Saving Money and Time, Part 1

Today we are beginning a series on Saving Money.  However, I will also be including other related tips, as well.

1. Write the person’s name (Birthdays/Anniversaries) at the top of the day of their event on your calendar.

2. To save money: Buy greeting cards at thrift stores, or buy boxed cards, or make them, or use note cards and write your own sentiment or poem on the inside.

3. To save time and gas, plan all errands/running around on one day of the week.

4. Whenever possible, do two or more things at once: e.g. while riding in the car do handwork or write letters or do planning; while the family is listening to a read-aloud-book, girls can do handwork/knit/crochet or do artwork/drawing; while watching a video, have the washing machine going or sort laundry; while listening to an audio book on cassette for school, do baking/cooking/cleaning in the same area.

5. Have a “Gift Shelf” in your closet: when things are on sale, buy them for future gift-giving (baby items--both “boy” and “girl”), for showers, graduations (books, etc.), misc. small items for hostess gifts, frames/small photo albums, glass serving dishes (at outlets), etc.

6. When you buy a person’s birthday gift, also buy their Christmas gift (or vice versa). This spreads gift-buying out over the whole year instead of all at once in December; it makes gift-buying easier, because you’re already thinking of the person’s likes, and you can buy items that will go together (the shirt for birthday, the tie for Christmas; the plate for birthday, the matching cups or bowl for Christmas)

7. To save money and give something “special,” make your Christmas gifts, but start in January (you can work on them while reading or riding in the car).

8. Buy Christmas and other wrapping paper/bags when on sale (e.g. order from the Current catalog): Have a Gift-wrap center in a closet, or on a shelf, if you don’t have a special organizer, on which you keep gift-wrap/bags, tape and scissors, as well as ribbon and bows, etc.

9. Have a box or desk drawer designated for greeting cards (sorted by occasion); keep a supply of note cards on hand for thank you, thinking of you, praying for you or get well occasions; have stamps and return-address stickers in an envelope or nearby in a desk drawer or another box.

10. Put an X by the person’s name on your calendar when you have sent the card/gift or thank you.