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Shop Now or Wait? Here’s What to Buy In After Christmas Sales

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after christmas sales

After the holiday shopping season ends, retailers around the country hold sales to get shoppers spending. However, not all after Christmas sales are great deals. Knowing what to buy now (and what you should skip until later) can help you save a ton of cash.

What to Buy in After Christmas Sales

Certain items almost always go on sale after Christmas. Many stores consider this time of year the start of a transition away from winter items. Because of this transition, many stores offer deeply discounted goods.

Christmas Decorations

When it comes to Christmas decorating, you should never buy before or during the actual holiday. December 26 marks the start of clearances on Christmas decorations and other holiday décor. Ornaments, artificial trees, holiday string lights, holiday inflatables, and similar goods will all end up on sale for pennies. These discounts are predominately a means of clearing out space and encouraging shoppers to purchase out of season.

By shopping for holiday décor in after Christmas sales, you save money and get a head start on Christmas 2019. However, before you make a purchase, make sure you have space to store your new items. Clean out what you have and make a list of what you need for next year.

Holiday Food and Drinks

Items like eggnog, turkeys, summer sausages, and similarly seasonally popular food and drink products lose their appeal after Christmas. To get the items off their shelves, retailers offer discounts to entice people to buy them quickly.

This is also true for regular food and drink items that had seasonal flavors for the holidays. After Christmas, some shoppers have burned out on flavors like peppermint mocha and pumpkin spice. Stores offer them for less to get them to sell.

New Cars, Trucks, and SUVs

Many car dealerships offer big discounts at the ends of months, quarters, and years. Once Christmas is over, dealers are looking to sell off as much inventory as possible, leading to stellar after Christmas sales and potentially increased bargaining power.

By waiting to buy until after Christmas, you could be making an incredibly smart decision. Just make sure you only buy a vehicle if you genuinely need one, as something at this price point typically shouldn’t be an impulse purchase.

Clothing and Outerwear

Many retailers include shirts, pants, and coats in their after Christmas sales. As mentioned above, the end of December often marks the beginning of a transition as retailers prepare for the coming spring. This means heavier clothing items might be available at deep discounts, especially if they have patterns and colors that distinctly align with winter.

Exercise Equipment

After Christmas is when many people begin planning their New Years resolutions. Getting fit and losing weight are two of the most common, and stores look to cash in on the upward trend in interest by discounting their exercise equipment.

By adding exercise equipment to their after Christmas sales, retailers connect with shoppers who want to have items on hand before January 1st. However, it is important to note that these sales often continue into January, so, if you don’t find a great deal, consider waiting a week or two and searching again.

Video Games and Toys

Since people spend so much on video games and toys in preparation for Christmas, retailers know that they have to entice shoppers with great prices if they are going to shop more in these categories. You can find exceptional prices on popular video game titles as well as some of the hottest toys from the Christmas season, potentially allowing you to save big.

Plus, some stores use these after Christmas sales to reduce their toy and video game inventories. Since shoppers are going to be spending at levels that are more average, they don’t need to keep the same level of stock. Additionally, they are working to capitalize on video game consoles people received as gifts, encouraging them to buy new games for their consoles.

Gift Sets

Gift sets are a Christmas staple. However, once the gift-giving season passes, interest declines dramatically. This is especially true since many pre-packaged options feature holiday packaging.

Since stores don’t want to keep these items in inventory for long, they offer deep discounts to get them off shelves. Anything from food items to personal care products can be found for less, as long as you don’t mind the holiday packaging and buying items as a group.

What Not to Buy in After Christmas Sales

While tons of other items go on sale after Christmas, not all of them present great deals. In some cases, waiting just a few more weeks can make a massive difference, so bypassing these products now is a wise choice.

Televisions

In many cases, waiting until closer to the end of January is best if you need a television. Sales connected to the upcoming Super Bowl usually result in better discounts, especially if you are looking for a high-end, big screen tv.

