I am a blog stalker. For the purposes of craft lifting, nothing says relaxing to me like watching mindless television and cruising through some inspiring craft blogs. And, after I get my kids sent off to school, I like to start my day with a cup of coffee and a little Big Mama. Oh my word! You really should check her out. One thing I've noticed (and admired) about some bloggers is their cute little theme days. It makes them seem so official. So, I decided to go for it, and try out the idea of Frugal Fridays with the intent of sharing some money-saving tips.
So, I'd love it if all three of you who occasionally read my blog would join me on Fridays to learn some ways to be better stewards of your resources. Maybe you can squeeze me in after you read Big Mama and One Pretty Thing?
Here's today's thought. CARPE DIEM! Y'all, didn't you just LOVE Dead Poet's Society? (Am I totally dating myself?). Who knew Robin Williams could venture beyond silliness? Anyway--back on track here. I LOVE to give gifts. Nothing thrills me like finding or making something for someone to show them that they matter. If only my budget could keep up with my desires. But, I have stumbled on some ways to make that all work together, and one goal I have for 2011 is to really seize the day. This week, I have successfully snagged some amazing deals on gifts for this year--including some Christmas gifts.
My dear friend, Rebekah, shared a code with me to grab some digital photo books for $4.19! REALLY! And, dad gum it, despite my entire project being lost, my uploaded photos disappearing and all other manners of obstacles, that new website did NOT defeat me! I haven't gotten them yet, but I'm really excited to have some Mother's Day and Father's Day gifts on their way. I also scored some fabulous deals while catching a little of the Today Show on Tuesday. Never knew they had Steals and Deals where retailers offer huge deals to viewers. And, for the sake of scrap booking, I was able to get 99 photo prints for $0.99. Here is one of my favorite websites to find the codes for bargains such as these.
INTENTIONAL challenge: Whatever it is that you enjoy or need, with a little patience and planning, you can enjoy them on a limited budget. The key is to CARPE DIEM! Embrace delayed gratification until you find a great sale or secret savings code--and then take full advantage of it and stock up. This is something I want to do better with this year. What efforts will you make to stretch your dollar by taking advantage of a great sale?