Tag Archives: challenge

The $100 Holiday Challenge: Can you spend just $100 on gifts this holiday season?

The $100 holiday challenge: Can you spend just $100 on gifts this holiday season?

The $100 holiday challenge: Can you spend just $100 on gifts this holiday season?

With Halloween over, the daylight hours getting shorter and a crisp cool in the air, I’m suddenly hyper-aware that the holidays are just around the corner. If you could see my face it would look like the “scream” emoji. I know that pretty soon the Christmas carols will be blaring from every shop in town and my fellow type-As and I will be in full panic mode.

Last year I tried a $100 handmade holiday challenge. I tried (and failed) to handmade everyone’s holiday gift for just 100 buck-a-roos. I failed the challenge for a few reasons– the biggest reason was that my grandmother passed away last December and really, hand making gifts seemed less important than spending time with my mom. I also didn’t allow myself enough time to MAKE ALL THE GIFTS! This year I’m taking a healthier approach. I’m still limiting myself to just $100 dollars, but I’m giving myself more time and I’m allowing myself to simply buy gifts too.

So how am I going to make or buy almost 20 gifts for just $100? Strategy, people. Strategy. I know that if I divide the money equally I will have a little over 5 dollars per person (or pet) to spend. That’s not a lot to work with. (It’s a stunningly small number when compared to the average estimated $781 dollars that Americans will spend on holiday gifts this year.) I also know that some gifts will be completely free, while others will go over the $5 estimate.

For the challenge I won’t count supplies that I already own. The $100 includes anything purchased. I will be using coupons and George (my husband) and I have agreed to not get each other anything this year. (A tad boring, yes, but we’d rather put that money toward our ultimate goal of home ownership.) For people, like my co-workers, I plan on simply making some sort of baked goods which will cost significantly less than purchasing something.

My holiday gift list consists of:

  1. Mom
  2. Dad
  3. Dog
  4. Sister
  5. Sister’s cat
  6. Sister’s boyfriend
  7. Mother-in-law
  8. Father-in-law
  9. Brother-in-law
  10. Sister-in-law
  11. Niece
  12. Kid Cousin
  13. Kid Cousin
  14. Gift exchange
  15. Friend
  16. Friend
  17. Friend’s kid
  18. Co-workers

Can I do it? I don’t know, but I am sure as hell going to try. It’s going to be a challenge. I’ll update you along the way, of course. Will you join me in the $100 holiday challenge?!

love,
melanie

The Minimalist Challenge: Week 1

Minimalist Challenge Week 1Have you all heard of the minimalist challenge? Starting on day 1, you get rid of 1 thing, on day 2, 2 things, day 3, 3 things and so on. I learned about it from my fellow blogger, Anna Newell Jones from And Then We Saved. That girl is a financial rockstar.

I knew that the challenge would be extra hard for me since I got rid of a lot before I moved into the Airstream. But, the Airstream has been feeling a little cramped lately and I love a good purge.

This first week was easy, but it reminded me that I definitely need to clean out my medicine cabinet more often. I had medication stored in there that was 8 years old! How embarrassing!

Here’s what I got rid of (or plan to sell)

1. Old beach hat
2. 2 contact lens cases (Don’t need those anymore!)
3. Eye makeup tattoos and nail art wraps (A gift that was too weird for me) & a nail scrubbie
4. Library books (not actually getting rid of these, but I need to return them!)
5. Old medications (3), a small plastic bag and a linen bag
6. Old medications (6) and a glasses bag
7. Fake pair of glasses from Halloween, a cap to makeup I already used, a tank top I don’t wear, a flashlight case and rusty lids from canning jars (3)

Do you love a good purge like I do? Or does minimalism scare you (like it does my husband!)?

Talk to me in the comments!

love,
melanie

The Handmade Holiday Challenge

Gorgeous handmade socks by Hedgehog Fibres on Flickr

Gorgeous handmade socks by Hedgehog Fibres on Flickr

The average American adult is predicted to spend $786 this holiday season. That’s nutzo, ya’ll. And I must admit, I was one of those free-spending holiday nuts once too. But this year, no more. I’m no Scrooge, but I simply can’t spend the money I once did on the holidays. This year I’m giving myself a mere $100 budget to spend on gifts. How am I going to do it? Well, people, I’m getting crafty.

Why $100? Why not totally free? Well, crafts aren’t free unlike Pinterest leads us to believe. But handmaking gifts can save money if you’re smart about it. Even with $100 it’s going to be a challenge to get supplies. I’ve got a dozen gifts to give. (12 days of Christmas, 12 gifts, makes sense right?!) And there’s only so much time in the day.

Yes, I’m a nut to take on this challenge during the already stressful holiday season. But I’m a bag full of delicious holiday nuts, for sure.

Here’s the list of people I’m making something for:

  1. Mom
  2. Dad
  3. Sister
  4. Sister’s cat (weird, I know, but we always give our pets gifts in my family)
  5. Mother-in-law
  6. Father-in-law
  7. Niece
  8. Brother-in-law
  9. Sister-in-law
  10. Husband
  11. Friends
  12. Co-workers

In case you are curious, my mom usually buys the extended family gifts. (My grandma, aunts, uncles, etc.) So, I don’t have to worry about them. I’m also spending a little bit on charitable donations this year, but I won’t be taking it out of my craft fund.

Will you join my handmade holiday challenge? What’s the best handmade gift you’ve ever given or received? Let me know in the comments!

love,
melanie