Electronics

New models of certain electronics are revealed in January, so waiting until that happens can help you save big on older models. This is especially true for desktop computers and laptops, two high-cost items where buying during a great sale can really make a difference.

Wait until after the International Consumer Electronics Show in January before shopping for electronics. In 2019, International CES runs from Tuesday, January 8, through Friday, January 11, so expect big sales during the next sale cycle.

Jewelry

While there can be respectable after Christmas sales on jewelry, waiting until closer to Valentine’s Day may help you spend less. Most jewelry and department stores are competing for business as February 14th draws near, so they will slash prices to catch shoppers’ interest.

Fragrances

Unless you are buying gift sets, which can be cheaper during after Christmas sales, perfumes and colognes are usually available at deeper discounts closer to Valentine’s Day. In fact, February can be a great time to buy fragrances for certain spring and summer occasions, like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, as high-end perfumes and colognes will maintain their quality during the wait.

Bedding and Linens

Most stores hold their “white sales” in January, usually near the Martin Luther King Day holiday. By waiting, you can find better prices on sheets, towels, pillows, comforters, and more at most major retailers.

Calendars and Dated Planners

Waiting until after the new year starts can help you save on calendars and day planners with printed dates. Around mid-January, the discounts start to emerge as the peak buying season is over. By holding off for just a few weeks, you can save up to 50 percent, making it worth the wait.

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Feed a Family of Four For Less than $65 With This Emergency Frugal Menu

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emergency frugal menu

The USDA estimates that a family of four spends between $128 and $147 on groceries each week. More liberal spenders will spend as much as $300 a week on groceries. Those numbers are astounding, especially when you have kids. Emergencies can come up and then you are in a crunch. It’s crucial to have a go-to emergency frugal menu.

How to Plan an Emergency Menu

Establishing an emergency menu is a good idea because sometimes you need to adjust your budget when an emergency or unexpected cost arises. For instance, if your child needs money for a field trip, you’ll feel good knowing you have a backup menu that can save you $70 to $100 that will go toward their needs. The same can be said of an emergency. If you get a flat tire, you’ll have no worries about feeding your family because you can trim your grocery budget significantly by hitting up your emergency menu.

To have a successful backup grocery list you need to determine what foods your family will and will not eat. If you have any picky eaters in your house, you’ll want to ensure any foods they won’t eat aren’t included in your plan.

Then you’ll need to set a budget for your emergency menu. The most frugal menus for a family of four normally land between $50 and $100.

Once you have a frugal menu planned out, add up the different items you’ll need to pull the meals together. If you shop sales or use coupons, be sure to include those when tallying up the cost. Once you’ve done the math, if your menu doesn’t land within the budget you set, you’ll need to rework it. To do this, consider removing the most expensive meals on your list and replacing them with something cheaper.

The emergency frugal menu below will feed a family of four for around $65.

A Frugal Emergency Menu for 4

Prices listed below are from Aldi in Charlotte, NC. You may need to make some adjustments for your family’s needs and location. Below is the “shopping list” for a complete menu. The total cost for this specific meal plan is between $55 and $65.

Download a copy of the entire menu here.

Breakfast

You can narrow your breakfast budget down to about $10 for the week if you purchase the following items.

  • Oatmeal $2.29
  • Pancakes $1.89
  • Syrup $1.59
  • Eggs $1.29
  • Juice $1.19
  • Milk $1.79

Lunch

You can always serve up leftovers for lunch. However, if you have kids in school you may need to pack lunch for them. If that’s the case, you can keep things to about $10 for the week by buying the items below.

  • Raw carrots $0.89
  • Apples $2
  • Bananas $0.89
  • Peanut butter $1.49
  • Jelly $1.49
  • Two loaves of bread $3

Snacks

Depending on your family’s preference, fruit is always a great, low-cost snack. You’ll already have apples and bananas for your kid’s lunches but you may want to grab an extra bag for snacks. Another great, low-cost snack is yogurt! You can pick these items up for the prices listed below. Overall, snacks will only take about $5 of your emergency menu budget.

