We actually get to celebrate Christmas on Christmas this year!!! You don’t know how rare that is in a firefighter family, so we are pretty tickled! It’s also our littlest baby’s first Christmas, and she is already intrigued by all the lights and sounds around her.
Wishing you a blessed day with people you love!
Want to hear about our more typical firefighter family Christmas? Read about our Firefighter’s Family Christmas last year!
This year has been one of getting extremely creative and being very wise with very little. Christmas has just upped that to a whole different level!
I have been putting off buying Christmas candy for my kids’ stockings. I just didn’t have extra money and they are always with me, anyway. The other day my husband kept the two older kids after we figured out our grocery budget, so I could get a break and concentrate on shopping. I’d waited almost two weeks to go for anything other than a gallon of milk and some bananas, because I could cook with what I had and we didn’t have the money for more. I wanted to get my babies some candy for their stockings! They expect candy canes and chocolate, so I wanted to at least get one package of each. I set my budget at a whopping $1.00 maximum, and was confident I could do it. I only had change in my purse and wasn’t using my debit card before I hit the grocery store, so that was it.
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Need to make your own candy with your tight budget? Check out this book that is as low as free, and includes many candy recipes! The Ultimate Christmas Recipes
I carefully planned out my deals and stackable coupons and headed into CVS. With thoughtful selection and mental mathematics, I did it!! I was able to get two bags of two different flavored Hershey’s kisses, a pack of candy canes AND two plastic candy canes filled with gummies! My total savings was- wait for it- 100%!!!! I handed the cashier the 38 cents of tax that wasn’t paid by my overage (the tax itself was supposed to be $1.20) and couldn’t stop myself from exclaiming “Yay!!! I had nothing in my budget for Christmas candy, so thank God for coupons and bargain shopping!”. She laughed and said “That is awesome!”.
Moral of the story? God will provide, positive thinking pays off….and penny pinching is AWESOME!!!
For the frugal procrastinators among you, or just those with something they need to order for later, this is a humdinger of a day!! Which retailer are you going to order from?
Here is the link with the listing of all the great places you can order from during this one day promotion:
I just received my first order of 8 much needed items for only $8 from Schoola, plus I still have a couple of dollars left for a future order! It wound up like that because I ordered a new with tags item that said it wasn’t eligible to be bought with credit. I am beyond thrilled, because my older two little ones really needed more decent clothes and this was a sort of answer to an unspoken prayer. If you use my referral link, we both get a $20 credit (you can use it immediately- it applies automatically).
They are known for quality gently used children’s clothing, but they carry adult sizes, as well. The men’s clothing is under the teen boys’ section, and I saw sizes up to XL men’s. This is a wonderful bargain for anyone, not just mommies like me! I’m serious, this made me really happy, since my kids needed some clothes so badly and I had nothing extra in the budget. These clothes were not only a bargain, but they are beautiful, great quality and look brand new. They were much nicer than I expected from looking at the site, even! The little purple dress for my baby girl came new with tags. They get these clothes donated in the name of schools, and give 40% to the school chosen to credit the donation to. Lucky me, I’d earned some Paypal money and was able to use it to pay for the items, so it took nothing out of our budget.
Next time you want a comfort meal without all the hassle I hope you give this Crock-pot Beef Stroganoff {Gluten Free} a try. Serve it over hot white or brown rice or GF noodles with your favorite vegetable for an easy dinner. #crockpot #recipe Crockpot Beef Stroganoff
An easy, inexpensive crockpot chili recipe. Hide all kinds of veggies for the picky eaters, and mx your own chili seasoning to control your flavor!
Mom’s Healthy Crockpot Chili
21 freezer meals fit for a family! Who couldn’t use this kind of help with dinners?
How To Make Easy Freezer Meals
Crock-Pot BBQ Orange Pork – A sweet and tangy, super easy, healthier Crock-pot version of a classic family favorite. #recipe #crockpot
Crockpot BBQ Orange Pork
Tastes like a gourmet meal, but without all the gourmet hassle. Serve this to impress the neightbors (or you inlaws!) This recipe is picky eater approved. Slow Cooker White Wine Chicken
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Loaded Potato Soup in the Crock-pot – A potato soup loaded with all the things you like on your baked potatoes. I’m talking bacon, cheese, broccoli, and more! #crockpot #recipe
Loaded Potato Soup
Crock-pot Tex-Mex Steak and Beans – An easy meal to throw together; full of tender, juicy steak, black beans, onions, garlic, and spices. #texmex #crockpot #recipe
Crockpot Tex-Mex Steak and Beans
Not Your Usual Black Beans and Rice! Try this great recipe!
