My thoughts on Black Friday......

Another store makes a Black Friday announcement: For the first time, Target will open stores at midnight Thanksgiving night!   This is not the only one.  Toys R Us, Walmart, Best Buy and others will open at midnight or earlier in hopes of capturing your dollars.

Just a public service announcement--if you are paying attention to prices, planning your gift list early, following my page here and on Facebook, then shopping the sales, you can find MOST (if not ALL)  of your items prior to Black Friday! 


I post dozens of "daily deals" on my Facebook page!  Why not get a $40 gift card to an online beauty store for $20?  What a perfect gift for a niece or daughter!  Or maybe order your parents the awesome Omaha Steaks deal that has been featured recently?  

THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BLACK FRIDAY BOX!

I have most of my kid's presents done as well as a many of my relatives! (I have actually been shopping since summer--hey--a sale's a sale!)  I'll work with the kids to make handmade gifts for the grandparents and call it good.  


I am not against Black Friday shopping.  In fact, if you are in the market for electronics or household appliances, and are not brand specific, Black Friday can really pay off for you.  Year after year, however, I am in shock of the lengths people will go to, simply to purchase a toaster for $10 or a hand mixer for $3! 


I'm not saying there aren't good deals on Black Friday, just keep in mind the retailer's ultimate purpose: TO GET YOU IN THE STORES.  If you are there, you will likely spend money.    Be a smart shopper.  
And if you're there, and see me standing in line next to you, make sure to say hello.  I'll be holding a hand mixer.  ;-)

Cosmetic bag giveaway winner!!

Well here is the winner using random.org




Comment number 5!  Kayce, congratulations!!!


Send me an email with your address and I will get that in the mail to you.


Thanks again to 5Cuties for the fun giveaway!  Don't forget to contact them if you see anything you like on their Facebook page!  Take advantage of that FALL SALE they are having right now!


Thanks for participating everyone!  More goodies coming soon!

Cosmetic bag giveaway!

Check out this cutie patootie cosmetic bag!

5 Cuties is giving this puppy away!!  WOO HOO!!

5 Cuties is an awesome home based embroidery business specializing in unique custom bags and gifts.   They are local to Orlando, but I will ship the gift to the winner anywhere in the US.  Right now they are running a Fall CLEARANCE sale on their Facebook page.


So what can you do to win it?  Go to their Facebook page and "like" them.  Then post in the comments here to let me know you did it!  You have until MIDNIGHT (pst) on Sunday 10/23!


Ready set GO!!!

BOO on a Budget

So here is the long-awaited (atleast for me!) post on how to decorate for Halloween for under $10! I like to think of it as "Boo on a Budget."

You can decorate your home for under $10 to give it some Halloween flair! 

 Take a look at what I did and see how LITTLE I paid.  

It's frighteningly frugal (tee-hee!)

This little guy was easy!  I re-used a jar (I rinse and keep jars and cans for things just like this!).

I added some gauze from the dollar store and some google eyes from my craft stash.  Add a tealight and you have a cute little decoration. 

 The kids could even help you wrap it!

Total cost= $1

This was one of my favorites--the stick centerpiece.  I re-used a vase and added some sticks that had fallen from a tree in my yard.  I used some black spray paint on the limbs to add some "darker" appeal for Halloween.  If I have time, I will likely add some spider webs to it before Halloween night.  The rest of the centerpiece was from my stash.  I actually liked the stark look of the sticks by themselves on the center of the table as well.

Total cost= $0

On a side note--if you don't already own several colors of spray paint, start collecting some!  

I find it is the easiest and cheapest way to repurpose things around your home from frames to vases and sticks!  

Here I have once again repurposed spaghetti jars, spray painted the lids black, and added some cute printables and dollar store candy. (You can see where someone had already depleted the candy corn and tootsie rolls by the time I got my camera out!)

Total cost= $0 for printables (found on Kikicreates!  Love her!)  and $3 for candy.

Okay, these lanterns were total impulse buys at the dollar store.  I couldn't resist!

Total cost= $3

I re-used (again!) some frames from around my house.  (My kids' pictures are behind these.) I used an online template and black scrapbook paper to cut out the silhouettes.  You could use black construction paper just as easily as well.  

Glue and frame and you're set with more free decor!

Total cost=$0 (Get the templates here)

Another freebie!  Love the eyechart concept! Find this freebie at Tatertots and Jello.

Total cost= $0

This last free printable resides right after you enter the front door.  (My kids had to add their own touch on either side!).  I love the subway art concept and the chevron design that frames it out too.  Again, reuse a frame from around your house.  I figure my kids' pictures are displayed all the time, so it's okay to cover them up for a few weeks.  All for the sake of decorating!

Total cost= $0
Printable from the girls at eighteen25

So that brings my total cost for decorating to just $7.  Which leaves me enough money to go buy a pumpkin from the patch for our front porch!

There is your BOO on a Budget!  I hope you enjoyed it!

Don't forget to find me on Facebook!