  • Apples $2
  • Bananas $0.89
  • Yogurt $0.40 each or $1.89 for a large container of plain yogurt

Dinner

Dinner will require some planning, of course. One of the things most people don’t realize is that they can plan multiple meals around the same meat purchase. For instance, when you roast a chicken, you can use the leftovers to make chicken and dumplings. Here are just a few frugal dinner menu items and how much each cost.

  • Roasted chicken with broccoli and potatoes ($8)
  • Chicken and dumplings (Using leftover chicken and pancake mix, this costs nothing additional)
  • Pork chops with broccoli and potatoes ($6)
  • Meatloaf with potatoes and carrots ($5)
  • Tacos ($8)
  • Black bean chili ($8)
  • Hot dogs ($4)

With this plan, you can feed your family dinner for an entire week for around $39. Below are the individual items you’ll need to pick up to pull it off.

  • Whole chicken $5
  • Two heads of broccoli $2.50
  • Bag of potatoes $1.99
  • Pork chops $5
  • Ground beef $12
  • Bag of raw carrots $0.89
  • Tortillas $1.50
  • Taco seasoning $0.50
  • Shredded cheese $1.69
  • Iceberg lettuce $0.99
  • Two cans of black beans $0.50 each
  • Two large cans of diced tomatoes $0.55 each
  • One can of tomato paste $0.25
  • Hot dogs $0.99
  • Hot dog buns $1.39
  • Ketchup $1.49
  • Mustard $0.79

This is just one of many combinations you can come up with when crafting your emergency frugal menu. Depending on your family’s preferences and your willingness to trim your regular eating habits, you can probably get out of the grocery store even cheaper! To download a FREE copy of this meal plan, click here.

Readers, do you have a go-to emergency frugal menu? What does it include?

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How to Get a Free Christmas Tree

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free christmas tree

Thanksgiving has come and gone and most people have begun preparing for the next holiday: Christmas. One of the key pieces of a great Christmas celebration is a tree. The average Christmas tree can cost anywhere from $25 to $100 (and more if you are looking for something fancy and artificial). However, there are a few ways you can score a free Christmas tree. 

Free Christmas Trees For Military & Military Families

Families of active-duty military members can get a free, live Christmas tree through the Christmas Spirit Foundation. To get a free tree, you and your family must live on a military base. Those interested in receiving a free Christmas tree through the foundation will also need to check this list to see if your installation is receiving Christmas trees. If the Christmas Spirit Foundation is delivering trees to your unit, you should check your base’s communication channels for additional information on next steps. You can also contact your family service center or call the foundation at 800-965-1653.

The Christmas Tree Project

Another great organization giving away free Christmas trees this year is The Christmas Tree Project. This outfit gives away trees to families in need throughout the holiday season. The project began in 2010 after a husband and wife gave away a Christmas tree on Craigslist. Since then they’ve given away more than 2,000 fully decorated Christmas trees across the United States. You can request a tree on the organization’s website.

Local Programs

Outside of the national and international organizations listed above, there are also a plethora of local programs willing to hook you up with a free Christmas tree. Keep an eye out in your local newspaper and on community bulletin boards for additional information on locally run programs.

Be a Fourth Grader (or Have One)

Fourth graders can get a free Christmas tree every year through the Every Kid in a Park initiative. This program runs through Christmas Eve and gives fourth graders a free voucher for a permit to harvest their own tree from one of the 17 national parks (Eastern Region). To get your tree, just present the voucher. Then you’ll be given information on what types of trees you cut and what area you can harvest from.

Christmas can be tough financially. Between the decorations, food, gifts, and other costs, it can be overwhelming. However, if you qualify to get a free Christmas tree, you can get into the holiday spirit without spending much at all.

Readers, do you know of any other ways to get a free Christmas tree? Let us know in the comments!

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Save Money With These Frugal Thanksgiving Menu Ideas

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frugal thanksgiving menu ideas

Thanksgiving is days away and many people are pulling together the menus for their feast. The average American family spends around $50 on their Thanksgiving Day meal. If you’re trying to trim the cost of yours, here are a few frugal Thanksgiving menu ideas.

