| When you're short on cash and your gift list is | | | | ingredients when they are on sale with coupons, |
| long, it's time to get creative by using super | | | | buy disposable pans at the dollar store, and make |
| grocery bargains to make holiday gifts and | | | | several at a time and freeze them. You can also |
| attractive baskets. When you give a homemade | | | | make a favorite soup or stew and freeze it in a |
| gift, you also avoid the issue of trying to figure | | | | deep disposable pan. Deliver them to friends with |
| out the appropriate amount to spend for each gift | | | | a colorful recipe card tied with a pretty bow. |
| recipient. People always appreciate homemade | | | | - Make gift baskets or gift bags with coupon |
| gifts for their thoughtfulness, you can customize | | | | bargains collected over the year. Get baskets or |
| them to each recipient's personal tastes, and they | | | | gift bags at bargain places like craft stores or |
| help stretch your holiday spending budget at the | | | | dollar stores. Watch for weekly coupons in craft |
| same time. Try these ideas this year to give big | | | | store advertising circulars and get a bargain every |
| and save big, too! | | | | week. All of these items could have been |
| - Make homemade baking mixes, layered in jars | | | | purchased on sale with a coupon at most grocery |
| or plastic storage bags. Simply layer the dry | | | | stores and drugstores for more than 50% off |
| ingredients for your favorite cookie or muffin mix. | | | | over the course of the year. Many deals are |
| Attach a recipe card with instructions for adding | | | | available now! |
| the wet ingredients, the baking temperature and | | | | - Spa basket: Shampoo, conditioner, bubble bath, |
| baking time. Make a colorful, simple card tied to | | | | lotion |
| the package with a ribbon. Take advantage of | | | | - Date night basket-coupon for babysitting for |
| seasonal sales and coupons for baking ingredients | | | | friend's children, discounted gift certificate from |
| like flour, sugar, brown sugar, chocolate chips, | | | | (pay $5 for $25 certificate with a coupon code on |
| oatmeal, and nuts. You can find many good | | | | |
| homemade mix recipes for cookies, soups, cocoa | | | | - Coffee & Tea basket: Coffee, tea bags, |
| mix and more by using an online search engine or | | | | mugs, homemade cookies or homemade biscotti, |
| a recipe website. You can also find books in the | | | | homemade cocoa mix. |
| library with dozens of creative jar mix recipes. | | | | - Children's craft basket: Crayons, markers, |
| - Of course, you can bake muffins, cookies and | | | | colored pencils, drawing paper, glue, construction |
| breads as gifts. Take advantage of canned | | | | paper, tape. |
| pumpkin on sale in clearance bins after | | | | - Baking basket-flour, sugar, nuts, chocolate chips, |
| Thanksgiving to make muffins, frosted bars, | | | | brown sugar, shortening, cookie cutters, printed |
| cookies, breads and even pumpkin soup for | | | | recipes of favorite holiday cookie recipes. |
| dinner. Freeze muffins and breads for easy | | | | - Pasta basket-dry pasta, pasta sauce, |
| breakfasts and snacks for the kids-pumpkin is | | | | homemade bread mix, salad dressing |
| very high in vitamins. | | | | - Wine & Cheese basket-wine, crackers, |
| - You can give moist, healthy muffins as a gift | | | | cheese wheel, fruit, inexpensive wineglasses |
| easily with this inexpensive recipe. Keep your eye | | | | - Movie basket-microwave popcorn, large candy |
| open for clearance prices on canned pumpkin | | | | boxes from the dollar store store, gift card to |
| after Thanksgiving and stock up on cake mix | | | | movie rental store (with a coupon for the movie |
| when it is on sale and you have coupons. Combine | | | | rental store of course) |
| one box of cake mix (Spice Cake Mix works well) | | | | - Soup basket-homemade soup mixes, |
| and one 15-ounce can solid pack pumpkin. Mix until | | | | homemade bread or muffin mixes, soup bowls or |
| well blended. Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full and | | | | spoons, recipe cards |
| bake per instructions on cake mix box. Deliver a | | | | - Beauty basket-nail polish, nail implements, cotton |
| dozen in a bag tied with a pretty ribbon. | | | | balls, body lotion, lip gloss, mascara These are just |
| - Make a favorite dinner recipe that can be frozen | | | | a few ideas-just use your imagination and your |
| as a gift. Anyone would appreciate having a full | | | | coupons to come up with many thoughtful, |
| dinner on hand during the busy holiday season! | | | | creative gift ideas. |
| You can stock up on favorite casserole or lasagna | | | | |