional)
5 quarts popped popcorn

Boil butter, corn syrup, vinegar and brown sugar for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and add baking soda, vanilla and peanuts if you opt for nuts. Pour over popcorn, and mix until well coated. Place on baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 1 hour at 250 F. Stir every 10 minutes or so to separate and prevent burning. Let cool. Break up into pieces, and store in an airtight container.
Tip: To mix things up, add butterscotch chips or almond extract when you add the baking soda and vanilla.

Chocolate-Covered Pretzels

1 (14-ounce) package wrapped caramels
2 tablespoons water
1 package 8-inch pretzel rods
1 bag milk-chocolate chips or chocolate melting wafers (about 3 cups)
Toppings: sprinkles, crushed peppermint, chopped nuts, crumbled sandwich cookies, toffee and chocolate candies.

Unwrap caramels, and place into a microwave-safe bowl with water. Microwave until melted (about 2 to 3 minutes). Stop and stir after 1 minute. Let caramel cool for a minute. Dip pretzel rod, twirl, and coat 3/4 of the rod.

Set coated pretzel on either a baking sheet lined with wax paper or a baking sheet lightly coated with nonstick cooking spray.

Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler.

Dip caramel-coated rods into the melted chocolate, and then dip into chosen toppings. Place on baking sheet to set. Makes 20 to 24 pretzel rods.

Tips: Set up multiple bowls or plates of various toppings. Use white-chocolate chips instead of milk-chocolate chips. Create an additional embellishment by placing a fork into the melted topping of white chocolate or caramel and drizzling onto coated pretzels. Gift wrap in cellophane or place into 2-quart glass jars. To mix things up, try coating sandwich cookies.

For more frugal and homemade gift ideas visit:
http://www.frugalvillage.com/home-and-family/holidays-and-special-occasions/411-save-money-on-gifts.html

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Homemade gifts are a popular topic this year. While do-it-yourself baked goods and gift baskets are great, I really like the first three creative tips from readers. They would be well received by most anyone. They’re fairly cheap, too.

PHOTO GIFT IDEAS: Grab your camera and look for letters of the alphabet in nature or around your neighborhood: a tree branch shaped like a Y, a letter from a stop sign, etc. Then spell out the names of the people you want to give a gift to and frame it. — Ann, Florida

Take pictures of scenery or people in the family, or scan older pictures and print them on transparency sheets in sepia. Put them in clear acrylic, free-standing frames, and put a tea light behind them. Don’t leave unattended. — Denise, Illinois

TIPSY GARDEN GIFT: Give a six-foot-long rebar and four clay pots. Have the smallest pot be eight inches. Attach directions: Hammer the rebar about one foot into the ground or until it’s solid. String the largest pot onto the bar through the drainage hole. It will be sitting upright on the ground with the bar through it. Fill it with soil. Thread the remaining four pots. The second pot will rest on the first pot’s soil at a slight angle, leaning either left or right. Alternate the three remaining pots by leaning each one opposite the other side to side. The base of each tilted pot should touch the previous pot’s rim — like a zigzag. Fill the rest of the pots with soil, and add flowers. You’ll like it so much that you’ll make one for yourself. — Melissa E., Colorado

For more creative homemade gift ideas visit:
http://www.frugalvillage.com/home-and-family/holidays-and-special-occasions/411-save-money-on-gifts.html

BORAX BOOSTER: Borax will clean and refresh your toilet. Sprinkle 1/4 cup in it, and scrub. I add it to my laundry when I put in my detergent. One-quarter cup in a gallon of warm water makes a great cleaner to wipe down walls, too. — Carrie, Maryland

CHEAP DRAFT STOPPER: Instead of the towel in front of the door, I make a draft stopper. You take 12 inches of material about 36 inches wide. (I have holiday and plain.) Make lines across at 5-1/2 inches and 6-1/2 inches, fold the material to those lines, sew them, and then sew across one end. Tightly stuff each side with polyfill. I use a ruler to pack it in, and then I sew that end closed. Then you slide it under your door, and you have a log on each side. When you open and close the door, it moves with the door so you don’t have to constantly replace it after the door is closed. It blocks the drafts, is convenient, and costs about $1.50 to make. It’s also washable. For the first one I made, I used a pair of old sweat pants that I was going to throw away, and I used the filling from an old pillow. — J.D.R., Pennsylvania
Reader note via e-mail: J.D.R. gave a great tip for a door draft stopper but did not take into consideration that all doors are not the same width or thickness. I was making some for some folks who live in housing and you need to measure each door; Front doors are usually 36″ and back are usually 32″. If they have weatherstripping they are thicker. Ann P., Meridian, TX

