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10 Gifts That Cost $10 or Less

10 Gifts That Cost $10 or Less

It seems I’m always looking for good $10 gift ideas this time of year. Everything from white elephant exchanges, co-worker gatherings, Secret Santas to Bunco parties require small gifts.

Ten dollars seems to be a common amount, but finding good $10 gifts can be challenging. After all, how many food items or body wash sets can one person use? Though $10 is a small amount, I still like to give gifts that a person will really enjoy and be able to use.

So I put together a few ideas that would make great gifts that still come in under the $10 mark:

  1. Gift Cards
    If you’re buying for a friend, you know them well enough to get a gift card from their favorite store. But if you’re buying a generic gift that could go to anyone, stick to stores everyone seems to like– Amazon, Target, Starbucks, Redbox, iTunes, etc. And don’t forget local businesses, such as coffee shops, boutiques or restaurants.
  2. Phone Accessories
    In our house, there are never enough charging cables, phone cases, earbuds and wall chargers to keep everyone stocked up. Especially since we keep duplicates in different parts of the house, in our cars and in my purse.
  3. Gift Sets
    I hate to knock Old Spice, but skip the average gift sets you see and go for sets from great brands like Burt Bees, Soap and Glory or The Honest Company to give someone a chance to try nice products that they might not typically purchase for themselves.
  4. Books, Magazines, Music and Movies
    Be on the lookout for great sales on these items in weekly circulars. Target does this often. In some cases, you can catch a deal on magazine subscriptions from sites like Discount Magazines. You could gift a much-loved Christmas movie or a bestselling book.
  5. Ornament
    You can’t go wrong with a beautiful ornament to go on the tree. Stores like Hallmark and Hobby Lobby have pretty ornaments. And if you have something particular in mind, check out Etsy where you’ll get exactly what you’re looking for and support a small business owner.
  6. Coffee Mug and Coffee
    Everyone seems to live on coffee (with the exception of my husband and I), so a nice coffee mug and coffee would make a perfect gift. Coffee shops often sell their coffee, and TJ Maxx and Home Goods sell unique coffee blends as well.
  7. Nice Soaps, Lotion or Candles
    Now I’m not talking about a bar of Dial and bottle of Jergens here. Instead, choose items like specialty soaps (Goat Milk Stuff is my favorite) or premium candles like Yankee. (Although, essential oils are a wonderful alternative.)
  8. Board or Card Games
    You can find several card games and a few board games that cost $10 or less, and it’s something a whole family would love to do. I have wonderful memories of my family playing games at holiday gatherings. Uno comes in many inexpensive varieties now, and classic games like Jenga and Taboo are typically less expensive.
  9. Office Supplies
    If you know any nerds like me, then gifting office supplies is always a safe bet. A nice set of pens, cute notebook or decorative post-its are perfect for those in your life who were the type to get excited about buying new school supplies as kids.
  10. Calendar
    With a New Year just around the corner, gift someone an awesome calendar. My husband’s favorites are Chuck Norris or Dilbert. I’ve had every calendar under the sun over the years from puppies to fact-a-day. Indoor malls typically have calendar kiosks, and stores like bookstores and Go! Calendars & Games have a great selection of calendars.

Now you can easily find some $10 gifts that you’ll be proud to give this Christmas. Hope this makes your shopping easier.

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Filed Under: House Tagged With: christmas, gifts, shopping

6 Solutions for the Hard-to-Buy-For People in your Life

6 Solutions for the Hard-to-Buy-For People in your Life

We all have someone on our Christmas list who is notoriously hard to get for.

There’s the people who seem like they already have it all.

There’s the people we don’t really know well enough to know what they would like.

And then, there’s the people who want such particular things, only they can buy things for themselves.

The best solution is to ask these people for a list of 3-5 things they want, but if you aren’t able to do that, here are some ideas that may help you out:

  • Gift Cards
    There are some gift cards you just can’t go wrong with– Amazon, Target, Starbucks, to name a few. Everyone loves getting gift cards because you can get exactly what you want, or put the gift card toward a larger purchase.
  • Subscription Boxes or Services
    Subscriptions are very popular right now– everything from meal kits like Blue Apron to clothing services like Stitch Fix to SiriusXM Radio. Even if you can’t afford to pay for an entire month of the subscription, you can still get them a gift card in the amount you have budgeted.
  • Food Gifts
    My dad is incredibly hard to buy for, as are many men. But one thing I can always count on is his love of food. And, there are sites like Omaha Steaks and Cheryl’s Cookies that deliver high-quality specialty foods. Hey, even the food-of-the-month clubs are a good idea for the foodies in your life.
  • Practical Gifts
    There are certain products like body wash, lotion, hair care and perfume/cologne that we all use. For a really nice gift, skip the Old Spice set and spend your budget on a nicer brand for your loved one to try, like these razors from Harry’s or Dollar Shave Club. For the ladies, you have to check out All Girl Shave Club.
  • Activities or Experiences
    Don’t forget experience gifts like movie tickets, paint studios, gym memberships, house cleaning services or museum memberships. And if there is an activity your friend or family member would love that’s outside of your budget, consider splitting the cost with someone else.
  • Quality Time
    We all live such busy lives that sometimes the nicest gift is just focused, one-on-one time together. You can make it special by going to a restaurant you’ve both wanted to try, trying a new activity together or taking a day trip together somewhere.