Not Your Usual Black Beans and Rice
Make a delicious crockpot peanut chicken without a huge hassle!
Crockpot Peanut Chicken
Crock-pot Red Beans with Pork – a hearty, easy, crowd pleasing, inexpensive dish that is perfect on any night. #crockpot #recipe Crockpot Red Beans With Pork
. Trust me, huge time saver!
Looking for a sweet coloring activity for your little ones? Here is a free printable Scripture verse, perfect for Christmas or any other time of year, really. My little ones love the coloring pages I create for them, so I thought I’d share one with y’all. Just right click the image below that is sized for printing and select print! Feel free to share this link and photos of the finished products your little ones make here or on my social media.
For ornaments you can make yourself or with the kiddos, try my Salt Dough Christmas Ornaments or Pinecone Christmas Angels.
For suggestions on some ways to show kindness, please read Share the Kindness.
Print This!
As a mother of three children ages 6 and under, I have a lot of experience with what you do and don’t use in that first year with a new baby. There are things that just collect dust and others that I use constantly. This is by no means a complete list, but definitely some of the first things that come to my mind as most useful with little ones!
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Girls Newborn Sleepers
Baby Boy Zip Front Sleepers
Unisex-Baby Newborn Zip Front Sleepers
10 Pack Water Resistant Drooler Bib Set
Gerber Unisex-Baby Newborn Five-Pack Elephant Onesies
I Love You Through And Through
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
I recommend that you get fitted in person for regular day time bras, so not recommending anything there. These look pretty much like my favorite to sleep in, though, and you should be able to guess based on your shirt size. Trust me, you want comfort and easy access at night! Lamaze Sleep Maternity Nursing Bra
Fisher-Price Deluxe Newborn Vibrating Rock n’ Play Sleeper
Ours is a hand me down we’ve used through three children, but this is a great one. Music is helpful with little ones and we love the tray for when they start eating little finger foods! Summer Infant Sweet Sleep Musical Swing, Fox and Friends, Espresso
What are some of your must haves?
I don’t have many unshakable Christmas traditions, since I didn’t grow up celebrating. I do have a couple that I started with my own little ones. One is that we always decorate Christmas cookies, even if it’s like last year when we did the kind of cookies that come from premade dough because Mommy’s morning sickness was kicking her hiney. The second is that we make some sort of Christmas decoration. So far this year, we made pinecone angels!
These pinecone angels were so much fun for my 3 and 6 year olds to make with Mommy! It was easy enough that they could do most of it themselves, but hard enough to keep their attention.
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The materials you need are so simple:
here for relatively cheap.)
should work well.
for wings. Fold the piece in half and cut a heart with the middle left connected so you can glue them to the pinecone.
for halo and bow.
Give your kiddos the wings and stickers. Let them choose the colors for the halo and bow. I did a simple circle halo and twist wings. Either let them draw or paint the face on the head or do it yourself if they are too young. When they finish, assemble and glue and set somewhere stable & out of the way to dry. You could tie a ribbon around them to hang to the tree, but we chose to just set them beside the kids’ TV.
My littles are quite proud of their ornaments. What do you think? Would you like to try more ornaments? Try my ever popular Salt Dough Christmas Ornaments or my fun Beaded Ornaments!
You can get the link to print this at the bottom!
This week God used my couponing and bargain shopping skills to answer my prayers. I was literally down to my last pull-up for my 3 year old (and it was a princess one left over from my 6 year old’s potty training days) and a couple of days worth of diapers for the baby, squeezing my toothpaste tube for the last drops and about to start using my children’s, nearly out of shave gel and moving on to random substitutes, and still needed to get things like milk, bananas and such to feed my kiddos in the way they are accustomed. I was figuring on skipping the extra stuff I needed, since I can live without them, but getting everything we needed for the kids and to get the extra things we needed to cook within budget. (I’m a couponer and hubby is a hunter, so we could eat without shopping for awhile, but we needed the things we go through weekly.) Hubby makes enough money, but we have been carrying two mortgages & double electric, water, insurance for over six months now due to multiple closing delays and it is killing us. I said a prayer, put it out of my mind and went to bed trusting. That’s something that comes hard for me- to simply trust.
The morning came and I got online with my list and coupons handy. I looked up my local stores for deals on the things I really needed, browsed my coupon sites (like Swagbucks, my personal favorite place for printing coupons). I found bargains on most things we needed, with many store and manufacturer coupons I could stack.
