5 Ways to Save Money Before and After Christmas

Christmas is around the corner and if you are like anyone else out there, you are doing some crazy shopping!  I tend to do my Christmas shopping early, normally early October I start. I am finishing up now and while I was doing my last little bit of Christmas shopping I became inspired to write this post.  Here it goes - HOW TO SAVE MONEY!

Around the holidays we are all "spend spend spend" but it can't hurt to save a little while you are spending right?  A few tips and tricks that work:

1.  PC Financial MasterCard - I'm not kidding, there is no annual fee and you get points every time you use it.  I use my MasterCard for everything (literally) and when I come home I pay it off right away.  I get points for all of that!  I even have it set up for my Internet bill, it comes off my MasterCard every month.

How do you save exactly?  As an example - I gathered up enough points to save $30 on groceries today.  It really does depend on how much you spend, the more you spend the quicker you gather points.  

2.  Cancel Cable - Do you need cable? I mean really?  I don't know about you, but I am so busy working that I never have time to watch TV.  Even if I do, the same repeat shows are on. I signed up for Netflix ($9 a month) and use that instead of cable. I can watch whatever I want and whenever I want it. Be careful though, Netflix uses your WiFi.  I have an unlimited internet package through work so I used that to offset the Netflix.

3.  Drink Coffee at Home - You may think $2 a day doesn't add up, but it does!  I have coffee at home and for my K-Cups I would say about 20 cents a coffee (when they are on sale I stock up) and it would be even less if you have a reusable filter.  $2 or 20 cents?  Hmmm..I prefer the 20 cents a day.

4.  Don't Spend! - Don't spend what you don't have.  It may seem easy but we all know it's not.  Interest charges on your credit card are not worth it trust me.  Even if you are thinking about going out for dinner, think $100 for two people (average) or you can eat at home and spend $10 a person (depending on what you eat).  You do the math :).

5. Save! - My favorite!  For those of you who know me, I have a huge savings.  For what do you ask?  Well, emergencies and vacations.  If we think about going out to eat, we will take that money we would have spent and put it into savings.  Of course we do still go out to eat occasionally but it truly is only for special occasions.  Its amazing how much we have saved and this means time to go on vacation :).

I hope this helps everyone, especially around the holidays.  Any other great tips that you may have?  Please take the time to comment below!