Kids Ain't Cheap

But They Sure Are Worth It

5 Ways to Buy Cheap Christmas Gifts for Kids

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5 ways to find cheap Christmas gifts for kids.Some people shop all year long for Christmas. Others wait until December 24th. Wherever you fit in that spectrum, you still want to score a deal. Americans spend $830 billion on Christmas, according to a 2013 statistic. If you’re looking for cheap Christmas gifts for kids, then here are five tips that will help.

(Got any kids 5 and under? Here’s a great list of gift ideas for them!)

SnagShout

If you’re a fan of Amazon, especially around the holidays, then check out SnagShout.com. It offers hundreds of deeply discounted products you can purchase in exchange for a review.

How does SnagShout work:

  • Browse their merchandise to see if there is something you’d like to purchase. Often these products are marked 60% to 90% off. Some products are even free.
  • You’ll be given a specific SnagShout code to enter at check out.
  • These are Amazon products, so you’ll be automatically transferred to Amazon to complete your purchase.
  • Once you’ve received and tried out the product, you must leave a review on Amazon to complete your agreement with SnagShout.
  • After that, you’re permitted to shop for your next SnagShout product.

Giving SnagShout products as gifts is tricky since you do need to leave a review. I’m certainly not suggesting you lie because that’s unethical and could get you banned from SnagShout. The best solution is to purchase the item for your child, let him play with it, then ask what he thinks. You could also purchase an item of which you’re already familiar and leave a review based on what you already know.

Off-season clearance racks

Fall and spring are great times of the year for garage sales. Every changing season brings a deep discount (i.e. end of summer, back to school, end of winter, etc.). If there are huge discounts on summer clothes during the fall, then you could score some big savings on next year’s summer wardrobe and give them as Christmas presents.

Swagbucks

If gift cards and online shopping are your preferred methods for finding cheap Christmas gifts for kids, then look up Swagbucks. This is one of the most popular survey + reward sites because it offers a wide variety of ways to earn. They include:

  • Searching the Web
  • Online shopping
  • Surveys
  • Watching videos
  • Playing games

You could earn points the next time you shop online at Toys R Us, Target, Old Navy, or the Disney Store. Cash in your points for free gift cards for Amazon, PayPal, Walmart, Target, Visa and more.

Click here to sign up for your free Swagbucks account.

Make gifts

Cheap Christmas gifts for kids come in every shape in size. One of my favorite things about Pinterest is that there are so many options for making awesome gifts for your awesome kids. Not everything is cheaper to make at home than it is in the store. However, I encourage you to at least consider this route, especially if time is on your side. I made a no-sew blanket for each of my babies, and could easily work on it while I watched a movie. Fabric stores often have coupons for supplies, so I saved money and gave my kids something homemade they’ll have for a long time from their not-that-crafty mom.

Actually, probably the best gift for boys is to buy them a soldering iron and a bunch of inductors.  Then have them build circuits or the like.  That will increase their knowledge of science and their manual dexterity.

Groupon

One of the coolest gifts you can give your kids is the gift of experiences. Groupon is a great resource for discounted events and adventures. Search “Groupon + Your City” to find some kid-friendly events happening near you.

Do you start Christmas shopping before or after Thanksgiving? Tell us in the comments below?

Image Credit: Andrew Neel (UnSplash)

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5 Free Printable Baby Shower Games

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free printable baby shower gamesYou’ve graciously offered to throw a baby shower for someone. Perhaps it’s a friend, coworker, or family member. Well done! It’s a fun time, but planning can be stressful. That’s why I’ve put together a roundup of free printable baby shower games to make the most of the mom-to-be’s special day.

5 Free Printable Baby Shower Games

Name That Baby

This is a game we used at my baby shower. Simply pass out the printable forms with a list of animals and have each guest write the names of baby animals of the same breed. for example, goose and gosling.

Find your printable sheets for “Name That Baby” here.

Name That Nursery Rhyme

This single sheet lists several first lines from famous nursery rhymes. Test your guests and see who gets the most right! The printable sheet and answer key are both at the link below:

Print off your copy of “Name That Nursery Rhyme” here.

Baby Bingo

Baby Bingo is a simple and fun game shower guests of any age can play. Print off several of these bingo cards – blue or pink. Make sure you have game pieces, candy, buttons, or coins for players to use for their cards. In each box, write what the expectant mother could potentially receive at her baby shower. For example, diapers, baby blanket, or lotion.

