Saving Money on Stocking Stuffers

How to Fill a Holiday Stocking for Free

We all love stockings. Up until just a few years ago, my mom would still give me one and it had always been my favourite gift to open. Stockings don't have to cost anything and are supposed to be filled with small trinkets and goodies, not things like $50 gift cards and iPods! Remember when we used to get clementines in there? What happened with that? :)

I don't have kids so I don't have to fight with anyone regarding the contents of a stocking, but sometimes parents have to put their foot down. too many kids are spoiled rotten these days, it's awful. Here are some things you can get for free, but plan early for some of these:

• If you happen to go to trade shows or conventions, you can always get free things there. Have a look around. I usually go to a Health Show every year and get a free goodie bag with things in it.

• Go to freebie sites, start collecting early and keep a box set aside for them. There are SO MANY free things to be had out there from big companies. A few years ago I kept a box with all the freebies I got just to see how full it would get. Over the course of a several months it was filled with things like books, cards, samples of makeup or soap, shampoos, cleaning products, amazing.

• Craft Shows. Right around the holidays there are a lot of craft shows. Some crafters give out free samples of things that you can keep and set aside. (like soap pieces for example)

• If you are planning to spend money on some holiday gifts, look for items that you get something free with purchase. This time of year that's easy! Use the free gift for a stocking.

• Best Buy gives you a gift card if you trade in an old cellphone. So dig out that dinosaur phone of yours and bring it in!

• Cash in credit card points or airmiles for free gift cards, magazine subscriptions, video rentals or movie tickets. They often don't cost a lot of points.

• My drugstore often has deals where if you purchase a certain amount of goods at the store, you can get a free gift card of some sort. It is usually movie tickets or coffee cards. I rarely go in and spend $40 in one shot, so sometimes I wait till I need something big or lots of things then make a big trip so I can get the freebie.

• Make some cool Rock Candy! Most people have sugar and food colouring in their pantry, so follow this recipe: http://candy.about.com/od/hardcandyrecipes/r/rock_candy.htm

• Go to a department store and ask for samples of perfume and make up. Maybe get a free makeup application while you are there :)

• PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has a lot of free stuff to give away like stickers and booklets. Check out their website for all the freebies. http://www.peta.org/

• Print out some free Baking and Cooking E-books here: http://www.preparedpantry.com/baking-guides.htm or some other independent books can be found here that are free: http://www.ebook88.com/shelf.html or do a search for free ebooks online.

• Make Compilation CDs with the recipient's favourite music or a new band that they may not have heard of yet. Myspace.com has tons of free indie music that can be downloaded from upcoming artists!

• I don't recommend eating at fast food places, but sometimes they will give away free trinkets for children, even crayons and a colouring sheet or book. I've seen people just come in and not buy anything and ask for a free toy for their child.

• Make candy or caramel apples! Most of us have sugar and apples at home or this time of year you can probably still get some for free from farmers. http://www.allfreecrafts.com/halloween/candy-apples.shtml You can use recycled and washed chopsticks to put in the apple.

• Make a free printable calendar for kids that they can colour in: http://familycrafts.about.com/od/calendars/a/2010calendars.htm

• Have a swap or exchange with friends of items that you no longer want or things that you want to re-gift. This can include clothing, gadgets, handmade crafts, bath and body items (un-used), kids' toys, etc.

Good luck and happy holidays everyone!

Source: Edited from one of my blog posts:

• http://thefrugalvegan.wordpress.com

By freya1970 from Halifax, NS

Back to School Sales for Stocking Stuffers

Buy school supplies and give them as stocking stuffers. My kids never get tired of getting pencils, crayons, markers, and these are always on sale around back to school season. You can find some items extra, extra cheap like spiral notebooks! I love to give presents that the children have to be creative with.

By Robyn Fed from Hampton, TN

Sample Sizes for Stocking Stuffers

Sample sizes and travel sizes of shampoo, lotion and the like are good stocking stuffers for little ones. They love the little sizes!

