We’re in New York and we’re exhausted. I know its the city that never sleeps. Maybe we have jet lag or have just enjoyed the long sessions too much. But we need some sleep which means we need some help. We can’t get as many posts up as we would like so we wanted to know if you would help.
We know the holiday season is coming. To deny it is just to deny the inevitable. But we always love to talk about preparing ourselves ahead of time and planning now to help prevent you from having the money blues after. What we would love for you to share is your best holiday preparation tip! This could be related to budget, cooking, vacation or anything else surrounding the holidays. What would be the one tip that you would love to share with everyone here?
In addition, for helping us by adding to this awesome growing list designed to help give everyone some amazingly helpful advice to get ready for the upcoming holiday season, you are entering yourself into a fun giveaway for a chance to win a $20 Amazon gift card – which could help start or continue your Christmas shopping.
Feel free to read all the comments. We will try to compile them next week and share them so you have them all in one place. But until then, read and enjoy!
How to enter: Leave a comment with your best way to prepare for the holidays. That’s it!
This giveaway will end Saturday, October 15th at 12:00 pm MST.
Candice
I would probably just say plan ahead….long before you think you should start shopping. I try to start buying Christmas presents in Oct. or sooner, so I can really save. Swagbucks helps a lot too!
Candice
I would probably just say plan ahead….long before you think you should start shopping. I try to start buying Christmas presents in Oct. or sooner, so I can really save. Swagbucks helps a lot too!
Marilyn Wall
prepare ahead and do as much as you can a few days before your holiday party is the way I do it most things taste better when the flavors marry anyway so just do a list and start a wk before and knock out the things to make ahead and just set the table 🙂 happy holidays
Marilyn Wall
prepare ahead and do as much as you can a few days before your holiday party is the way I do it most things taste better when the flavors marry anyway so just do a list and start a wk before and knock out the things to make ahead and just set the table 🙂 happy holidays
camilla wilson
I earn gift cards with Swagbucks, My Points etc. A lot of blogs let you know about really good sells around the holidays. Last year I bought 2 pairs of jeans from Target for 13.00$. You can get really good buys online@ free shipping with codes.
camilla wilson
I earn gift cards with Swagbucks, My Points etc. A lot of blogs let you know about really good sells around the holidays. Last year I bought 2 pairs of jeans from Target for 13.00$. You can get really good buys online@ free shipping with codes.
Dahbou
It seems every year I promise myself to prepare earlier and usually don’t. But this year will be different! My tip (and goal) this year is to start making Christmas cookies and baked goods a few weeks earlier than last year. Freezing the cookies/desserts will make the holidays so much less stressful because I won’t have to bake at the last minute like I did last year. “Bake and freeze” is my new mantra and my holiday tip.
Dahbou
It seems every year I promise myself to prepare earlier and usually don’t. But this year will be different! My tip (and goal) this year is to start making Christmas cookies and baked goods a few weeks earlier than last year. Freezing the cookies/desserts will make the holidays so much less stressful because I won’t have to bake at the last minute like I did last year. “Bake and freeze” is my new mantra and my holiday tip.
Charity
Think outside the box! This is your first line of defense when it comes to all things holiday. Nothing is set in stone and your kids will be thankful that mommy managed to stay sane even if she cut a few corners to do so.
Charity
Think outside the box! This is your first line of defense when it comes to all things holiday. Nothing is set in stone and your kids will be thankful that mommy managed to stay sane even if she cut a few corners to do so.
Katie
Shop Amazon early and compare prices on http://camelcamelcamel.com/ Sometimes an item will go on sale on Amazon right around Christmastime so you would want to wait to buy it, for example this toy is currently $14.95 on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Ocean-Wonders-Soothe-Seahorse/dp/B000W3XEQM/ref=sr_1_4?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1318621900&sr=1-4. But when you look it up on Camelcamelcamel you can see that the price has historically dropped to just $8 each December for the past two years.
Other items may show that they normally go up in price closer to the holidays, for example, this camera: http://camelcamelcamel.com/Nikon-Digital-Camera-18-55mm-3-5-5-6G/product/B0009GZANC. Check the site and know when to snag the best deal!