Call out each item and see who calls “Bingo” first!

Choose your printable “Baby Bingo” cards here.

Baby Shower Scavenger Hunt

A great ice breaker that helps people interact with one another is a scavenger hunt. Ask your guests to form into teams of two or three, then give each team a copy of the first clue. The rest of the clues have been hidden by you throughout the house.

I like this version of a scavenger hunt for a baby shower because each clue is fill-in-the-blank, making the clues more solvable and moving the game along at a nice pace. Make sure you have enough prizes for each team member to receive!

Get your “Baby Shower Scavenger Hunt” clues here.

Baby Shower Charades

Could you stand up in front of your friends and describe “Mary Had a Little Lamb” without using words? Try this fun version of charades that centers around popular nursery rhymes. Cut up each choice and have each guest draw one out of a hat to act out.

You can choose a different theme for charades, of course. You can have your guests act out baby-related things like going into labor, swaddling a baby, or having your water break. Oh, the possibilities for fun…

Print off your nursery rhyme-themed “Baby Shower Charades” here.

If you’re looking for more free printable baby shower games or need help putting together your theme, invitations, or snack ideas, then be sure to check the wealth of resources on Pinterest. These five games should help your guests break the ice and enjoy their time making memories and honoring their friend.

Next Up: “5 Quality Baby Items That Are Worth the Investment”

Which baby shower games have you played? Share a favorite with us below!

Image Credit: jdurham (MorgueFile)

Planning on staying home after your baby is born? Check out our top financial resources for stay-at-home moms:

Pinterest Inspired Family Recipes Tested!

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Pinterest Inspired ReceipesIn the last few weeks, my bi-weekly meal plan has become, well boring. Both my husband and I have been feeling like we eat the same 10-15 meals over and over. Since meal planning is the single easiest way to keep our money in check (we’re suckers for grocery stores) I need to do it. The thought of walking into a grocery store without a list gives me near panic attacks knowing the amount of money we will end up wasting on food!

Feeling uninspired is not how one wants to enter a meal planning evening. Since I knew it had to be done, last week I turned to the internet for some inspiration. Since I love a good food picture without all the text to sift through, Pinterest was fun to browse. I picked a few recipes, ran them by the husband, bought the ingredients and gave them a shot. I’m happy to report so far we’ve had nothing but success!

 

Recipe 1: Taco Casserole

The first recipe we tried was Taco Casserole. I love tacos, my husband isn’t so crazy about them. He finds them messy and annoying to eat (his words). Making tacos in a casserole form seemed to be a great compromise.

Taco Casserole

What I changed: In the final steps of the recipe it calls to add shredded lettuce and tomato and then continue baking. Since I hate soggy lettuce, I instead topped the ground beef with a jar of salsa (instead of tomato) and shredded cheese, totally omitting the cooking with lettuce and tomato. I added the fresh lettuce and some sour cream when we ate it.

This was super fast, cheap and yummy. You can use whatever chip or tortilla you want in the bottom and can play with the spices. I will be making this again for sure.

Total cost: $10.98 ($1.83 per portion) 

 

Recipe 2: Southwest Chicken Soup

The second recipe I tried was a clean-eating, two bean southwest chicken soup/chili.

Southwestern Chicken Soup

I didn’t change much other than swapping pinto beans for romano beans (plus the one can of black beans). This was even easier in terms of prep considering it was a slow cooker recipe. If, and when I make this again I will use a different flavor salsa since it is the salsa that gives all the flavor. I’m thinking about trying it with a peach mango salsa next time. The hardest part of this recipe was getting my can opener to work. It made a LOT and tasted great two days later as leftovers. This recipe easily made enough for six large adult portions.

I chose to eat it with tortilla chips, super yummy.

Total cost: I lost my receipt but I think it was approximately $12.00 total or $1.50-$2.00 per portion depending on size.

We have one more recipe on dock to try next week. I’m optimistic because of all three new recipes, it’s the one the reviewed the best.

It’s easy to find excuses to not do your meal plans but meal planning, when done properly, will save your sanity and budget! If you’re feeling uninspired check out a new recipe book, website or Pinterest for some new ideas.

What Pinterest recipes do you love?  Post them below so we can all share!