Thanks Tracy! I have to go though my gift box too.  I am finding it harder to shock up on sale toys for birthday etc.  

With dd birthday at the end of nov and xmas soon after it is hard to buy for her without overloading her.   I am thinking of doing a combo party in sept with her brother since the same kids would be invited.  still would do a family birthday for her in nov.

 We are ready to start birthdays- dd- August, ds Sept, dd in Oct, no one in Nov, 2 dd in Dec, Christmas, dd in January, then no one until April.

It seems hard to think about Christmas when it is over 100 degrees here in Texas, but it will be here before we know it, and with the price of things it's going to be harder than ever to squeeze out the cash for things.  I did buy my dh, ds, and my sil warm jackets in January.  They were $24 normally and I got them for $7 each.  and all I have to do is wrap them.  We don't get much real cold weather, but I know they all like these jackets.  I bought my dgd 2 presents this month and put them away.  I also got a man and a womans razor and refill for less than $5 with coupons and put these away for my dd and sil.  I gave them something like it last year and it was a big hit.  I am glad they are not hard to please.  I also got my ds a hunting type T-shirt at the dollar store not to long ago.  I just can't figure out what to get my dd. 

I've started 3 ways to stock-up on chrismas, we payed for our holideay early, I've been watching for gifts and buying them early and I signed up for Chrisco hampers for the food items, I'm all set!

 I'm listening to Christmas music right now!  I know it's odd, but I'm in the spirit.  

So far this is what I have done or my plan:

*At CVS this week, they have Air Wick Mini Freshmatic Starter Kits for $4.99 and there are internet coupons for $4.  I decided that I would get some of those to put in baskets or bags for co-worker gifts.  I bought some bath/body sets after Christmas at the Reader's Digest outlet store.  I'll break those apart, add the Air Wick mini, a cheap or free candle and maybe a pretty wash cloth or puff.  More personal that buying a set at the store (and cheaper, too).

 *I do My Points as well and have just over 10,000 points.  I'm working out the most "bang" for my buck, gift card-wise.  

*My debit card has a points program where I can get (a very limited selection of) gift cards.  The best one is an I-Tunes card for DD. 

 *I bought several sets of ornaments at the RD Outlet, too.  I'll split those up for co-worker gifts--I usually give small gifts to about 15 folks.  They give me gifts, so I like to get them something, but I don't make as much as some of those jokers!! 

*No real clue about DH or DD.  They don't want anything that is cheap

*I make lots of candy bags and hand them out.  I've bought tons of candy-making ingredients on clearance.  Macadamia nuts, sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips were on clearance at WM some time ago.  I froze the nuts using my vacuum sealer and have kept the chocolate and condensed milk in a cool spot.

*I've been buying food with a long expiration date and putting it up for our food drive at work.  I also scored LOTS of toys at CVS last year at 90% off--those will be for Toys for Tots or the like.

Wow, that post went on longer than I intended.  I just LOVE Christmas, tho...even in July!!

terri 

Two little things- got a bag of epsom salts for dh, he likes to soak in a tub of it after work, although might give to him early, so maybe not a gift.  Found extra vanilla and food colors for cookies in my pantry.  I think this year will be a half "found" Christmas.

Terri- where is that coupon on-line?  

www.airwick.us
www.homesolutionsnews.us

Both have the $4 Q's.

terri 

Thanks so much for the links!!!

I've been checking out ebay sales, especially for Longaberger baskets. I've gotten quite a few awesome deals, but man alive...some of the shipping prices are absolutely ridiculous!! There is a little antiques/crafts store in the next town over from us, and I usually go in there a few times between now & Christmas. My MIL collects teapots & snowmen, and I've actually found a few things in there for her, over the years.

One step forward, one step back- gave dh the epsom salts for his apt now, so out a gift, but found that pens and markers are free after rebate at Walgreens this week, two things to get.