These are so cute!

We tend to give our grandparents family pictures for Christmas. Sometimes I feel a little lame, like it's not that exciting. Sometimes we give the picture in a frame, other times it may just be the picture. But I just came across this great idea to spice up a photo gift. Visit the blog here for step-by-step instructions.

Visit this blog for a great book giveaway!

Check out this great new book! They are doing a giveaway here. This is one of the thrifty blogs I follow. I've learned a lot of great things from them:

Pick Another Checkout Lane, Honey is our brand new “How-to” book that will turn you Krazy Coupon Ladies from coupon-shy to coupon-savvy!

Starting now, for an entire week, we’re selling 2 books for only $20.00!! WOW!

Retail value $19.99
Current single price $11.99 + ($2.99 s/h)
Black Friday price 2 for $20.00! + ($2.99 s/h)
Buy it NOW!

"G" and number 13 Preschool Lesson

Giving
Gingerbread (man) cookies: frosting and candy
G letter tracing
Number tree dot-to-dot
Made candy cane sleighs to deliver to elderly sisters in our ward (plus one for each child to take home!)
Homemade Christmas cards with pictures the children colored

Food Storage Analyzer

This is a great tool! I have been wanting to better track our food storage (especially the longer-term storage that tends to be hidden under our beds...) but this also considers the canned "regular" food items that fill our pantry but would definitely come in handy during an emergency. I am excited to go back through my food storage and add them to this analyzer so we can know how we're doing. Highly recommend trying this out.

Coupon Tips

As I'm new to shopping with coupons and have found myself feeling a bit anxious and overwhelmed lately I appreciated these very timely ideas and reminders below from the PYP blog especially the first that reminded me I don't have to get every item (and really that wouldn't be very budget-friendly!). I need to find a system that works for me and my family, be glad and grateful for the savings we do get, and then stop comparing or worrying about what others are doing or what others sales I "missed" when it doesn't really matter. What matters is that I am being smart with our money and hopefully being as thrifty as I can in the process.

Tips for shopping with coupons - compiled by PYP members!

• Pick one or two stores to focus on. Don't try to get every deal at every store. You'll get burnt out before you see significant savings.
  
  
• If a store ad says, "Spend $25, get $5 back," you can use coupons and have it total less than $25 after coupons.
  
  
• Stockpile - buy extra when the price is right so you don't have to pay full price later.
  
  
• Don't buy more than you can use before it expires.
  
  
• Get extra newspapers in order to take advantage of the sale.
  
  
• Be familiar with the coupon policies at various stores.
  
  
• Keep coupons in a binder and always take the binder to the store with you. You never know when you will run into something marked down that you have a coupon for.
  
  
• You can save money even without clipping coupons. Use PYP's shopping lists to find out which sale prices are good and how to use the deals like catalina offers and buy $20 get $5 back, etc.
  
  
• Plan your meals around what is on sale this week and what you've stocked up on from previous weeks.