Katie
Shop Amazon early and compare prices on http://camelcamelcamel.com/ Sometimes an item will go on sale on Amazon right around Christmastime so you would want to wait to buy it, for example this toy is currently $14.95 on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Ocean-Wonders-Soothe-Seahorse/dp/B000W3XEQM/ref=sr_1_4?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1318621900&sr=1-4. But when you look it up on Camelcamelcamel you can see that the price has historically dropped to just $8 each December for the past two years.
Other items may show that they normally go up in price closer to the holidays, for example, this camera: http://camelcamelcamel.com/Nikon-Digital-Camera-18-55mm-3-5-5-6G/product/B0009GZANC. Check the site and know when to snag the best deal!
Julia
I work best with lists. I keep a notebook at the computer with me and make different lists for all of the different tasks that need to be done. Whenever I’m working and something comes to mind that needs to get done I write it down right away.
Julia
I work best with lists. I keep a notebook at the computer with me and make different lists for all of the different tasks that need to be done. Whenever I’m working and something comes to mind that needs to get done I write it down right away.
shelly
For the holidays, I like to collect gifts throughout the year when I see items that would be perfect. I keep a log of who I purchase for and a column of the holidays they get gifts (birthday, xmas, v-day, etc.) As I buy a gift a note what it is and check it off in the appropriate column. I hate the thought of picking up last-minute gifts on Christmas Eve or anytime after Thanksgiving. I like to pre-order items as well.
By the time December rolls around, people are in such a panic to order items that they don’t have time to read reviews and consider multiple options. I just find this way the easiest. I already have my gifts wrapped and put away in the closet.
shelly
For the holidays, I like to collect gifts throughout the year when I see items that would be perfect. I keep a log of who I purchase for and a column of the holidays they get gifts (birthday, xmas, v-day, etc.) As I buy a gift a note what it is and check it off in the appropriate column. I hate the thought of picking up last-minute gifts on Christmas Eve or anytime after Thanksgiving. I like to pre-order items as well.
By the time December rolls around, people are in such a panic to order items that they don’t have time to read reviews and consider multiple options. I just find this way the easiest. I already have my gifts wrapped and put away in the closet.
Andrea Southworth
Grab several friends and do a holiday sweet swap. I usually do one with my Mom, Mother in Law, and both Sisters in Law. We all make a huge batch of one thing then we swap with one another. I can make peanut butter fudge in the morning and by the evening I’ll have Peanut Butter Fudge, cookies, Peanut Butter balls, Bourbon Balls, and Banana Bread! This way you don’t have to buy a ton of different ingredients you just have to buy for your one recipe. We LOVE doing this.
Andrea Southworth
Grab several friends and do a holiday sweet swap. I usually do one with my Mom, Mother in Law, and both Sisters in Law. We all make a huge batch of one thing then we swap with one another. I can make peanut butter fudge in the morning and by the evening I’ll have Peanut Butter Fudge, cookies, Peanut Butter balls, Bourbon Balls, and Banana Bread! This way you don’t have to buy a ton of different ingredients you just have to buy for your one recipe. We LOVE doing this.
Debbie
My favorite way to prepare for the holidays, Christmas specifically, is to shop on Black Friday. I try to get as much Christmas shopping done before December, that way I can really enjoy the holidays. 🙂
Debbie
My favorite way to prepare for the holidays, Christmas specifically, is to shop on Black Friday. I try to get as much Christmas shopping done before December, that way I can really enjoy the holidays. 🙂
Heather
I like to try and prepare and plan ahead so I can have time to relax and enjoy the season. I enjoy reading several new Christmas books, as well as the Bible’s story of the nativity and Two From Galilee!
Heather
I like to try and prepare and plan ahead so I can have time to relax and enjoy the season. I enjoy reading several new Christmas books, as well as the Bible’s story of the nativity and Two From Galilee!
