Thrifty Christmas

Happy Thursday everyone!

Can I get an amen hallelujah that this week is almost over?

I hear you, sister.

How do you guys do your Christmas shopping? Do you share the responsibility with your husband? Do all your gifts come 'From the Withers' or do you get something from just you? Then how do you pay for it all? Save up over the year and spend cash? Put it on a credit card? Use your Christmas bonus?

Money...and spending a lot of it around the holidays....is a funny subject but I'm going to talk about it today. Hold on to your hats.

See, I married the most frugal man on Earth, God love his soul. We differ in this aspect considering that when we got married I was a 26 year old single gal in the city and in the bad, bad habit of overdrawing my checking account. Overdrawing frequently. I didn't have any debt to my name, just a bad habit. What can I say?...I justified it by saying it's a better habit than cocaine or shoplifting.

**Come to think of it I'm not sure where this bad habit came from because both of my parents raised me to always be responsible with my money and all that good stuff but I still went through this phase of carelessness....thank goodness that's all it was, a phase. Sorry Dad. I know you're cringing as you read this.

But I digress....**

Tom, on the other hand, was at the wise old age of 29, owned a home, a car, a boat, and a plethora of hunting gear and tools I can't pronounce. And still had some cash saved and in the bank.

I jokingly say he chopped the 'money tree' down the day he married me!

One of the (many, many, oh there are so very many) reasons I married him was because of his respect for money, shall we say.

He is great about planning, saving, paying debts off fast, and on time. He is meticulous with his checkbook and any cash he keeps on hand. Being married to him has changed my spending habits 180 degrees...for the better.

We had a serious sit-down early on in our relationship and he, in a very fatherly tone, let me know that the overdrawing was a thing of the past and it would not be allowed in this house young lady!

I obliged, not wanting to get grounded.

So since our wedding day on August 23, 2008, I have not overdrawn my account one. single. solitary. time.

And all is well in the Withers household.

Not only have I NOT overdrawn, but I have become quite the bargain-hunter. I love scouring the shelves at Marshalls and TJ Maxx. I love getting a compliment and saying, "Oh this old thing? I got it at Wal-Mart." And lately I have been a big fan of a Saturday afternoon game of "Lets-Go-To-Goodwill-And-Hunt-For-Buried-Treasure" game.

This Christmas season, I have found a whole new world of bargain shopping.

The Online Coupon Code.

Am I the last person to jump on this bandwagon of online shopping thriftiness? I have done about a third of my Christmas shopping....all of which online because I live in the middle of nowhere....and have already saved....

Wait for it....

$127.23

Tom is the proudest penny-pinching husband on the block right about now (another reason I love finding a deal...coming home and sharing my victories! Plus, it makes Tom grumble less when he sees the total tally in January).

For starters, it always helps to shop early. Many of the codes I found were valid only through November 30th.

For seconders, every time I buy a product online, first I do my research to find the site that offers it the cheapest. Then simply Google the site name, then the words 'promo code' (ex. "Amazon.com Promo Code). And away you go.

If I want to buy a certain brand that can only be bought on one site (Ann Taylor, Viking Cooking supplies, etc.) simply Google that brand name, then the words 'promo code.'

I have tried many different sites that offer a plethora of coupon codes for different sellers, but have found Retail Me Not to be the best!

Below is a list of all the online discounts I've gotten. I encourage you to try your hand at thrifty holiday online shopping, too! I promise, your husband and your wallet will thank you!

The Discovery Channel: 25% off, saved $12.24
Cards Direct: 11% off, 25% off, and free shipping, saved $28.44
Macys (this one is my favorite): 25% off and free shipping, saved $51.75
L.L. Bean: 20% off + a $10 gift card, saved $13.80
Ebay (Vera Bradley bag): saved $11