Frugal Thanksgiving Menu Ideas

First, it is possible to have a traditional Thanksgiving meal on a budget. You don’t have to skip on the turkey or other fixings to keep it budget-friendly. At our home this year, the Thanksgiving menu is as follows:

  • 15 lb. turkey: We paid $4.10 for our Thanksgiving turkey this year with a deal at Food Lion. All you needed to do was purchase $35 worth of groceries and you got your turkey for $0.27 per pound. Look out for deals near you!
  • Stuffing: You can get a box of StoveTop stuffing for $2.
  • Gravy: Gravy, if you have flour on hand, won’t cost a dime. Simply use the drippings from your turkey, flour, salt, and pepper. Mix it together over medium heat until the desired consistency.
  • Dinner rolls: You can grab pre-made dinner rolls for around $3. However, if you have some flour, yeast, milk, sugar, and margarine on hand you can make them from scratch without spending any extra money!
  • Mashed potatoes: The number of potatoes you’ll use to make mashed potatoes for the family will cost around $1.50.
  • Green bean casserole: If you want green bean casserole on the table, you can pick up the necessary items for about $5.50. Those shopping at Aldi may be able to get it even cheaper.
  • Sweet potato casserole: Use canned sweet potatoes and make a sweet potato casserole for around $8.
  • Mac and cheese: Homemade mac n’ cheese is a must on our table. It costs about $8 for a HUGE batch and we always have leftovers.
  • Dessert: Depending on what you’re looking for, you can get most desserts done for under $5. Our homemade pumpkin pie costs about $4.

All in all, Thanksgiving is going to cost our family $36 and we will have a TON of leftovers. If the frugal Thanksgiving menu above doesn’t suit you, you may also consider some of these ways to save on the Turkey Day meal.

More Ways to Save on Thanksgiving

  1. Skip turkey: Although turkey is much more affordable at this time of year, you may want to consider a new main dish to save money. Some families have decided to make a big batch of spaghetti instead of the traditional Thanksgiving meal.
  2. Use canned and frozen: As you probably know, fresh veggies can be expensive. When at all possible, use canned and frozen when prepping for Thanksgiving.
  3. Only make one: A lot of the time people tend to go overboard when it comes to the holidays. This leads to going over budget and spending way more than necessary. If you’ve planned to make more than one of anything, don’t. You only need one!
  4. Skim the sides: In all reality, do you really need five different carb-based sides on the table? Consider skimming the sides down to two or three of your favorites.
  5. Casseroles: Don’t underestimate the power of a good casserole! Because they are typically recipes that you dump ingredients into and bake, you can usually get these done quickly with little money spent.

One of the easiest ways to save is to plan ahead, make a budget, and stick to it. This year, we budgeted $40 for the holiday. As you can see, we are spending less than we initially planned. Careful planning and shopping around is the best way to keep your Thanksgiving feast affordable.

Readers, do you have any frugal Thanksgiving menu items you’d add to the list? 

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These Restaurants Are Offering Vets Free Meals on Veterans Day

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free meals on veterans day

Veterans Day is November 11. Those who have a veteran in their life or are veterans themselves may be looking for a way to celebrate the day. Most of the time, this means going out for lunch or dinner. However, you don’t need to spend a ton of money to celebrate your favorite vet. A large number of restaurants are offering free meals on Veterans Day. Here are some of the best freebies available this year. 

Free Meals on Veterans Day at Applebees

Applebees is offering its usual Veterans Day deal: a free meal to all veterans. Check the Applebees website to find out what kind of identification will be accepted to take advantage of this freebie. Most restaurants require you to have your military ID.

IHOP Freebies

IHOP is honoring the men and women in uniform by offering them a free stack of red, white and blueberry pancakes. This offer is available for vets and active-duty military. You must provide proof of service to cash in on this deal.

