How to find $500 by Christmas

**MomToTwoBoys** · 10-14-2010, 07:24 PM

How to find $500 by Christmas - CNN.com

I thought that I'd post this and see what you all thought of it. I really like #4. I know we all know about the rest (except maybe the last one), but I thought this might be good for new members and/or people who are returning.

**porembam** · 10-14-2010, 08:46 PM

Thanks for sharing - you are right we know most of these but it doesn't hurt to see only a few more paychecks to Christmas because this makes us watch out even more than we do normally

**gottadance** · 10-14-2010, 10:32 PM

I already live so frugally, these tips wouldn't apply for me--but it's not an issue for me, I'm debt free with a solid emergency savings. I could come up with $500 by Xmas with no probl

**Momto5RN** · 10-17-2010, 08:00 PM

i have already done all those things and shop year round but if i didnt and it was mid october and i needed to come up with $$ gifts etc this is what i would do .

i work an extra shift or two at my weekend job when its made available for christmas $$ - even if the extra time is in august i put it away for christmas . i worked this sunday and will work again next saturday at my weekend job because someone had a family emergency this weekend .

offer to babysit ( for pay of course) for friends/ relatives kids while they shop for their kids .

i had a yardsale this weekend made 102$ ...for gifts

last year i sold my sons geotrax on craigslist, he no longer played with them for months- used the $$$ to buy a drum set he wanted i think i paid maybe 25$ over what we sold the geo trax for.

right now i have a few more of his things that didnt go at yardsale i plan to try to sell on craigslist .

check all my points from points programs and try to redeem by mid october for gift cards i can use to shop with or for gifts ( if you wait too long after mid october everyone orders them they run out and you have to wait till they come back in stock - often after christmas ...

**mslolsalot** · 10-18-2010, 08:15 AM

Originally Posted by Momto5RN

last year i sold my sons geotrax on craigslist, he no longer played with them for months-

This is my favourite plan- it's like using last year's Christmas to fund this year's! I used to donate all of the toys, clothes, everything to Community Living, but now I'm all about selling it instead!

I also have a number of gift cards that were given to us over the year. I tend to stash them and use them for spendy times. I will also be ordering what I can with Airmiles points etc. I love getting gifts that are free!

**druthb00** · 10-18-2010, 08:33 AM

I like #4, too. I do that a lot with the grocery bill. My sister got me a Gevalia coffee maker with some accessories and coffees for $29 before she left last week (they were running a promo for new sign-ups that is oblig.-free and can be canceled ASAP, it's $168 worth of stuff from their site!) so I'll be selling my Bunn coffee maker that I absolutely hate. I watched one go on eBay yesterday for $58! I'm going to be making handmade gifts...which I should really get started on... and my budget is right around $60. Score!