by Jamie Jeffers | Aug 31, 2020 | Holidays
Whether it’s by choice or not, a stay at home Christmas can be so much fun (and so memorable!). Don’t miss these ingenius traditions this year.
This post was originally written for 2020, when many people were preparing for a stay at home Christmas.
That said, these ideas also work GREAT in a bad economy.
So even if you can’t afford to do all of your favorite Christmas time traditions this year, you can still TOTALLY do some very fun memory making things with the family.
All of these ideas are cheap or free, and most of them can be done from the comforts of your home.
Enjoy these great Christmas time traditions, without all of the expense.
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by Jamie Jeffers | Aug 9, 2020 | Holidays, Saving Money
Curious about how Walmart Christmas layaway 2020 works? Find out what makes it a great alternative to putting another holiday on plastic!
Remember the days of the blue light special? Back then everyone seemed to use layaway programs to help them afford Christmas gifts.
Over time, more people began to use credit cards instead of dealing with the hassle of layaway programs.
But layaway still exists! And it’s actually a fantastic way to avoid debt this Christmas.
Given all the scary statistics about Christmas spending and compounding debt problems (read all about that here), you should be doing everything possible to avoid pulling out the card this season.
It probably won’t surprise you to learn that the best layaway program I’ve found is at Walmart. They will set you up with a program with no extra fees.
That’s much better than what your average credit card company will do for you!
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by Jamie Jeffers | Apr 4, 2020 | Holidays
Celebrating Easter at home this year? Here’s how to celebrate Easter when you’re stuck at home…and how to keep it special for kids and families.
Last year our 5 year old son had a fairly serious spine surgery and was admitted to the hospital for several days.
We spent Palm Sunday there.
And when they released us, it was with orders to stay home for at least a couple of weeks.
(No one wants a still healing child exposed to more germs.)
That meant that we missed Easter Sunday mass, as well.
Who would have guessed that we’d miss them again this year?
Well, spending a special day like Easter at home, without the traditions you usually keep with loved ones, is a tough thing for adults to deal with.
And no, it’s not nearly as hard as what lots of other people are struggling with right now. But it’s ok to admit that you’re bummed about missing out on this special day.
And for kids, it’s even harder. They don’t really get what’s going on.
So how can we keep Easter special, even when we’re stuck at home?
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by Jamie Jeffers | Jan 15, 2020 | Holidays
When it comes to Valentine’s Day, you can’t forget your favorite munchkins! Show your love with these adorable Valentine Gifts for kids…sure to get a smile!
It was a quiet, cold February 13th evening a few years ago. The kids were snoozing, and I was up contemplating, as usual, whether I had done enough to make the holiday special for them. I already had a small box of $1 chocolates for each of them.
Now I’m not the type of Mom who believes that every event needs to be over the top. Celebrating in simple ways works out best for my family.
The more you give to kids, the less they appreciate what they have. It overwhelms their little systems.
So I decided that I’d give them just one more small gift. Something I could put together at home for free. Something that would be a small bit of “icing on the cake”. (more…)
by Jamie Jeffers | Nov 9, 2019 | Holidays
Finding the right inexpensive Christmas gifts that still show how much you care can be tough. But this list of unique ideas makes it easy!
Remember in the Little House on the Prairie books when Laura receives the inexpensive Christmas gifts of an orange and some candy?
One year she even got her very own tin cup to use!
And the year that she received her rag doll was so special to her.
Think about that. Do you think your kids could even tell you what they got for Christmas last year?
The season has morphed from a simple celebration to an over the top holiday.
Even if you don’t long for those Little House on the Prairie style days in your home, you probably like the idea of cutting back a bit.
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by Jamie Jeffers | Oct 8, 2019 | Holidays
Looking for $20 Christmas mantel ideas? Here’s how to use what you have (with a few fun freebies!) to create a fun look.
I’ve always felt pressured to make my mantel look extra special at the holidays.
There are two problems with that.
One: I’m not a DIY kinda gal. Being crafty just isn’t in my skill set.
And two: I hate to spend money! It seems like you have to spend a fortune to create most of the beautiful looks you find on Pinterest.
None of that has changed. But I still decided to set out to create a beautiful Christmas mantel for our home.
And I pulled it off for less than $20!
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I'm Jamie, and I want to help you afford a beautiful life with your family. 