FREEZE WHIPPING CREAM: If you have a carton of whipping cream close to expiring, you can whip it and make “dollops” on a cookie sheet. Freeze them, and then transfer to a freezer bag until you need them. — Robin, Oregon

MEASURING DETERGENT: It used to be that you used a full cap to measure liquid laundry detergent. Not anymore. Now they put the faintest fill line on the caps. If you read the recommended amount, you’ll discover it’s far less than a full cap, so stop filling the cap. There’s more than 1/4 cup difference. — Gina, e-mail

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The holidays are almost here. Many people could kick themselves for not setting aside money. Again. Not to mention the long list of people to which they “need” to give gifts. More people are making homemade gifts this year. Many of my frugal readers share their anxiety over whether their homemade gifts will be well received. Here are a few ideas for gifts you can make that will be appreciated, and they can be made ahead.

Spiced Nuts

3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 egg white, lightly beaten
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup pecans, halves
1/2 cups whole almonds
1 cup walnuts
1 cup cashews

Preheat oven to 250 F. In a large bowl, mix together everything but nuts. Stir in the nuts until coated. Place parchment paper on cookie sheet or grease cookie sheet. Spread nuts evenly on cookie sheet. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread out on waxed paper to cool and dry. Store in an airtight container. Give as a gift in mason jar or a tin. — Loretta H., Indiana

Potpourri Soap

3 bars of facial soap (4 cups of grated flakes)
4 teaspoons water
4 teaspoons glycerin
3 drops soap colorant, powdered or liquid
5 drops essential oil
1 cup herbs such as rosemary, chamomile, peppermint, sage, small pulverized pieces

Using a box-style grater, grate the bars of soap using the side of the grater with the largest holes. Place soap flakes into a microwave-safe bowl. Add the water, glycerin, food coloring and essential oil to the grated soap. Microwave the mixture on medium until the mixture begins to foam and bubble. Remove the bowl from the microwave, and stir the mixture until it’s smooth like frosting. You can add more water and microwave it more if the consistency is too dry. Sprinkle potpourri onto a cookie sheet. Transfer the soap mixture onto the baking sheet. Mold soap and potpourri together into small soap balls. Let them dry for four days. Wrap them in cellophane bags, mason jars or in a small box lined with tissue paper. Makes eight soap balls. — Sandy, New York

Lemonade Syrup

juice of 6 large lemons
grated rind of 3 lemons
4 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon citric acid
2 teaspoons Epsom salts
1 quart boiling water

Juice and grate zest of lemons, strain juice, and add remaining ingredients. Stir until dissolved. Let set for a few hours before pouring into bottles. Refrigerate. Serving suggestions: 1 to 2 tablespoons per glass, topped with chilled water or soda. — T. Bell, Chicago

Peanut-Butter Balls

2 cups peanut butter
1/2 cup butter
1 pound powdered sugar
paraffin wax
1 (12-ounce) package milk-chocolate chips

Mix peanut butter, butter and powdered sugar together. Roll into small balls, and chill. Grate 1/4 block paraffin wax. (While wax might seem like a strange addition, these Peanut-Butter Balls will taste fine.) Melt chocolate chips and grated paraffin together in microwave for 1 minute. Stir. Continue microwaving until completely melted, making sure to check every 20 seconds, or melt in a double boiler. Using a toothpick, dip balls into chocolate mixture. Place on wax paper to cool. Keep in fridge in covered container. Optional: Use crunchy peanut butter and/or drizzle second type of chocolate on top (white or semisweet chocolate). — Kimberly, New York

Here’s some additional Christmas gift ideas on a budget

Even more homemade gift ideas can be found on the forums:
http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=316

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While price comparison shopping, shopping sales and pruning your gift list are viable ways to save some money on gifts, there are additional creative ways to save. There’s nothing wrong with spending money if you have it, but it’s silly to overspend and charge yourself into a deep hole. Regardless what you do or how much you spend, wasted money is still wasted money. Practical gifts are the way to go this year.
Here’s a few gift ideas that won’t break the bank.