I spent $26.94 for $104.90 worth of items at CVS, which is over 74% savings! I walked away with a bunch of things we truly needed- like three packs of Huggies diapers, a pack of pull-ups, wipes, toothpaste, shave gel, razors, canned veggies. I also scored plenty we could just enjoy, like three packs of gum, a candy bar, mentos, vitamin water, some mascara and lipstick. I also have $4 in Extra Care Bucks I can use later if something else comes up that we need, and I didn’t count that into my totals. They paid me a penny each for buying the makeup, 50 cents for buying the veggies and 99 cents for buying the packs of gum! I haven’t bought makeup for myself in a very long time, since I was unable to coupon for awhile due to bed rest and recovery. I could make do with my old makeup, but I am grateful for fresh supplies. I would share how y’all can do it, but I was only able to go shopping and verify the deals on the very last day they were available and that’s not really the point of this post.
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Want to learn to shop effectively at CVS? This ebook Get Paid to Shop at CVS – Shopping Secrets Revealed
From there I went to Winn Dixie with the goal of spending only $30 so I could qualify to get a $5 ham, and using coupons to keep it at that total, since I needed to keep it at that. I was able to get everything we needed, four packs of cream cheese & two bottles of McCormick vanilla extract for a steal to use for special treats (coupons and BOGOs), and keep the total after coupons at that $30!
If you are still reading along, bless you! I am sure you can probably appreciate the joy of a great deal when you have a very tight budget. If you can’t understand the joy of God allowing you to use your gifts and hard work to provide when it’s difficult and you’re struggling feeling helpless and anxious….well, I hope you can discover that feeling! It is both humbling and hope restoring all at once.
Moral of the story? It pays to talk to God about your needs and trust that He will provide. It also pays to use whatever skills, resources and abilities you have of your own to meet those needs. When you put His blessing together with doing your best with what you’ve already been given, amazing things can happen… even if it’s just getting everything you need with a few extras!
In the midst of the holiday shopping frenzy with Black Friday, Cyber Monday and all of the high pressure advertising of specials being ran to tempt us, it can be difficult knowing that you have to pass up the bargains no matter how great they are. It can be tempting to spend money you don’t have for things you don’t need. I know I can’t do much shopping this year. I’m okay with that. I have a couple of things tucked away that I managed to get one way or another and know I can at minimum afford to go to the Dollar Tree to stuff my children’s Christmas stockings. If you’re stretched thin this year and feeling bad about it, just know that it’s okay. Adults can understand no presents. Children don’t need as much as most of us think to be happy. Take the focus off of gifts and you can make it joyful without much money!
This has been a year of change for my family. Change can be expensive, overwhelming and difficult. It can also bring about wonderful results. I’m sure a seed isn’t particularly happy about being thrown in a hole, buried under dirt and drowned by water day in and day out. After many days, when the sun shines down on the seedling now peeking through the soil, the seed can just begin to see that it was for the best that it went through that dark time. When that seedling becomes a full blown flower, it can rejoice in the miracle of that dark time turning into something so bright and beautiful! I’m hoping that is how things turn out for us! I feel like I’m in the barely peering through the dirt phase now.
Are you going through a rough time? Having trouble trusting God and calming your anxiety? You are not alone. He has not forgotten. You are not the only one who just can’t handle it all sometimes. It will be okay!
For more encouragement in this area, please read my post about struggling. You are not alone!
Please click if you want your free printable scripture verse!
http://thebrowntribe.net/2015/11/gratitude-throce-and-link-up/
The top hunter on my Christmas list- my husband!
If you are like most women, finding budget friendly gifts for the men in your life is a big challenge! Since I am no exception, but have been married for several years to a man who is an avid hunter, fisherman and all around outdoorsy kinda guy, I thought I’d share a list of some gifts your guy is sure to love without breaking your budget!
All of the gifts I am sharing are less than $20 as of this moment, but prices are subject to change at any time.
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This compass comes with a waterproof case and lanyard, great for anyone who likes to wander through the great outdoors!
SE CC4580 Military Lensatic Sighting Compass with Pouch
This is nine tools all in one! We are talking an axe, shovel, saw, bottle opener and….well, just check it out! You and the lucky recipient will love this one!
SE 8787MS-SP 9-IN-1 Mini Shovel
This is honestly the most awesome credit card holder I have ever seen! Nine tools in one sleek little package that happens to hold credit cards.
Tool Logic CC1SB Credit Card Companion with 9 Tools, Black
If your husband is an avid hunter, he probably has a trail camera he eagerly checks for signs of “the big one”. This will keep him from having to wait until he gets home. Great for the guy who likes gadgets as much as he likes the outdoors….or just hates to wait!
