We used to spend New Year’s Eve at parties with friends, drinking and snacking to our heart’s content. Then we got older and now we’re lucky to make it until midnight!

We do still try to celebrate New Year’s Eve and we enjoy that we no longer spend hundreds of dollars on just one evening.

A frugal New Year’s Eve isn’t that difficult and can be a great deal of fun whether you just spend time with your family or you have a group of friends and loved ones over!

This year our frugal New Year’s Eve is going to be pretty basic. We are walking a 5K in the afternoon and going to eat gluten free pizza with friends afterwards. My husband and I will probably then share a bottle of cheap wine (Oak Leaf at Walmart, $2.77), celebrate midnight at eleven o’clock with the East Coast and go to bed!  After the craziness of the holidays we are really looking forward to it.

In previous years we have had potluck New Year’s Eve appetizers where everyone brought cheap appetizers such as Taco Layer Dip or Pigs in a Blanket or even just some Chips and Salsa.

Another great frugal New Year’s Eve appetizer is one I actually made for Christmas this year. I took it from this recipe on Eating Well and frugaled it up!

1 lb deli roast beef – sliced only thin but not too thin, you want to easily be able to wrap them up.

1 green bell pepper – sliced into thin strips

1 red bell pepper – sliced into thin strips

Bread and Butter pickles sliced into thin strips

Cream cheese (I used dairy free)

garlic

onion powder

Mix garlic and onion powder in the cream cheese, to taste. Spread cream cheese on slice of roast beef. Place one or two strips each of the peppers and pickles on top of the roast beef and roll up! Super easy and they taste great!

For free entertainment in previous years we have sat around, talked and listened to music, played games on the Wii, and played board games. I may just challenge my husband to a game of Battleship this New Year’s Eve!

Don’t forget to start your New Year off right by getting your finances in order! Learn to live a more frugal life with The Frugal Home ebook! Only $2.99 and full of tips and advice on everything from entertainment to beauty products to weddings to grocery shopping and meals!

What do you do for a frugal New Year’s Eve?

Photo By : Agnie

You may think you are done with all the shopping but the sales after the holidays can be the best time of year to make purchases!

You can save hundreds of dollars just by shopping after the holidays as opposed to before. This is the time to stock up on items you will need for next Christmas as well as items that can be used throughout the year for other holidays and events.

Here are the items I pick up in after Christmas sales:

Wrapping Paper – Buy solids that can be used for birthdays and other events throughout the year.

Gift Bags

Gift Card Holders

Ornaments

Tape

Clothing

Games

Holiday Decor

Chocolate and Candy

What do you buy after the holidays?

Photo By:Jay Lopez

Frugal Christmas gifts are even better when you are giving a unique gift that will surprise those opening your presents! Here are some great gifts under $25!

Betta Fish – This is a unique and fun gift to give! Purchase a large glass globe, rocks, a vine, a jar of food and a betta fish for a great gift that will keep on giving. Just make sure that you are giving it to someone who will take care of it!

Personalized gifts – Skip the monogrammed hand towels and go for the personalized Monopoly game.

Give a tree or potted herbed plants – This is a great gift for the eco-conscious and herbs are often easy to take care of.

Foods for those with food allergies – Allergy free foods are often very expensive and those on a budget may not be able to splurge on foods they can eat. Put together a gift basket full of their favorite allergy free foods. I have been given gluten free pizza crust, noodles, and brownies along with Dairy free sour cream and cream cheese. As these items are expensive, I will often just do without them so getting them as a gift was a pure pleasure!

Unique cook books – Instead of getting a general cook book go for one that is ingredient specific such as a cookbook all about bacon or cooking with Spam! Another option is to pick up old cookbooks at flea markets and give them as a retro gift.

Flea markets and Etsy – Etsy is a great website to find frugal and unique Christmas gifts and you may be surprised at what you can find at a flea market or antique mall. One of my favorite gifts of all time was an antique platter that my Mom got me for Christmas one year.

Save money and give great gifts! What frugal gifts are you giving this year?

Check out these great articles to save money at Christmas and throughout the holiday season!

Frugal Christmas Gifts

Cheap Christmas Gifts to Purchase

Frugal Christmas Gifts You Can Make

Christmas Gifts Under $10

Frugal Christmas Trees – Cheap Ornaments

Frugal Christmas Tree

More frugal holiday articles below! While these articles may not help you this year, they can next year!

Create a Gift Budget

Start Saving For Christmas in January

Setting the table is one of my favorite Thanksgiving activities. I have spent many years gathering my Thanksgiving dishes and decor through flea markets, antique malls, and heirlooms from various family members.  Shopping each year has helps me create a beautiful table each year on a budget and because we have a different guest list each year this gives me a great chance to pick and choose which of my Thanksgiving items I will use that year.

Here is our Thanksgiving table setting with decor for this year :

I alternated my yellow wheat leaf plates with my white, silver trimmed plates.

Each of these plates has one of two variations of some beautiful brown and white plates I got a few years ago.  The boxes are my Thanksgiving favors for this year and are filled with chocolate (I just wish they were clear or a fall color instead of Christmas themed!)

Each year I try to buy something new for my table. Previously I haven’t picked up something as simple as a small plate for 25 cents (the sugar bowl in this picture was inherited from my grandmother).

This year I got a beautiful glass decanter and glassware set for $9 at a local antique mall.

I used some silver plates from my mother-in-law and my grandmother to display the glassware as well as some Thanksgiving decor that I picked up on sale after the holiday a few years ago.