Who are the hard-to-get-for people on your list? Get help brainstorming ideas for your hard-to-buy-for loved ones by commenting on this post on the Defeating Busy Facebook page.

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Filed Under: House Tagged With: christmas, gifts, shopping

7 Tricks for Saving Money & Sanity on Black Friday

7 Tricks for Saving Money & Sanity on Black Friday

Black Friday. The day everyone stampedes retail stores looking to snatch a great deal. Like everyone. Last year, 101.7 million people shopped on Black Friday.

Which is why we hear all the crazy stories. More people = more crazies.

The people who get into fights.

The people who get trampled.

The car wrecks in the parking lot.

The people getting sprayed with pepper spray.

Last year, someone was shot in Reno during a Black Friday altercation. (And if you were thinking it had something to do with Johnny Cash having the blues, you’d be wrong.)

But never fear. There are ways to still save crazy money on your holiday shopping without going completely crazy yourself.

  1. Make sure you’re getting the best deal.
    Download the Flipp app which has all the sales ads in one place, plus the ability to search for an item to see who’s offering the best price. USA Today created a short video that explains more about it.
  2. Plan your day.
    Start at the stores that are offering the items you want most and those with the most in-demand items, then work your way down the list to the stores with items that aren’t as popular.
  3. Do a little reconnaissance.
    Visit your targeted stores earlier and ask a manager where your wanted items will be located. This will save you from running around the store on a wild goose chase looking for your items.
  4. Pack snacks and drinks.
    You may not want to take the time to stop some where for a snack break, or you may spend a long time in one store. Be sure to pack a drink and easy snacks like granola bars or nuts to have on you just in case.
  5. Take something to do in line.
    The shopping is the fun part. Waiting in line– not so much. And you may not be next to a friend in line. So download a few podcasts, an audiobook or some great music on your phone to keep you in good spirits.
  6. Get the same deals online.
    Unless you just love the on-site Black Friday experience, check the stores’ websites to see if they offer their Black Friday deals online. Often you can use free store pickup and go get your item after the crowds are long gone. Plus, you can use Ebates to help you save even more. I have been using Ebates for about a year and have earned about $45 in cash back. You simply install a plug-in into your Internet browser and a pop-up will tell you when you have the opportunity to save at a particular site. Click “Activate” and Ebates searches for discounts to apply to your purchase. Even if there aren’t any discounts, you still get a percentage of cash back.
  7. Don’t forget about Cyber Monday deals.
    Just because a retailer isn’t offering a sale on something you want, doesn’t mean they won’t offer a Cyber Monday deal. Online businesses, especially, are more likely to offer Cyber Monday sales.

For even more tips on saving on Black Friday, check out this post from The Penny Hoarder.

What’s the number #1 item on your Black Friday shopping list? Feel free to share on the Defeating Busy Facebook page under this post.

 

 

Filed Under: House Tagged With: black friday, shopping

10 Ways to Use Amazon Wish Lists to Get More Organized

10 Ways to Use Amazon Wish Lists to Get More Organized

I saw this question on Facebook last week:

If you could only use three of these for the rest of your life, which would you choose?

  • Google
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Amazon
  • Instagram

My answers- Google, Pinterest and Amazon.

And Amazon would probably be my top pick. I’m a child of the 80s, so I could go back to using the encyclopedia to find answers (thank you, World Book) and get my recipes out of cookbooks.

But to give up my precious Amazon? And right before Christmas? The horror.

Oh, how do I love thee, Amazon? Let me count the ways.

One reason I love Amazon is because of its Wish List feature. I regularly have about six Wish Lists all year round, and I wanted to share a few ways you can use this feature to organize your life.