Meals: Have a potluck. It can still be a formal meal, but don’t be afraid to ask for help. When someone asks if they can bring anything, take them up on that offer. You can skip alcoholic beverages this year and opt for mocktails instead. Cut your work and food budget in half.

Coupons: Make and print coupons that offer your time such as a dessert a month, lawn mowing, babysitting, etc.

Here’s some you can print off and staple together. Click here to view printable love coupons

New rules: Can request to create a new family rule that only the children receive gifts. This can cut back on gift exchanges for all of the adults. If that’s not possible, try one group gift per family instead of individual gifts for every member in each family. You can start new family traditions. For example, my husband and I don’t really exchange surprise gifts. We buy one another the same gift each year. I get a box of chocolate and he gets his favorite cheese and nuts. There aren’t expectations, so there’s never disappointment. Growing up, I always got Christmas socks and pajamas. It’s a similar concept. Or try a secondhand gift exchange game such as a Yankee swap. This can be gifting something you already own or buying from a thrift store, antique store or estate sale.

Greeting cards get expensive: There are many cheaper alternatives such as mailing or giving a
4×6 recipe card with a favorite recipe on it, bookmarks with your sentiments written or clip out a favorite comic from the newspaper. A handwritten note can be more meaningful than a card with a signature.

Here’s some printable gift tags. Click to view printable Christmas gift tags

Wrapping paper is wasteful during the holidays: Give containers that are reusable and a practical part of your gift such as

–Watering can or flower pot filled with garden tools, seeds, etc.

–Mixing bowl filled with a dish towel, kitchen utensils, cookie cutters, etc

–For kids a sand pail filled with bubbles, chalk, activity books, etc.

–Fill a wide mouth reusable water bottle with chapstick, hand sanitizer, facial tissue, sample size lotion, gum, holiday socks, toothbrush, hair accessories, etc.

–Bucket for car wash supplies such as glass cleaner, ice scraper, car wax, etc.

–Can give an ice cream sundae basket filled with sundae toppings such as syrups, an ice cream scoop, sprinkles, etc.

–Tote bag, purse or backpack filled with candies, book, art supplies or hair accessories. Fill it with anything you know the recipient will enjoy.

Easy puppet: Breathe new life into old plush animals that have been set aside and forgotten. Make a few into puppets. Cut off the bottoms, remove some of the stuffing and sew a hem. The kids can host a puppet show.

Looking for more homemade toy ideas? Click here for additional homemade toy ideas

Work related gifts: Some of us know the pressure of the manager’s decision to have the team or
department exchange gifts. It’s often awkward. Encourage the team to do a dollar store swap, donate to charity with a food drive or care packages for our soldiers or a potluck. It doesn’t have to cost much per person.

Root beer reindeer: Buy root beer or any bottled beverage such as cola, apple juice, Frappucino, etc. Twist pipe cleaner antlers to the top just underneath the bottle cap, add a red pom pon nose, wiggle eyes and cut a thin piece of fleece as a scarf. Can glue a little Hershey Kiss on the top as a little hat, too. Makes a quick cute gift.

Buy items that come in sets: For example, popcorn, cosmetics, perfumes, soaps, hair accessories, tea, cocoa, candy. There are tons of pre-packaged gift sets, too. These make easy tuckables to put into an inexpensive stocking to give as gifts and really stretch your money, too. Speaking of candy, you can make a candy wreath by using small pieces of curling ribbon to tie hard candies to a wire hanger that has been shaped into a circle. Add a bow and you have a pretty candy wreath to give.I used peppermint candy, but you can use wrapped bubblegum, werthers candies, individually wrapped lifeavers, tootsie rolls, mini sized candy bar, jolly ranchers, lollipops or any small individually wrapped candy.

Memory jar: On small pieces of paper write down memories of you and the gift recipient. Fold the papers in half. It can be on any paper as nice as decorated card stock or plain notebook paper. Place the little “memories” into a jar with a lid and tie a bow around the neck of the jar. You can put your paper memories into a box, tin or any container, too.

Open source software: For kids you can give a free copy of Tux Paint which is a computer drawing program that is great for kids. You can give open source software for adults such as the Linux operating system or Gimp, an image manipulation program. Linux is available freely throughout many distributions such as Ubuntu, Fedora, Suse and many others.