Free Meals at Chili’s

Anytime on Sunday, November 11 you can stop in at Chili’s and receive a free meal if you are a veteran. Like many of the other free meals on Veterans Day, you will need to show proof of service to get your food for free.

Krispy Kreme Veterans Day Offer

If you love donuts, you’ll love this deal. Krispy Kreme will be offering a free donut to every veteran or active duty personnel with valid ID. Individuals wishing to cash in on this offer will need to do so in-store. The offer will not be available at the drive-thru.

Olive Garden Free Offer

On Sunday, November 11, veterans can get a free meal at Olive Garden. There may be some restrictions on menu items included in the freebie. You’ll also need to verify your military status with the Olive Garden staff with a military ID, U.S. Uniform Services Retired ID Card, Current Leave and Earnings Statement, or Veterans Organization Card.

Free Breakfast at Denny’s

Just like last year, Denny’s is offering a FREE Build Your Own Grand Slam Breakfast. The offer is only valid on Sunday from 5 a.m. to noon.

Veterans Day Freebies at Outback Steakhouse

Veterans can get a free coke product and Bloomin’ Onion on November 11. Also, between November 8 and November 10, military, police, firefighters, and first responders will receive a 20% discount on their total check. You will need valid identification to claim these offers.

Golden Corral Veterans Day

Golden Corral is offering its Veterans Day freebie on Monday, November 12. Anyone who has served or currently served in the military will receive a free meal and drink from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. No ID is required.

Free Meals on Veterans Day at Red Lobster

Red Lobster is offering free appetizers or desserts to vets on Sunday AND Monday this year. Valid ID is necessary to claim this freebie.

Texas Roadhouse Veterans Day

Texas Roadhouse is offering free meals on Veterans Day. The offer is dine-in only and may be restricted to certain hours of the day. Be sure to call ahead and confirm with the Texas Roadhouse nearest you before heading out.

TGI Fridays Free Meals

TGI Friday is offering a free meal to all veterans on Sunday AND Monday for Veterans Day with valid ID. Hours the freebie can be redeemed may vary location-to-location. Give your local Fridays a call prior to heading out for your Veterans Day celebration.

O’Charley’s Veterans Day Freebies

O’Charley’s offers a 10% discount for members of the military all year long. They are also serving up freebies for Veterans Day. Participating O’Charley’s locations are offering a free meal for vets on Sunday and Monday this year. Veterans and active-duty military members will be able to choose from the Thank You Menu. Valid identification is required to redeem this deal.

Red Robin Veterans Day

Red Robin is serving up deals for vets too. Veterans and active duty military with valid identification will receive a free Red’s Tavern Burger and bottomless steak fries at participating restaurants. Call ahead to confirm.

Veterans Day at Buffalo Wild Wings

Veterans and active-duty military can get a free small order of boneless or traditional wings with a side of fries on Sunday. This offer is for dine-in only and is only offered at participating Buffalo Wild Wings locations.

If you or a member of your family is a veteran or active duty military tomorrow is the day to take advantage of some of the great deals being offered as our way of saying thank you for your service. Remember many of the offers require proof of I.D. or a uniform.

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Free Turkey: 12 Ways To Get One For Thanksgiving

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Free turkey

The price of serving Thanksgiving dinner for 10 people hovers around $50. Depending on the size of your group, it could cost even more. It is always wise to search for ways to trim the cost of your meal. Some people have decided to do that by holding potluck dinners for the holiday. Others search for low-cost or free food items to put on their table. Here’s where you can find a free turkey this year!

Grocery Store Buy A Certain Amount, Get A Free Turkey

The easiest way to get a free turkey is through a promotion at your local grocer. Usually, these come in the form of “buy a certain amount of groceries and get a free turkey.”

Sometimes the dollar amount to get your turkey free is a bit high (like $100) though so you may be better off simply paying for the bird and your sides. However, if you’re already planning on doing your grocery shopping that week, you may be able to score a free turkey by spending the cash you’d normally spend anyway.