By Linda

Stock Up On Stocking Stuffers Year Round

Christmas stocking stuffers can be purchased all througout the year and saved for Christmas Eve. I keep a bag under my bed of "treasures" I find throughout the year. When the Christmas season comes, I already have most of the stocking stuffers and don't need to spend money on those at a time when money is already getting tighter than usual.

Essentials for Stocking Stuffers

Things get expensive during the holiday season, and the kids get over run with toys and candy.

Instead of stuffing our stockings with traditional toys and candy, Santa Clause stocks up on the essentials. The kids get art supplies to replenish their tub, shampoo, new toothbrushes (the cool character kind) and socks. Sometimes a few of those convenience foods to which mom always says "No".

This also helps to keep our holiday spending in check, as its all stuff that we'd need to buy anyways.

And the kids get excited enough to actually get in the bath and brush their teeth and get ready for bed. After all, doesn't Santa want them to use their new stuff?

By Violets from Santa Clara CA

Stocking Stuffers At The Dollar Store

Having five kids, I tend to get stressed about stocking stuffers. I even had my husband do it one year and he was so frustrated because he could not find many "little" items under five dollars. And that can add up quick! So my solution was "Dollar Tree". They have many stores, but we travel a few extra miles to their "super store". The children draw names and each child can buy five items. All of the kids buy for mom and dad. We laugh at what the kids buy for each other! It makes Christmas so much more enjoyable. And much less stress!

By Gina from Arlington, Texas

Stocking Stuffer Savings

Sometimes it's the little things that cost the most; stocking stuffers fall into this category. Rather than spend a fortune on small but expensive gifts, be creative and find some great savings on tiny tidbits. It makes it more fun for everyone.

Grown-Up Stockings

Adult stocking stuffers are possibly the most difficult to find. Items like jewelry, CDs, and gift certificates fit in the sock nicely but can cost a fortune. Instead try for a theme stocking. If the owner likes to work around the house, fill the stocking with a small picture hanging kit, some electrical tape, a new screwdriver, and some band-aides. The chef will appreciate a pot holder stocking stuffed with spatulas, spoons, and spices. Other ideas for the average stocking can be:

• Small samples of lotions, coffees, etc. A variety can be had for a little price; some are even free!
• Disposable cameras are always fun, and if you watch for coupons around the holidays they're quite inexpensive.
• Gum, playing cards, poker chips, dice,
• A handheld electronic game found in most dollar stores.
• Assemble a few fun photos in an inexpensive pocket photo album (usually $1-$2)
• Seed packets for the gardener

Children's Fun

Children are easier to shop for when it comes to their Christmas stockings. Many fun things in small packages can be found. Avoid the unhealthy candies and opt for packages of mixed nuts or trail mix. A special treat can be individually wrapped fortune cookies which can be bought in boxes. Theme stockings might be lost in the excitement of Christmas morning, but they might help you generate some ideas. Try for fun items like:

• Craft supplies such as beads, ribbon, lanyard kits, and acrylic paints.
• Matchbox cars; buy the cheaper store brand sets packaged for the holidays and pull them from the packages to fill the stocking with loose cars.
• For girls, buy a large card of hair clips and remove them from the packaging to let them loose in the stocking as well.
• Small plastic animals that come as packaged sets are always fun in the morning.
• Remove crayons from their boxes and tie them together as a bouquet of color.

Keep brainstorming ideas until you get to the rim of that stocking. All the while, keep a budget in mind. A fun activity is to brainstorm a list then pass it to another parent. Have him or her add ideas to the list and pass it again. Eventually have it returned to you, make copies for everyone, and check off which ideas work best for your family.

By Kelly Ann Butterbaugh

Buying Items They Normally Would Need to Buy

I wanted to purchase my husband some smaller gifts for his stocking on our first Christmas together, but quickly didn't see the point of useless little gadgets/knick knacks that would ultimately end up sitting in storage somewhere. So I bought him groceries! I hit the local store and picked up his brands of saline solution, hair gel, shave gel, chap stick, shampoo, deodorant, candy, etc. I wrapped each item pretty and he was set for another month on toiletries. My grocery budget never took a hit as it was from the "gift" fund.

By Angela from Deep River, CT