  1. Gift Wish List
    Anytime you think of something you would like to have, add it to your Wish List. Then, when Valentine’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas roll around, you will be able to tell your hubby to go to Amazon to see what you’d like. And, you can add this Amazon Assistant button to any Internet browser, so you can add items to your Wish List from non-Amazon sites.
  2. Home Needs
    I keep a running list of things I’d like to buy for our home when we have the extra money. I put everything on here, from bed linens to thermostats to baking pans.
  3. Mental Notes
    I have a list called Mental Notes to save products that I hear about that I don’t want to forget. This may include beauty products in magazines, supplements recommended by people I follow online, or items I might want to buy in a different season (planners, Christmas shirts, outdoor products). You could also create a Shopping List for this type of item, especially if you have an Alexa device. (I don’t have an Alexa device, but wouldn’t that be fun?!)
  4. Child Gift Lists
    This is the same idea as keeping a gift list for yourself. Throughout the year, as I think of things my daughter might like, I add them to her Gift List. Then, I always know what to say if a grandparent asks what she would like.
  5. Husband Gift Ideas
    My husband has his own Gift Wish List, but I created a private one for him as well. I add any ideas that I think of, read about or hear him mention an interest in. We shop mainly from each other’s Wish List, but I like to get a surprise gift too.
  6. Books Read and Books to Read
    I LOVE to read, so keeping a list of books I’d like to read is a must for me. I hear about them on podcast, get recommendations from friends and from online sources. I add them all to an Amazon Wish List, then when I go to the Library or a used bookstore, I pull up my list and go wild. I also move a couple of books to my main Gift Wish List before major holidays in case someone would like to buy me a book. This year, I was curious to know how many books I read in a year, so I created a 2017 Books Read Wish List. It has encouraged me to read more instead of watching TV, as well as told me a lot about the types of books I’m reading– fiction, personal development, biographies, etc.
  7. Movies to Watch
    When a friend recommends a movie or you see a trailer that looks good, add it to a Movies to Watch list so you’ll know what to Redbox or Netflix the next time you have movie night.
  8. Price Watch List
    If there are items you know you want to buy on Amazon but don’t need to buy right away, add them to a Price List. This can come in handy when Amazon has Black Friday and Black Friday in July sales, and they offer great discounts on a variety of items.
  9. Fundraising & Donations for Non-Profits
    If you work for a non-profit, suggest creating a Wish List to give donors more options. There may be some who would rather donate items than money or who may not have cash to donate but do have gift cards.
  10. Wish Lists for Teachers
    If you are a teacher or have teacher friends, they may want to create a Wish List for their classroom. Whether it’s their own friends or family members who like to give them things for the class or parents who would rather buy something than do a fundraiser, the teacher can add anything she needs to her Wish List.

So, am I the only one who is a fan of Amazon Wish Lists? What do you use Wish Lists for? I’d love to hear your ideas, and I hope these ideas got your wheels turning about ways you can use this feature to get better organized.

Filed Under: House Tagged With: amazon, holidays, shopping

How to Save Your Money & Sanity When Christmas Shopping

How to Save Your Money & Sanity When Christmas Shopping

Have you ever spent way too much on Christmas gifts because you weren’t paying attention to how much you were spending?

Have you ever given someone the same thing more than once?

Me too.

You know those 9×13 personalized cake pans that are ideal for taking to a potluck? They are awesome, and I love the one I was given as a gift. So I decided to get my mom one for Christmas. But at that time, I didn’t keep records of my Christmas purchases, so a couple of years later, I got her another cake pan. Oops! Hope you like cake.

You can save yourself embarrassment and quite a bit of money if you use an expense tracker. You can get the one I use here:

And, if you are looking for ways to save on your Christmas shopping in general, try these tips:

  1. Shop those sales. 
    Everyone flocks to Black Friday sales for a reason, but if you’d like to avoid the madness, don’t forget the online deals. Not all businesses wait until Cyber Monday to post their deals. Many start as early as Thanksgiving to drop their prices online, and opt for free shipping or store pickup and miss the crowds.
  2. Shop throughout the year.
    I know, I’m probably telling you this a little too late. But, if you find a great deal on something a friend or family member would love, and it’s the middle of August, get it anyway. Designate one spot in your house for gifts and stockpile everything there so you don’t forget.
  3. Re-evaluate who you buy gifts for.
    Do you get gifts for every member of your extended family? And how much do you spend on each gift? You could suggest your family or group of friends draw names, do a white elephant exchange, set a price limit on gifts, buy for the kids only or just do a group activity together. If this is a little awkward, don’t make it about the money. Suggest these ideas as a way to simplify everyone’s Christmas and just enjoy each other’s company.
  4. Share your skills and talents.
    Give a one-of-a-kind gift by making something for those on your list. Maybe you are a fabulous cook and have a special recipe you can make for your friends. Or if you love making cards, consider creating a small pack of personalized note cards for a close family member. Perhaps you are fantastic with flower arranging and you can craft a cute winter decoration that friends can leave out throughout the winter. These gifts are fun for you to create and are probably more meaningful to receive than a gift you purchase.
  5. Save cash back or rebates for Christmas shopping.
    This is another tip that is best to start in January but will help you save next year. If you have a credit card that gives you cash back or use a particular website or app that gives you rebates each time you make a purchase, save the extra cash for Christmas spending. I have done that this year with our Amazon card, and we have over $100 to put toward our Amazon Christmas purchases.
  6. Open a separate savings account to save for Christmas throughout the year.
    This is an oldie but a goodie. If you know (from your expenses tracker or an expense logging app) that you spend $600 on Christmas, put $50 each month into this designated account, and by December, you’ll have all the money ready for you to use without having to use credit or layaway.

It may take a few extra minutes in planning, but you can save money and simplify your Christmas shopping by using some of these tips. What other ways do you save on Christmas shopping? Send your ideas to defeatingbusy@gmail.com and I will add your ideas to this post.

And don’t forget to download your free expenses tracker so you can log all of your purchases this year.

Filed Under: House Tagged With: budget, christmas, expenses, gifts, shopping

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My name is Ashley. I’m the wife of the best guy on the planet, the mom of two crazy girls and a lover of all things country music, reading and group fitness. And I’m super passionate about helping you simplify your life so you can spend more time doing the things you love.

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