I just want to let you all know how much I’ve enjoyed sharing my “How I Plan to Spend Less than $50 on Christmas” series with you all. Thanks for all of your interest and encouraging comments!
I’ve discovered that this series has been a great way to help me keep track of my Christmas spending. I would say that right now I have a little over half of my Christmas shopping done and I still haven’t touched that $50. By using rebates, rewards programs, great deals, and Swag Bucks, I am well on my way to an under $50 Christmas!
I understand that an under $50 budget make me sound like “Grinch” is my middle name. However, I am actually going to be able to be more generous this year than in years past. Because I am planning ahead and have these great resources, there is much more room for generosity! I may be spending less than $50, but I am giving more than ever!
Here is what I want to do to help you do the same for Christmas next year. I am officially inviting you to join the “Cha-Ching! Christmas Club”. It’s similar to a Christmas Club you may join at your bank in that you’ll be setting money aside for Christmas. The difference is that you need NO money to become a member and every cent you earn will be free money!!
Listed below are all of the resources that have helped me slash my Christmas budget this year plus a few more that have been recommended to me by others.
I recommend joining as many of them as possible and then setting aside all of your earnings from them for Christmas next year. I think you will be amazed by next Christmas at how much money you will save simply by planning ahead.
It may take a few minutes to sign up for each of these and then you may need to set aside a few minutes a day to keep up with them. But in this case, time really does = money!
Note: You may want to check out my Intro to Making Free Money Online post if you are new to all of this!
Rewards Programs:
- Swag Bucks: of course!
- MyPoints: Earn points for reading e-mails, taking surveys and shopping through their site.
- Inbox Dollars: Similar to MyPoints (see above). Get $5 in your account just for signing up.
- Toluna Opinions: Earn $1-$5 for taking surveys
- Cashcrate: Earn around $0.50 per survey you take. They usually offer 1-2 daily survey by clicking on their “Complete Offers” and then “Research Surveys” tabs.
- Pinecone Research: Earn $3 per survey. I will let you know when this one is available!
Other Ideas:
- Rebates: I’ll be sure to keep you updated as I find new ones! Then set them aside in your Cha-Ching Christmas fund!
- Freecycle: Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it! This is a group that you can sign up for in your area and then give and get free stuff. We were able to score a beautiful child-sized acoustic guitar for Griffin–don’t tell!
Leave me a comment if you decide to use some of these to start saving for Christmas next year, ok? I’d love to see who’s joined the club!
Thanks for all the info. I have recently started my Pamper’s and Huggies rewards program. There are some really nice items on there. I have also started the Swagbucks. I can’t wait until next Christmas to see how much I have gotten!!
Thanks again.
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I am a grandmother of 2 teenage girls. I have recently joined MyPoints and VocalPoint. I also am a member of Staples Reward Club. I am hoping to do all of my shopping throughout the year with your kind advice! I’m looking forward to having a great Christmas 2010 with Cha-Ching Christmas…it’s our secret! Loads of gifts with a little money sounds great to me!
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I am a big fan of swagbucks, mypoints and have also made some money selling old video games to toys r us and dvd so amazon.com and selling books to Cash4books. It has really helped my Christmas budget this year and will do the same again next year.
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Joined Inbox Dollars
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I just joined the Huggies Rewards Plan. I do not have babies at home, but it is nice that the program is for everyone! I am already an avid fan and use Swagbucks and MyPoints each and every day. I was able to get 6 gift cards for Christmas presents through these programs. I saved alot of money, and I was very excited! Now my daughters are starting to use MyPoints. (They see the benefits!)
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I love this idea and will be a member of the Cha-Ching Christmas Club. I would love to see a monthly update and ideas on Christmas Club.
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Great idea! I am members of most of your suggested places but I haven’t set that income aside. Will definitely try that for next year. In addition, I am using most of my Christmas budget to help those who need it more than me. I look forward to being able to contribute even more next year! Thanks!
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I just started the Pampers & Huggies Rewards programs (I have a home daycare!) . Thanks for all the great info!!!
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Tell me how do you have time to do all the surveys? I feel overwhelmed! Someone e-mail me with your secret! I got $10.00 from my cousin for Christmas so I’m going to use that for seed money on my Christmas savings club at the credit union. Please e-mail me time saving tips also my family says I’m on the computer all the time! Help! patsconnection@gmail.com
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Just started the couponing and frugal lifestyle changes last May and I have learned so much! Thank you! One way I plan to save is to save 1 or 2 pictures a month in a photo file then I can QUICKLY take advantage of all the free and very low cost photo gifts that started popping up around Thanksgiving. CVS had FREE memory books after ECB, and there were tons of great online offers for mugs, calendars, memory books etc. If you do not belong to any online photo gift sites DO NOT sign up until an offer comes by – many of the freebies are for new members.
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I cannot believe the amount of junk/spam emails I have received within hours of signing up for these rewards programs. I am truly disappointed & have already cancelled all of them! Beware!
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kaleyehret Reply:
January 17th, 2010 at 2:27 pm
Sheri,
I am sorry you were disappointed with your experience with these programs. Several of them do send out 4 or 5 e-mails a day since that is how you earn rewards. I can see why you would feel overwhelmed if you signed up for all of them at once. I can vouch that these programs are legitimate, however, since I have taken part in most of them (and those that I haven’t tried out yet have come highly recommended to me by people that I respect.)
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Key to signing up for these websites is to create a specific email address to use OR have the mail that comes from them directed to a certain folder in your email. Then it’s not overwhelming at all. I have mine directed to a “points newsletters” folder, then everyday I click click click while I’m drinking my coffee.
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Thanks for all that info. Have you had any problems with some of the surveys you have done? I have never completed one. It just seems to go on and on and on….
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kaleyehret Reply:
February 18th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
Rainey,
Which surveys are you talking about? Some companies have longer surveys than others. If it takes too long and they aren’t paying well, I don’t usually finish them either. Your time is valuable!
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I am kind of new to this concept but am tickled to learn the art of creative couponing. Thank you for all the tips. I hope to save a lot this year!
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how do you sign up for the christmas fund? i’ve taken most if not all your ideas and i’m really seeing results.
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kaleyehret Reply:
August 5th, 2010 at 9:25 pm
Hi, Heather! The Christmas Club is more an idea than an actual club. The idea is to use ‘Free Money’ sites and rewards programs to help you set aside money for Christmas throughout the year.
Sounds like you are already a member!
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I have been saving Swag Bucks, Target GCs, rebates, “free” items (on-line bargains, i.e. $10 off $10 purchase) and have a lot of xmas shopping done. I have about $200 in rebates, $150 in GCs, a supply of “free” items, but not as much luck with Swags. I think I have about $50 and that is from the whole year. I wish I had better luck getting Swag Bucks. Four months left to go to Xmas!
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Anna Reply:
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:47 am
I save freebies like free VS panties. I have gotten 6 free ones so far and will bundle them into one gift for my young teen. She loves VS
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