With Christmas/Holiday spending. Job losses, etc. Times are hard for some and for others (like me) just love to save $$$.

I am posting some of the ways I save money for both gifts and household. If anyone has any others I would love to hear it.

1) Bought those special flourescent bubs (now available at my Dollarama. Two benefits - saves electricity and I only paid $1.

2) Whenever possible I use my Canadian Tire $ and my Points to purchase gifts. This year got my son his electric razor (used Canadian Tire $ so it was free and bought my oldest daughter one of those fancy coffee makers with travelling mugs (free with points)

3) I have also bought cereal with those nature sounds CD's. My three kids loved it and it didn't cost me anything because I eat the cereal anyway.

4) Don't pay retail for dogs needles either. Shopped around and found a clinic here in Toronto that does needles for $55.00. A lot cheaper than vet.

5) Check out sale racks at food stores. Can find nifty stuff from hair dye to those replacement tubes for sippy cups from Playtex to vitamins to childrens motrin and tylenol.

6) Also use coupons whenever possible.

Originally posted by Peanuts With Christmas/Holiday spending. Job losses, etc. Times are hard for some and for others (like me) just love to save $$$. I am posting some of the ways I save money for both gifts and household. If anyone has any others I would love to hear it.

I bring in my flyers into Zellers and get them to "Comp" the price for the item I'm purchasing but at the Walmart price, or Lawtons, Shoppers, Pharmasave, Essaim, Canadian Tire, or any other competitor. They'll match the price, on any item, as long it's the same item, same brand, same size (quantity), color (sometimes happens),...

Over the last 9 years, I have saved so much money by "compimg" thanks to my father-in-law who works at Zellers and told me this little tip. It's amazing the look on some people's faces when I'm at the cash. "You can do that?" they say. And I reply, "Oh! Yes".

Often I'll only do one stop instead of running around and getting all the deals from 2 to 4 different stores.

But I've noticed that the Electronics Dept. will call the store of the flyer to make sure the item is available there first. If not no sale. So I take it to the front cash and the cashiers don't even bother calling the store.

Canadian Tire is another good one to do this at. They match the competitor's price (must be same item and same brand name) plus they give you an extra % of CTC money if you found a lower price somewhere else. They do call the other stores and verify prices however.

~ Aurora

Check the small stores in your towns/citys, I got 4 pairs of pj pants for gift baskets, 3 shirts and 2 pairs of pant for my daughter all for $ 18 at the local SAAN store, I always check clearance racks, like right now at Walmart all Christmas stuff (including gift baskets make up clothes, etc.) are 50-70% off!! I just store everything in my closet, and I'm never caught off guard for birthdays and mothers, fathers, & grandparents days. This year I was done Christmas shopping by October!!

Originally posted by Maggie Points rewards are really great... well over $600 from PC points earned on my MC and debit card.

Considering that you would have to spend thousands of dollars to get this kind of return I'm not sure this would be very helpful to anyone who is truly struggling and NEEDS to save money.

You get 10 points/ dollar spent on your Mastercard but it takes 20,000 ($2000 spent on card) points to get $20 of groceries. To get $600 of reward groceries you would have to spend a whopping $60,000 on your Mastercard. Of course, if you are spending this much anyway, you might as well get something from it.

If you really need to save money, in my opinion the best way is just not to buy things. We really don't need most of what we buy. One thing some people find helpful is to make yourself wait a few days every time you are considering buying something. By the time a few days pass you will most times have reconsidered or found a cheaper alternative.

In one family I know the adults got together and decided that from then on they would have to make all gifts they exchange. Since they instituted this policy the gifts are way more appreciated. Gifts have become more thoughtful, personal, meaningful, sometimes humorous, and very creative.