How to save $ on NEXT Christmas!

8 days left! Are you pulling your hair out yet?
As this years Christmas approaches I'd like to share some tips that will save you money for next years big hoopla! My friends call me Monica in reference to the character on Friends, the TV show. She's been known to save the wrapping paper and iron it after parties. I'm not that bad, but I'm close. So here goes:

1. Save the tissue paper!
-Every year, after our frenzied unwrapping, I quickly grab all the tissue paper before it gets trampled and start unfolding it and putting it away in a box I got at an after Christmas sale.
2. Use bags and boxes instead of wrapping paper
-This way you can reuse them every year.
3. Use magazines to make name tags
-This year I took a cereal box and cut out a block letter for the gift receivers initial. My husbands name is Lenski so I cut out an L. I then flipped through old magazines looking for some fun patterns on useless pages. Anything the cut out L would fit on. I traced the letter and then cut it out. All I had to do was tape it to the gift. The gifts look extra spiffy this year!
4. Save and use the packing paper you get
-Whenever you order something by mail you usually will get brown paper that's meant to pack the product in tight. I have used this to wrap gifts this year and it turned out cool. I just added some bright ribbon and bows. (which were also saved from last year)
5. Hit the sales
-As I was in Goodwill this week I noticed that they were already selling their Christmas items at 50% off. Check the thrift stores for gift bags, tree skirts, containers for food and so forth. You'll get it much cheaper. You should also check out Hobby Lobby and other similar stores for new but cheap items like ornaments, boxes or crafts.

One final thing!
This year we weren't able to set aside a budget for Christmas and we had a new addition. So I decided to just buy throughout the year so it wasn't such a big hit on my cash flow. I saved all the change that I could find and would turn it in to the bank for some extra cash. I also decided to do handmade or thrift store gifts this year and to my surprise our tree is overflowing. I didn't anticipate so much so I was shocked when I couldn't find room to put all the gifts. It's worth a try to shop year round. Here's how to do it:
1. Designate an area to put everything as you buy it
2. Save your change and use that to get gifts
3. Carry a small notebook with you to keep track of the gifts you've gotten
4. Always be on the lookout for deals
5. Hit the thrift stores

So relax a little as this Christmas approaches and know that you can already start saving money on next years Christmas.