How Some Readers Stretched Their Gift Budgets (And The Gift Card Winner)

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We had a total of fifteen comments that qualified for the Marshalls/TJ Maxx gift card giveaway.  I used Random.org to generate the winning comment (each comment is numbered).  Comment 12 from Sarah R is the winner!

Congratulations Sarah!  I’ve already sent an email to get mailing info to send out your card.

I loved all of the responses to how you stretched your gift budgets.

Here was Sarah’s response:

First, I started shopping earlier, so my bf’s Christmas gift (tickets to the Philharmonic) actually came out of September’s budget. Next, I made jewelry for gifts, used credit card points to “buy” gift cards at no cost, and gifted my old iPod speakers to my brother. The only people who are receiving purchased gifts (outside of the bf, of course) this December are my nephews because I couldn’t figure out how to make the train sets they’d asked for. But even that was on the cheap: I researched the lowest prices and bought battery-operated trains because I think they’re too young to take care of a real train set.

Here are some other, notable responses:

Becca went the handmade route:

I got crafty and made a lot of my gifts! Christmas ornaments, a pair of mittens, and some photo frames. Sometimes it’s a lot cheaper to buy the materials and make your own stuff.

Who doesn’t like thoughtful homemade gifts?

Abigail used the power of the net (among other strategies):

This past spring, I signed up at Swagbucks and enlisted my mom, my husband a whole bunch of my readers to sign up as well. With their help and some diligence on my part, I got enough Swagbucks to get $170 of GCs from Amazon.com. That got my husband his main present, a PSP. It was a combination birthday/Christmas gift, so he already has it. And love love loves it!

Mike:

I have gotten gifts for the younger kids at goodwill. They are hard on toys and don’t care if its been played with before.

J. Co, Emily N, and Sarah cashed in credit card points.

These are all great ideas, some of which I’ll have to utilize myself! It’s great to hear from readers.

Thank you everyone for sharing your ideas (and for entering the giveaway).  I hope you have a great holiday season!

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