BoneView Trail and Game Camera Viewer for Smartphones (Select either Android or iPhone/iPad version), Reads SD and Micro SD Cards
This is a super nice solid black skinning knife with a case for the hunter on your list, and at a discount that makes it easy on the pockets, as well!
If you think your guy would prefer a set of cool camo hunting knives with their own case, this set is a great bargain, as well!
Ultra light backpacking friendly camp stove! This is great, because all those manly outdoor things definitely give guys an appetite!
Etekcity Ultralight Portable Outdoor Backpacking Camping Stoves with Piezo Ignition
This is a best selling collapsible water resistant lantern, and is deeply discounted as I look at it right now.
[Ultra Bright] LED Lantern – Best Seller – Camping Lantern – Collapses – Suitable for: Hiking, Camping, Emergencies, Hurricanes, Outages – Super Bright – Lightweight – Water Resistant – Black – Divine LEDs
Who doesn’t love a good campfire? This is another best seller!
Gerber Bear Grylls Fire Starter [31-000699]
This Gerber brand knife sharpener is marked over half off as I look, so hopefully it hasn’t changed. Great deal!
Gerber Bear Grylls Field Sharpener [31-001270]
I have to include one of these popular paracord bracelets. This one is marked way down as I type, too!
Gonex 550 Paracord Military Survival Bracelet Parachute Cord 4 Color to Choose Black/army Green/khaki/ British Woodland Camo Fits Approx 8″-10″ (23-26 Cm) Wrists (BRITISH WOODLAND CAMO)
My husband loves his hunting mask, and this one from Mossy Oak is both reasonably priced and nice.
Mossy Oak Full Spandex Face Mask (Break-Up, One Size)
Camo fitted sure grip gloves are great hunter gifts.
Primos Stretch-Fit Gloves with Sure-Grip and Extended Cuff, Mossy Oak New Break-Up
Or something their little hunting buddy can wear, for the proud daddies out there!
Daddy’s New Hunting Buddy Camo Funny Baby Cute – Baby One Piece
This belt will hold up to six cans…because you know how thirsty these guys get!
EZ Drinker Beer & Soda Can Holster Belt, Holds 6 Beverages
This sign cracks me up!
WARNING: Baiting Deer Is Illegal – 11″ x 11″ Plastic Yellow Sign
I love it when my wife lets me go hunting! ha!
1 X Love it When my Wife Lets Me go Hunting Coffee Tea Mug Cup 18oz Gift Box
All stocking stuffers are less than $3 as I list them.
The less experienced hunters might appreciate this field dressing guide.
PAK-IT Guide to Field Dressing a Deer
Field dressing gloves.
Hunters Specialties Shoulder Length Field Dressing Gloves
For the bow hunters, those tricky fellas!
Allen Company Universal Archery Broadhead Wrench
Scent wicks. Your hunter knows what they are!
Wildlife Research 375 Key-Wick Scent Absorbing Wick (4-Pack)
Hunting license holder.
SCAFF’S ENTERPRISES Vinyl License Holder with Rustproof Pin, Fluorescent Orange
Backpacker’s salt and pepper shaker.
Coghlan’s 8236 Backpacker’s Salt & Pepper Shaker
Camper’s egg holder.
Egg Holder (2 Eggs)
I have to add these for the little ones of hunters, because they are just too cute and I am wanting them for my littlest hunters now! My little ones are seriously obsessed with deer, both for eating and for looking at, since we see them a lot on our property.
Camo buck stuffed animal.
Legendary Whitetails Mossy Oak Camo Wild Deer Plush Camo One Size
Pink camo deer stuffed animal.
Camo Wild Realtree APC Pink Deer (10-Inch)
Love pure quality essential oils, but have a tight budget? I love Barefut Essential Oils, and they run some amazing specials on top of the usual great prices! https://barefut.com/?a=1116
I hope this helped some of y’all find great gifts for the guys or outdoor loving women on your lists! I’m just wishing I had the funds to buy mine all the neat things I just found that he doesn’t already have! Did you find any gifts you just had to buy for your hunter?
Need more tips for stretching a tight budget? Check out my top three ways to afford Christmas on a budget!
Need a ring that’s safer for the most active, rough person (like my firefighter husband) to wear? Check out Qalo Rings!
Looking for even more creative ideas for everyone on your list? Check out the amazing variety of gifts- from fudge to decor, natural soaps and skin care to surprise candles- at the program I am an affiliate with- Endless Xpressions!
Penny Pinching Peach 