Christmas Connect » money http://www.christmasconnect.com Merry Christmas from Christmas Connect! Thu, 13 May 2010 14:01:15 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 How to make your Christmas holidays more fun http://www.christmasconnect.com/christmas/how-to-make-your-christmas-holidays-more-fun/ http://www.christmasconnect.com/christmas/how-to-make-your-christmas-holidays-more-fun/#comments Fri, 17 Apr 2009 19:55:33 +0000 admin http://www.christmasconnect.com/?p=71 You should plan your Christmas holidays well in advance. Last minute plans are quite difficult to make especially when the Christmas holiday season is in full swing. Most of the people go out during this season which makes road trip costlier. Hence you need to plan well in advance. Given below are several tips to save money in the Christmas holiday season.

Plan your trip early. You should plan the date of your departure as well as arrival well in advance. These things are important because you are likely to spend more in case your travel time is more. You should take minimum possible stops to prevent over spending.

Book your air tickets early so that you can get them at the lowest rates. You can get some good hotel package deals if you book early. Several airlines offer discount rates and early bird special for passengers who book their tickets in advance. You can also get discount rates on hotel packages. However you must remember that the rates may change in case you cancel or change your ticket. So plan early to get the maximum out of these discount rates and cheap airfare.

Yet another way to save money is to travel by plane and then get you credit card miles chased in. Use your credit card for all the monthly purchases. However make sure to pay all the balances. You will be awarded some air miles on each purchase you make. You can get this cashed for airline tickets. You may be able to travel free for your Christmas holidays!

Many of you rent a car for Christmas holidays. You can find a number of good deals in case you are renting a car. Make the booking early through the internet. Do not rent a car close to the airport. This is so because renting a car near the airport will cost you lot more. There are extra surcharges on the rental agencies near the airport.

You can get rid of the car rental costs in case you are visiting a big city in your Christmas holidays. Public transportation like subways and buses are easily available in most the big cities. Traveling by public transportation will cost you much less as compared to a rented car. You can travel all around the city by using buses and subways.

You need to make sure that your vehicle is in perfect condition if you are taking in on the trip. Check for the tires, they should be inflated properly. More fuel will be consumed in case the inflation is not proper. To make your trip smooth, the engine should be in perfect working condition. You can save a lot of money by saving gas. More money, more fun filled Christmas holidays!

Try and make minimum food stops and for this you should carry a cooler along with. You will reach the destination in time and it will also help you to save money on food. You can pack all the food items. This will save time as well as money.

You should do out dining during the weekdays. Food items cost more during the weekends. You can get the lunch rate if you dine before 4 pm. This food will cost you less though it’s usually the same menu as for lunch but in small quantity.

Use the visitor centers when you are going to your Christmas holiday spot or returning back to your home. You can get some great discount coupons here. Discount coupons for Christmas holiday activities are also provided here. These centers make your stay smooth and also help you to save some money on the trip.

Lastly, you should always use your own banks ATM machine on Christmas holidays. This will prevent extra charges. In case you bank’s ATM is not available; it’s good to withdraw a big amount. Don’t forget to ask for cash when making purchase at any store. This will prevent extra charges.

Holiday travels are usually expensive and stressful. However your holiday can become much more fun and less stressful if you follow the given tips.

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]]> http://www.christmasconnect.com/christmas/how-to-make-your-christmas-holidays-more-fun/feed/ 0 How to Cut the Costs this Christmas and Save http://www.christmasconnect.com/christmas/how-to-cut-the-costs-this-christmas-and-save/ http://www.christmasconnect.com/christmas/how-to-cut-the-costs-this-christmas-and-save/#comments Tue, 17 Mar 2009 12:52:33 +0000 admin http://www.christmasconnect.com/?p=31 Christmas can be an expensive time of years, especially for families who are on a fixed income, and for families with only one income.  The following paragraphs will explain how to cut some of the costs of Christmas by making homemade gifts, and will help ensure that the spirit of Christmas is not hampered by excessive financial burden on working class families.

Making homemade gifts is a great idea to cut the costs of Christmas.  Homemade gifts are not only less expensive, but they are often more meaningful, because of the love and effort put into making the homemade gift.  This article will take a look at some popular homemade gift ideas, the average cost of materials, and how to actually make them.

Do you know someone who is an avid bird watcher, or someone who just enjoys feeding the birds?  A homemade bird feeder may be the perfect cost efficient Christmas gift for them.  All it takes is an empty gallon milk jug (rinsed out good), a pair of scissors, glue, some artificial flowers, and two colored pencils (any color).  Total cost of these supplies is less than $5.00.  First rinse out the milk jug real good, using hot soapy water.  Rinse it again in cold water, to make sure all the soap is out of the milk jug.  Cut a large opening in the front of the jug, leaving about two inches at the bottom of the milk jug.  Cut the artificial flowers off of the stems, and decorate the jug with the flowers.  The very last step is to insert the colored pencils into the two inch space under the opening you already cut out of the milk jug.  The pencils will act as perches for the birds.  For an extra dollar, you can even include a bag of wild bird seed to this gift.