If you aren’t planning on spending $100 on groceries any time soon, you may consider offering to do your friends’ shopping for them. During this time of year, many people would appreciate not having to go into the stores themselves, and you can keep the free turkey as your “payment” for running their errands.

You can also decrease the total amount required to get a free turkey by using coupons. Generally, the amount to trigger your freebie is calculated prior to any coupons being applied.

It is important to note that many of these promotions have rules. Most of them will exclude gift cards and alcohol from qualifying purchases to get your turkey free.

Grocery Store Buy 1, Get 1 Free Turkey

BOGO turkeys are another popular promotion at this time of year. Sometimes it is to buy one turkey, get one free. Other times it may require you to buy another type of food. For instance, some stores may have a buy one ham, get a turkey free. This is a great way to prep for your Christmas dinner a month or more ahead of time while also trimming the cost of your Thanksgiving meal.

The same idea from above applies here as well. If you have friends or family that need help getting their shopping done, you can keep a free turkey for yourself!

‘Other’ Store Promotions

Places like Target have begun to roll out food sections in recent years. Sometimes this can be a great place to find a free or low-cost turkey. Most of the time, these stores compete with grocers by offer free turkey promotions. To find out if a store near you has this, check out the local newspaper advertisements in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving.

Find Local Contests

Depending on your location, there may be a few ways to win a free turkey too. Listen for local radio call-in contests and local news contests. You can also check the local newspaper and any community bulletins for additional opportunities. If you are motivated, you can discover a number of ways to score a free bird this Thanksgiving.

Search Through Your Junk Mail

Before you throw away your junk mail, flip through and see if there are any free turkey promotions hiding in there. For instance, a local car dealer may be giving away free turkeys to people who come down to test drive a vehicle (how easy is that?).

Trade on Craiglist

If you’re short on money but have something of value lying around the house, you may be able to trade the item on Craigslist for a Thanksgiving turkey. Although this isn’t completely “free,” you won’t have to spend a dime on your turkey.

Pay Attention to Catalina Coupons

Catalina coupons are typically printed out at checkout or sit by the cash register for customers. Some of these may offer a certain dollar amount off your entire purchase. If you are able to find one to cover the purchase of a turkey, it is an easy way to get it for free.

Keep an eye out for this kind of coupon throughout the year and you can get a few hundred dollars worth of food for free. If you don’t see them by the checkout, you can also check empty carts and trash cans near the checkout. Many people toss these coupons out without a second thought.

Where to Get a Turkey If You Can’t Afford One

Not everyone is able to make the purchases necessary to get a free turkey. If you simply can’t afford one, there are a number of options available to you to get a Thanksgiving meal on the table at no cost to you.

Food Bank

Almost all local food banks will have turkeys to give away for the holidays. Many grocery stores offer the option to donate your second turkey from BOGO sales to charity. Because most people don’t need two turkeys, it benefits food banks greatly. Grocers are also known to donate their excess turkeys to food banks after Thanksgiving as well.

United Way

United Way is a fantastic organization that will be able to connect you with a partner to help you get a free turkey. This organization has connections in every community that can assist you with your Thanksgiving meal and just about any other social service you may need.

Reach Out on Craigslist

Craigslist was mentioned above as a way to get a free turkey by trading items for the food. However, you can also make a request on these sites. Give a detailed story of why you need the assistance around the holidays. This isn’t a guaranteed route to getting a turkey for free but it is worth a try if you’re in need.

Local Charities and Agencies

Churches and social service agencies in the area are also likely to be giving away free turkey to those in need. If your church is not offering this they will likely have contacts of where you may be able to get help.

Post to Social Media

There is no doubt social media has the ability to make a huge impact in the lives of, well, everyone. Putting out a simple request to your friends or followers may result in getting help. There are also a number of Reddit threads for “random acts of kindness.” These may be good places to request a free turkey as well.

Lastly, if getting a free turkey sounds like a hassle, you can go to the grocery store and just pick one out. Stay tuned for information on what grocers have the best prices this year!

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