Life on the Road

Staples and TwitterMoms are sponsoring a contest for tips about saving time & money.

You know what, though? Most people seem to feel it’s an either/or proposition.

You can save time by shopping at a place that has it all, or even has it all online… but you’re likely to pay a premium.

OR

You can save money by searching through ads, coupons, and specials, planning a route to all the different stores you need to hit, sending in rebates and special offers… you’ll get it all for less, but pay for it in time and effort.

What if I want to save it all?

My biggest tip or saving time AND money during the holiday season is to JUST SAY NO!

At our house, we try to “say no” to the consumer mindset from the get-go. As you may know about us, we’ve adoped the Dutch tradition of doing our gift-giving on the Feast of St. Nicholas, with a focus on handmade and creative giving. (This also has the advantage of reserving Christmas or a celebration of Christ’s birth).

We also “say no” to he holiday shopping (binge!) by buying year-round. Although a lot of things are on sale now, the perfect blue glass bowl for my mom waas actually on sale in August – so I grabbed it! For a little bit of storage hassle, I save my time, money, and sanity during the holidays!

Cook a meal for a family dealing with an illness or a new baby, or vacuum the floors! Gifts of service are often much more apprecated by those in need, and are certainly cheaper to give.

Any other good tips to share??

Merry Christmas!