Gifts that save: Consider gifts such as CFL bulbs, reusable containers, tire gauges, retractable clothesline, grocery store gift cards, programmable thermostats, low flow shower heads and faucet aerators.

Big cure for the gimmes: Give your time to a worthy cause. It’s humbling and will put much of the abundance of the holiday season into perspective.

For many more homemade holiday gift ideas including crafts and recipes, read my frugal Christmas forums.
Click here to view more homemade gift ideas.

Try making chocolate dipped pretzel rods.

Chocolate-Covered Pretzels

1 (14-ounce) package wrapped caramels
2 tablespoons water
1 package 8-inch pretzel rods
1 bag milk-chocolate chips or chocolate melting wafers (about 3 cups)
Toppings: sprinkles, crushed peppermint, chopped nuts, crumbled sandwich cookies, toffee and chocolate candies.

Unwrap caramels, and place into a microwave-safe bowl with water. Microwave until melted (about 2 to 3 minutes). Stop and stir after 1 minute. Let caramel cool for a minute. Dip pretzel rod, twirl, and coat 3/4 of the rod. Set coated pretzel on either a baking sheet lined with wax paper or a baking sheet lightly coated with nonstick cooking spray. Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler. Dip caramel-coated rods into the melted chocolate, and then dip into chosen toppings. Place on baking sheet to set. Makes 20 to 24 pretzel rods.

Tips: Set up multiple bowls or plates of various toppings. Use white-chocolate chips instead of milk-chocolate chips. Create an additional embellishment by placing a fork into the melted topping of white chocolate or caramel and drizzling onto coated pretzels. Gift wrap in cellophane or place into 2-quart glass jars. To mix things up, try coating sandwich cookies, graham crackers and marshmallows.

Optional: You can melt chips in the microwave, but you’ll need to be watchful and microwave for very short periods of time and stir frequently. You can melt them on the stove top, but again, stiry frequently. You can also use chocolate melts/wafers, too.

Make your own homemade hot cocoa mix.

2 Cups nonfat dry milk
1 Cup white sugar
1/2 Cup cocoa
1/2 Cup non-dairy creamer
1 pinch of salt
Miniature marshmallows

Combine ingredients and mix well. Store in an airtight container. Add 4 tablespoons of mix to a mug and add boiling water. Stir.

Try making homemade gift mixes in a jar.

Here’s a recipe for White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie Mix

Materials and Supplies:

1 wide-mouth quart (4-cup) canning jar with lid and ring

1 1/4 cups white sugar
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1 cup white chocolate baking chips
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions:

Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder. Layer ingredients in quart-size canning jars, flour mixture last. [Hint for FoodSaver™ brand vacuum sealer owners: use the jar sealing attachment to seal jars for longer storage.] Cut a 7-inch circle from cotton fabric. Top jar with fabric circle, and tie with ribbon.

Recipe Instructions (include on gift tag):

Empty cookie mix into mixing bowl; use hands to thoroughly blend mix. Add: 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened, 1 beaten egg, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Mix until completely blended. Shape into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes until tops are very lightly browned. Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet. Remove to racks to finish cooling. Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Here are a few additional cookie mixes in a jar recipes. Click here for cookie mixes in a jar recipes
There are plenty of homemade kitchen gifts you can make. Click here for homemade gifts in a jar ideas
Need stocking stuffer ideas? We’ve got that, too. Click here for stocking stuffer ideas

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Every little thing, everywhere you look, is going up in price. Have you prepared your family for the fact that this year could be different from last year? Maybe you’ve broken the bad news that your annual trip to the amusement park will be a “staycation” instead. While you’re explaining the many money-saving benefits of being a hometown tourist, you might want to break the news early about any changes you need to make to upcoming special occasions.

DON’T WAIT
Call your family and friends and let them in on your plans to tone it down this year. One reader, Sarah from Illinois, writes, “My husband and I were thinking about sending a letter out to our families, stating simply that we are not participating in the traditional gift giving this year.” Preparing family and friends well in advance makes it easier to accept the changes. It gives everyone an opportunity to plan alternatives, such as donating to a family in need as a group, drawing names, buying only for the kids or homemade gift exchanges.

