Friday Finds and Christmas Kickoff: How Do You Save Money at Christmas?

With gas prices rising and little good news on the grocery shelves lately, I am finding it hard to get too excited about Christmas. Not to be a Debbie Downer or anything, but prices are not coming down and cost of living seems to keep increasing. So, I wondered what are you doing to save money this Christmas? I buy all year round and put gifts away even in July. That’s one way I save. Also this year I am tightening my budget for magazines. (I think if I added them up I would have close to 10 magazine subscriptions here. I usually justify that as research costs and frankly I write magazine articles sometimes, so I need to stay on top of industry standards and changes. But this year, even those are going to need to be trimmed. I will keep 5 at most. One each for each daughter and I can’t cut Canadian Family. I like it too much!) Send me your thoughts on how you save $$$ at this time of year and I will put them together for a pre-Christmas post.

In the mean time: don’t forget to enter my giveaways. I have a bunch more coming up and another CSN Stores giveway on tap. Also don’t forget to enter my Mabel’s Labels 411 wristbands giveaway. I am going to draw for those on the 22nd. Enter that one here: http://thriftymommastips.blogspot.com/2010/11/my-411-mabels-labels-review-and.html

Also my codes are good for deals on Disney shows at the JLC.

This weekend Jockey has their warehouse sale (Adelaide Street) starting today and running through Sunday.
On that note Wendy’s has some of the most beautiful and affordable 2011 calendars available right now in stores for $5. I support both of these companies because they support adoption, adoptive families and finding permanent homes for children in foster care.
Shoppers Drug Mart has buy $75 worth of merchandise (Monday to Friday of this week) and get two free Cineplex Entertainment tickets (value upto $25)
Toys R Us has some very good toy sales on right now and Saturday and Sunday this weekend FurReal Tea cup Pups are $17.47 half price. Also buy 2 get one free Hexbug microcritters. For Zhu Zhus best price is still at WalMart.
M and M’s $5.99 for the 2 lb prepared dinners like lasagna, cannelloni and shepherd’s pie. That is the best deal I have seen this weekend.

Oh and don’t forget if you are in London Saturday night is the Santa Claus parade.