Stacy
I have three tips that never, ever fail me but since I can only leave one…
My most valuable tip is to start the following year’s holiday shopping (especially Christmas) immediately after the most recent holiday. I know that often people are broke right after the holidays, but once you can get yourself on this kind of pattern, it almost flows like water, particularly when it comes to shopping for the adults or older teens in your life. Post-holiday sales offer tremendous savings and can allow you to at least get a head start on the coming year. Every year, I save hundreds on gift items, holiday decor, wrapping paper, and even canned food items that are typically used only for the holidays. If you do this every year, you may even build a handy stockpile of wrapping paper, clear tape, Christmas lights and other specialty items to use during really lean times.
danielle
I do this with wrapping paper every year! It is awesome! oh and tape—-any Christmas items i want for the next year towels deco etc. but my hubby would have me committed if i started with the gifts the following year! LOL—seriously he thinks i am crazy already i just started shopping at the beginning of this month! LOL
Stacy
I have three tips that never, ever fail me but since I can only leave one…
My most valuable tip is to start the following year’s holiday shopping (especially Christmas) immediately after the most recent holiday. I know that often people are broke right after the holidays, but once you can get yourself on this kind of pattern, it almost flows like water, particularly when it comes to shopping for the adults or older teens in your life. Post-holiday sales offer tremendous savings and can allow you to at least get a head start on the coming year. Every year, I save hundreds on gift items, holiday decor, wrapping paper, and even canned food items that are typically used only for the holidays. If you do this every year, you may even build a handy stockpile of wrapping paper, clear tape, Christmas lights and other specialty items to use during really lean times.
danielle
I do this with wrapping paper every year! It is awesome! oh and tape—-any Christmas items i want for the next year towels deco etc. but my hubby would have me committed if i started with the gifts the following year! LOL—seriously he thinks i am crazy already i just started shopping at the beginning of this month! LOL
Liz
My best tip is to make lists. Lists of gifts that I need to buy, lists of the decorating that needs to be done. Lists of what I will be baking, and who it will be going to. Lists of parties that I need to attend.
Liz
My best tip is to make lists. Lists of gifts that I need to buy, lists of the decorating that needs to be done. Lists of what I will be baking, and who it will be going to. Lists of parties that I need to attend.
Rhonda Packard
We take this time as family time rather than a holiday. While we do take advantage of sales, which includes losts of lists and laying everything out we want to purchase. Other than that, our biggest planning is to have clean sheets on the bed so we can sleep the days away that we have off from our hard work! 🙂
Rhonda Packard
We take this time as family time rather than a holiday. While we do take advantage of sales, which includes losts of lists and laying everything out we want to purchase. Other than that, our biggest planning is to have clean sheets on the bed so we can sleep the days away that we have off from our hard work! 🙂
Dave Frotscher
My family is scattered around several distant states. I want to make sure I get something that my young grandaughters really want and like, so ,I just send checks to permit the purchase of the items. This also saves paper and trees and takes a burden off the Post Office and usually makes everyone VERY HAPPY at the lowest possible pricing.
Dave Frotscher
My family is scattered around several distant states. I want to make sure I get something that my young grandaughters really want and like, so ,I just send checks to permit the purchase of the items. This also saves paper and trees and takes a burden off the Post Office and usually makes everyone VERY HAPPY at the lowest possible pricing.
Lori Thomas
I start shopping in October using points, checks, gc that I have I gotten from survey sites & swagbucks to purchase gifts. I also make out my holiday cards so that those are ready to go. As things are purchased I wrap them & keep track in a notebook of what I have already & what still needs to be bought.
vickie morgan
Seems as though we always want a sparkling clean house when the Christmas season rolls around so I try to do as much as possible a little bit at a time. For instance, maybe I could dust inside the china cabinet -a couple of weeks before. Does anyone look in there? Not sure but I’m covered if they do!
Lori Thomas
I start shopping in October using points, checks, gc that I have I gotten from survey sites & swagbucks to purchase gifts. I also make out my holiday cards so that those are ready to go. As things are purchased I wrap them & keep track in a notebook of what I have already & what still needs to be bought.
vickie morgan
Seems as though we always want a sparkling clean house when the Christmas season rolls around so I try to do as much as possible a little bit at a time. For instance, maybe I could dust inside the china cabinet -a couple of weeks before. Does anyone look in there? Not sure but I’m covered if they do!