For young nieces, nephews, or even younger siblings, a homemade coffee can wish bank can be a great inexpensive gift idea.  The necessary supplies are an empty coffee can, the color comics from the Sunday newspaper, glue, a pair of scissors, and glitter.  The cost of materials is under $5.00.  All you have to do is cut out the comics, and decorate the can with the child’s favorite comics and add some glitter.  Cut a small slit in the top of the can, and there you go a cost efficient gift that any kid would love.

Do you burn a lot of candles throughout the year?  Saving the last little bit of wax from the burned down candle will be useful. When you have enough saved, melt all the wax together in a double boiler (or microwave if you watch it closely).  Crayons can be added to the wax to give it a different color.  When the wax is totally melted, pour it into small mason jars.  Insert pieces of cotton yarn as wicks, and tie a pretty bow around the jar.  What a wonderful gift this could be, and it was made with stuff most people have laying around their house.

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Here is a good homemade gift idea for grandma, grandpa, and any family member.  Save empty paper towel rolls, and decorate them for Christmas, or let the children decorate them.  Then take pictures of each of the kids or family portraits, roll them up, and insert them inside the paper towel holder.  Family members will love this homemade gift and it only costs as much as the portraits.

The last homemade gift idea is for any child you may feel the need to buy for.   Children love pet rocks, and they are cheap and easy to make.  Find some smooth, flat rocks and clean them with warm soapy water.  Make sure they are completely dry before starting.  Make faces on the rocks using wiggly eyes, and permanent markers.  Hair can be made with cotton yarn.  Receiving a family of pet rocks will brighten any child’s Christmas, and they are very cheap to make.

Christmas can be a stressful time of year, simply because of the financial burden it inflicts on some.  Making homemade gifts can be very cost efficient, and can save you up to $500 or more.

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]]> http://www.christmasconnect.com/christmas/how-to-cut-the-costs-this-christmas-and-save/feed/ 0 Planning the holiday budget http://www.christmasconnect.com/christmas/planning-the-holiday-budget/ http://www.christmasconnect.com/christmas/planning-the-holiday-budget/#comments Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:15:36 +0000 admin http://www.christmasconnect.com/?p=62 You need to manage your budget nicely so that you can save something for your holiday shopping. Creating a budget is not really difficult. However there are people who think that it’s better not to make a budget. They use their credit cards thinking that they will pay later on. You need to plan your holiday budget. This is essential in order to make your holiday all the more fun. This way you will enjoy your holidays without any financial stress.

For planning a holiday budget, first of all you need to have a look at the last years spending totals. To see how much you actually spent, add all the gifts, wrapping paper and cards. Also add shipping cost. This will give you a fair idea of your expenditure. You should now look at the shopping list carefully. See if there’s something that can be omitted from the list and you can very well do without it. Maybe you can replace some branded things with some local items. To lower the shipping costs, you can send the gifts together. Also do not spend too much on your kids.

This exercise will help you to make a budget. Next you need to distribute money for various things on your list. Make sure that you buy things according to the money that has been allotted. You can replace some costly things with some other wonderful things which you can get at lower prices. For example, make a scrapbook all by yourself for your mother instead of an expensive necklace. She will surely love that scrapbook. It will be very close to her heart. You can prepare cookies for your uncle or aunt rather than giving them gifts. This is sure to make them smile and it will also keep a check on your budget. You should pick up things from stores which offer bargains and discounts. You may also get good things from some thrift shops.

Many people travel during the holidays and buy presents for their loved one. You can ask your friends to come to your place this year. This will save the travel expense. This will help you in saving lot of money for several other things. You don’t need to decorate your house with those expensive items. Your guests will bring a dessert or dish each so all you need to prepare is ham and the turkey. This will cut down your holiday budget tremendously.

You should always stick to the budget that you have created. Some people go for shopping after Thanksgiving but they do not buy things which are absolutely essential to buy. All the deals are not always great anyways. You should buy what you really require. You should never go shopping without your shopping list and remember not to go out of your budget. You can also shop online. There are many sites which offer great bargains. Online shopping is particularly good if you are going to ship your gifts. The company through which you will buy the gift will ship the gift for you rather than you shipping it yourself.

You can also make gifts all by yourself in order to cut down your budget. You can draw or stitch something for your loved ones. You can probably paint a picture of their favorite animal. A family collage is also a great gift idea. These gifts will cost less and at the same time they will be loved by your family members. They will definitely be very special to them. This will keep your holiday budget down.

It’s not very tough to manage budgets. You just need to follow some advices and tips and you will be able to manage your holiday budget perfectly.

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