What do you do to create your frugal Thanksgiving table?

In case you are in the same spot I am in and need to quickly catch up on your Thanksgiving planning, here are some tips and advice to get you ready for the Big Meal come next Thursday.

Thanksgiving : Frugal Tips and Stress Reducers

Frugal Thanksgiving Menu

Tips to Keep the Stress Out of Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving Planning Part I

Thanksgiving Planning Part II : Share the Work

Thanksgiving Planning Part III : Timing

Thanksgiving Planning Part IV : Make it Special

Thanksgiving Gifts for Your Guests

Thanksgiving Recipes and Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes

Thanksgiving Layer Personal Pie

Dairy Free Green Bean Casserole

Chicken Broth

Turkey Noodle Soup

Moo Shu Chicken (Turkey!) Tostadas

And for after the meal . . .

Thanksgiving Leftovers

Seven Things You Can Do After Thanksgiving Dinner

And, fabulous frugal woman that I am with a pension for cheap Halloween decorations, I had four ghosts ready ten minutes later for him to hang in the front yard. Here’s how you can do it too!

How to Make a Ghost – Cheap Halloween Decorations

Cut a King Size white sheet into fourths. Smaller sheets will make smaller ghosts. Go figure. Ignore the dog food in the floor in the background. That’s how the little dog likes it. He’s not spoiled.

Gather some of those plastic shopping bags you have laying around. Lay a few in the middle of one of the white sheet squares. Don’t pretend you don’t have any. I forget to take my reusable bags sometimes too. Use any extras for bathroom trash cans.

Gather the sides of the sheet up around the plastic bags and secure with a rubber band or hair band. White ribbon or string would work as well.

Draw ghost eyes on your Halloween ghosts. I did several different eyes for fun. I only had a green magic marker but you can’t really tell they aren’t black eyes. My husband hung ours in the front yard with fishing line.

How’s that for a fifteen minute ghost project?

One of the most important aspects of having a frugal holiday would be to pay cash in the month of December. Hopefully, you have already saved for Christmas but if you haven’t you may want to seriously consider cutting back to what you can actually afford. Check out these articles to help you save money this December!

A Frugal Christmas Tree

Cheap Ornaments

Christmas Gifts Under $10

Cheap Halloween Costumes
Halloween Tips and Advice
Last Minute Halloween Costume Ideas

More tips to help you have a cheap, and fun, Halloween!

Take your kids to free events in your town. Often, the city you live in or local organizations or churches will offer free Halloween events, such as safe trick-or-treating, costume contests, even parties!

Buy more generic costumes for older kids, such as princesses or pirates, that can be handed down to younger kids.

Have a Halloween swap with friends and exchange Halloween costumes and decor. A swap is a great way to make sure everyone has a cheap Halloween!

Instead of throwing a huge Halloween party, or going to one, where you will have to purchase a costume, spend the evening at home with your loved ones, a bowl of popcorn, some treats, and a couple of scary movies. Even if you have young ones, there are a great deal of Halloween movies for kids, such as Halloweentown on Disney.

If you want to have a Halloween party, throw a potluck version! Have everyone bring candy or treats, and decorations!

How are you having a cheap Halloween this year?

Who doesn’t want to celebrate our Independence Day? The Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays but we don’t always have the money to throw a big celebration so each year is different. Over the years, I’ve learned a few frugal tips to help us save as much money as possible while still having fun!

Frugal Fourth of July Decorations

Fourth of July decorations are usually a big deal but you don’t have to go all out with the red, white, and blue. Shop sales after the holiday to stock up or shop for solid colors on sale at any time of the year. Instead of going for napkins, paper plates, and other decor that says Happy 4th, go for solid colors.

Make all the decorations you can. Recruit your kids to make frugal Fourth of July wreaths, table settings, and streamers. You don’t have to decorate everything, making a few decorations that will stand out will get everyone in the mood without breaking the bank.

Frugal Fourth of July Food

Food for any party can quickly become very expensive. To create frugal Fourth of July food you have to plan ahead. Plan your menu ahead of time and shop sales the month or so before the party. Look for items such as hot dogs, baked beans, and homemade cupcakes for your menu. Keep your menu simple to keep it cheap.

Another great way to have a frugal Fourth is to create a potluck party. Have everyone that is coming bring a side dish or dessert while you offer the hot dogs or hamburgers. We have even had Fourth of July parties where we bought all of the fireworks and everyone else brought food.

Frugal Fourth of July Fireworks

For many people, fireworks are not an option for their frugal Fourth of July party as they are illegal in many places, but they are completely legal where we live and I can’t imagine a Fourth without them. Fireworks are expensive though so you have to be careful how much you spend. We usually have a firework budget of $30 to $50 and, more often than not, we purchase our fireworks after the Fourth and store them until the next year (make sure you store fireworks safely and in a dry environment).

It is also helpful to make friends with your local fireworks dealer. They can tell you which fireworks will give you the most bang for your buck and can often give you a lot more fireworks for your budget than you could pick out yourself.

Create a potluck for the fireworks just as you would for the food. Have everyone bring some and you could end up with more than you can shoot off in one night!

Have a Happy and Safe Frugal Fourth of July!

More important than the money you spend is the safety of everyone at your celebration. Watch children carefully, do not allow them to shoot off fireworks inappropriate for their age, and keep everyone back who is not involved in lighting the fireworks. Do not shoot fireworks if it is dry and keep outside water handy.

Be safe and have fun!