YOU KNOW THEM BEST
Some people are concerned about the reaction they’ll receive. While some might be relieved and thankful, others might be offended. Connie M. writes: “We tried to send a letter asking everyone to do a drawing, and set a limit on the amount spent. Unfortunately, it was not well received. So I have simply bought less and less over the past few years. I think everyone needed time to accept our position. I simply changed how I gave gifts.” Sometimes, you should state the changes you’re going to make and not impose changes upon others. Gifts aren’t something you should expect, and it’s up to the givers to decide what they want to give. But you should be firm and stand your ground on how you want to handle your end of gift giving.

HOW DO YOU GIVE LESS?
Get practical. Start looking for small, practical gifts throughout the year instead of waiting until the last minute, when you’re more likely to overspend. You can buy your kids things they need, but with a twist. For example, practical gifts such as toothbrushes, new pillows, snacks, bath products and socks are often needed. You can make it special by buying body wash or gels instead of bar soap, giving an electric toothbrush or starting a new holiday tradition of giving new pajamas, fruit or mixed nuts. Rachel writes: “I gave my daughter a backpack as her big holiday gift — the one I bought before school started began to give her problems. I had her initials monogrammed on it. The good news is that it’s still in great shape, so she’ll be able to use it again next year!”

You can pare down by putting a limit on the gifts you give. Some people buy their kids one want, one need, one wear and one read, or they limit the amount of gifts by having a rule that gifts have to fit into a shoe box. Instead of trying to outdo the grandparents (if they tend to buy your kids more costly gifts), scale back. You can put the emphasis on helping others who are less fortunate, so the focus is on giving rather than receiving. Starting this now and leading by example will cultivate compassion in your kids.

For extended family, you can make practical homemade gifts such as baked goods or themed gift baskets. Smaller gifts such as books, magazine subscriptions, gift certificates or a special meal together are well received, too. The important thing is that you don’t feel obligated or pressured into overspending. Get thinking and talking about these things now. Chances are some of your friends and family will be glad you did.

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Last week, my daughter needed new summer shoes. Sometimes I’ll buy name brands, and other times, I won’t. I care about how they fit, and whether they’re reasonably priced and of high quality, and I allow for a small amount of input from her because she has to wear them. We went to the store, and she picked shoes she wanted within two minutes. Zoom. She’s a girl who knows exactly what she wants. She picked a pair of comfortable shoes. They had a bit of princess flair in the form of faux jewels. They weren’t expensive, and I didn’t check them for a brand name. Can you see where this is going? I paid for them, and that was that. She was happy with her new shoes and wore them home. I thought she might even go to sleep with them.

The following day, she came to me and wanted to know whether her shoes were Crocs. She told me the girls in school told her they weren’t Crocs. My daughter is 5 years old. They look like Crocs, but they aren’t. I asked her whether she liked them. She does. I asked her whether they were comfortable. They are. But she seemed bothered that her peers pointed out the difference. I stress the importance of being your own person to all of my kids. We’ve had the whole monkey-see, monkey-do and “lemmings” talk. (Yes, I know, it’s a myth.) I won’t cater to their every whim, but my kids know that I’m not so strict with frugality that I’d cause them embarrassment. But shoes for a 5-year-old and the whole social hierarchy? I wasn’t ready for this so soon.

A part of me felt bad. I had the money for name-brand shoes. I almost apologized. I wanted to lie and make her question go away without her feeling hurt. But disappointment is a part of life, and this was an opportunity for me to enforce our values. I told her they weren’t. I was racking my brain for an Aesop’s fable and was coming up empty-handed. I asked her whether she thought it mattered. She said, “No.” I told her the next time someone commented to simply say that she liked them.

I’ll bend to a point for her to fit in. I want her to be liked. I don’t want her to be picked on. But I also want her to stand up for herself and for others. I also know my daughter has to find her own place and sense of belonging. In the end, her identity is her own journey. I told her I understood school was tough sometimes, and that classmates can make you feel like an outsider. I reminded her that not everyone is the same, and that I was a square peg in school. I told her that I sometimes don’t fit in and feel uncomfortable in groups. I assured her that I’d arrange some play dates over the summer. I talked about choosing friends, and doing things for herself and not because of others, and that you can’t please everyone.

After I went on with my message and empathy, I asked her if she was OK. She said, “Mommy, can I go now? I only wanted to know if they were Crocs.” Then she walked away to play. I had a moment of clarity. I’m the one who worries about frugality because I never want it to be viewed as being cheap.

Later that night, as I was falling asleep, I remembered the fable. Can you guess which fable it is?

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