Tammy M.
I watch for amazing sales throughout the year and buy some gifts early. Sometimes I end up using those gifts before Christmas (for Birthdays or Father’s Day) but for the most part, I save them for Christmas.
Tammy M.
I watch for amazing sales throughout the year and buy some gifts early. Sometimes I end up using those gifts before Christmas (for Birthdays or Father’s Day) but for the most part, I save them for Christmas.
LB
I have my mom and my brother’s family over for Christmas Eve brunch every year. With large extended families, we get invited to multiple Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners and don’t always attend the same ones. This way, we always get to see each other and spend time as a family.
LB
I have my mom and my brother’s family over for Christmas Eve brunch every year. With large extended families, we get invited to multiple Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners and don’t always attend the same ones. This way, we always get to see each other and spend time as a family.
Katie
Not waiting til the last minute to shop so you can enjoy your time.
Katie
Not waiting til the last minute to shop so you can enjoy your time.
Stefany
I prep for the holidays all year long by saving up rewards points & cards and cashing in on everything at the end of the year for gifts!
Stefany
I prep for the holidays all year long by saving up rewards points & cards and cashing in on everything at the end of the year for gifts!
Jen L
We usually enjoy the holidays as a family. We have 4 kids so we can have our own party without additional guests 🙂 My daughter’s birthday is the day after Christmas and for all our kids’ birthdays, we go on a trip. So as far as feast preparation, we don’t worry about that as much. We do give gifts out to family and friends and that’s the bulk of our holiday preparation. Lucky for us, I learned to coupon and have been taking advantage of deals all through out the year. I snag a gift here and there and have a nice stash at work. The other day, I decided to clean up my stock at work and take them home. My husband was so amazed to see my truck full of stuff. I guess we’re done as far as holiday shopping goes 🙂 Next on the list: Plan our holiday trip!
Jen L
We usually enjoy the holidays as a family. We have 4 kids so we can have our own party without additional guests 🙂 My daughter’s birthday is the day after Christmas and for all our kids’ birthdays, we go on a trip. So as far as feast preparation, we don’t worry about that as much. We do give gifts out to family and friends and that’s the bulk of our holiday preparation. Lucky for us, I learned to coupon and have been taking advantage of deals all through out the year. I snag a gift here and there and have a nice stash at work. The other day, I decided to clean up my stock at work and take them home. My husband was so amazed to see my truck full of stuff. I guess we’re done as far as holiday shopping goes 🙂 Next on the list: Plan our holiday trip!
malia p
the best way to prepare for the Holidays is to START EARLY! that’s the best tip I can give. Don’t ever wait till the last minute…
kainalu55@aol.com
malia p
the best way to prepare for the Holidays is to START EARLY! that’s the best tip I can give. Don’t ever wait till the last minute…
kainalu55@aol.com
Angie M
I love giving homemade goodies as gifts but the time it takes to mix and bake everything is crazy! I usually make candies way ahead of time and then freeze them (they last a really long time if you have them sealed in a zipper bag). I also prep my cookie doughs ahead of time and freeze those as well. They last at least three months if kept sealed in the freezer. Then all I have to do is defrost them in the fridge and bake them as needed, so there are always fresh cookies somewhere in my house (my father-in-law can vouch for this, haha!). I also start my shopping in July or August. It’s a great time to get clearance deals on summer stuff.
Angie M
I love giving homemade goodies as gifts but the time it takes to mix and bake everything is crazy! I usually make candies way ahead of time and then freeze them (they last a really long time if you have them sealed in a zipper bag). I also prep my cookie doughs ahead of time and freeze those as well. They last at least three months if kept sealed in the freezer. Then all I have to do is defrost them in the fridge and bake them as needed, so there are always fresh cookies somewhere in my house (my father-in-law can vouch for this, haha!). I also start my shopping in July or August. It’s a great time to get clearance deals on summer stuff.
Tami S
Make lie dough now and freeze for hectic times to come.
Tami S
Make lie dough now and freeze for hectic times to come.