These are going to be a simple list of things I used or attending weddings of other brides that have used these ideas.

To save money, going with a cupcake tower, which can be cheaper than a traditional wedding cake. (Everyone gets their favorite flavor of cupcake and it is good if you have children attending.

Go simple for the decorations. Stock up on dollar-store ornaments and display them in glass bowls.

Collect pine cones from outside and let them dry. Spray paint silver or gold and pile in jars or vases. Or use them as place-card holders for a dinner party.

Invitations: I had a friend who bought nice paper & printed her own on her computer if you have a program already for it.

You can add your own little pieces of ribbon tied in a tiny bow etc. to dress them up. (you can also add a little silver heart or some little item usually found in craft store for wedding items or even making jewelry

ON RSVP you can also put a phone number on it instead of buying stamps for all of them. (Let your answering machine pick up for them to leave a message, and write that on the RSVP.)

Scour places like Wholesale and Close-out places for good buys on designer soaps and candles.

Buy in bulk at Sam’s/Costco/Price Club and whatever idea you come up with for favors (Candles, soaps, packets of flower seeds) put them in cellophane bags with a bow.(inexpensive but practical, something your guest can use)

For the men in the party, including the groom; Wear black suits instead of tuxes.

With the above in mind, if they all don’t have black suits, you can have them wear khaki pants and black/blue jackets (look in Wal-Mart they are inexpensive and nice enough for one days wearing) They can either purchase their own or you can go halves with them (the husband is responsible for this item)

DJ yourself. Burn your reception music onto a CD to be played during the reception.

You can also use this music as a favor to your guest. Buy blank CD’s and make copies of your reception music put you and your husbands name and your wedding date. (another nice touch is to add a quote, phrase or something that is special to you and your husband) Wrap them in tulle (buy this in bolts-not by the yard) and a ribbon (get this from places like Dollar Tree or again in large quantities or closeouts)

Ask friends, relatives or neighbors for where they have gotten the best deal on things like flowers, candy, gifts etc. Sometimes they are better resources than going to places that advertise for Weddings etc. You will be paying for that advertising.

Speaking of internet from the previous post.

If you are traveling, can’t or don’t have a laptop, are staying somewhere where there is no access to the internet, then I have an alternative for you.

THE LIBRARY. Yes, that’s right. Every city has one. It is free. You do not have to have a library card or anything except identification.

Using this method is the same as being at home or the office……you sit, you look, you print, you prepare; just about anything you want.

The only cost to you will be the amount they charge for prints; I have payed as little as $.02 to as high as $.05.

Yes, I have had to use this many, many times. It works, its cheap and you are not shelling out any extra money for internet service for a short period of time.

Save yourself a stamp, and avoid late fees by paying your bills online.

You can pay direct to your creditors, or set up automatic bill pay with your bank; and take yourself out of the equation entirely.

I have been doing it for years and have never had a problem yet. It is especially good if you travel a lot or even have to leave the country…..internet is everywhere.

When it’s hot, people want to buy window air conditioners and gas barbecue grills. When it’s cold, they want sweaters and winter coats. And businesses charge a lot more money for these items because the demand is greater then.

Last year, during the winter months, I purchased a commercial size gas grill for $200.00 less than the ticket price was in the summer months. I was not even looking for a new stainless steel commercial grill but could not pass up the price.

Instead of shopping in your normal manner, change it up and make your purchases at times when demand is low. You are able to negotiate then, the stores are willing to offer you a bargain just so that they can get the merchandise off of their shelves or off of their floor space.

New models of big appliances, snow blowers, air-conditioners, grills etc. tend to arrive in the store in early fall. You can look for a good deal on these models. So don’t be shy, just ask and you might be very surprised at what happens.

Here are 17 things that will get you out of most car-related jams. Keep them in your trunk or glove compartment so that they are always handy.

 Maps (even if you have a GPS)
 First-Aid Kit
 Flares or Emergency Lights
 Jumper Cables
 Paper Towels
 Flashlight, portable flash-light, spare batteries
 Energy Bars (or other non-perishable food)
 Drinking water
 Matches and emergency candles
 Brightly colored flag, banner, or “help” sign

These would be more appropriate for Winter Months:

 Cat liter, sand or salt (provides good traction for your climate)
 Snow shovel (they make folding ones)
 Ice scraper/windshield brush
 Extra clothing and shoes, particularly ware jackets, hats and gloves
 Windshield wiper fluid and/or deicing fluid
 Gas-line antifreeze
 Blanket or comforter

This is a day at the spa, not free but fun and economical.

Get a bunch of friends together, go to the local department store (Macy, Lord & Taylor) that has a few make up counters with technicians that can give you a make over for free. Pick a time when someone like Clinique or Lancome is offering gift sets with a purchase of say $21.00-25.00. That is not a lot of money and you could either purchase it for yourself or a gift for someone. With this in mind you have two gifts covered.

Take advantage of the many special holiday gift sets and two-for-one options to expand your giving options or consider gift ideas that will allow you to spread out your giving.

So here is the plan:

1) Get a few friends together for a “Sex in the City” day out.
2) Go to get your make overs and do some shopping for the 2 for 1 or free gifts.
3) Pick your favorite spot for a light lunch with maybe a glass of wine or two
4) Get caught up on the latest.
5) Enjoy your friendships and plan your next event.

“Life is nothing without friendship”

This tip is for Moms, Working Moms, Working Gals & Guys, the Young, the Old and the In-betweens……

The ultimate treat for the ALL of the above on your list or a treat for yourself:

Time to exercise and find your inner peace at the same time. Package a new yoga mat with a couple of DVD’s (yoga and aerobics are a good combo) so you can workout in the convenience of your own home.

This is a frugal tip…..The gym membership “hundreds of dollars” and will you be faithful to the regime? OR do the above in the confines of your home and add some friends make a time of it, like planning a lunch (healthy of course) or dinner; I think you can be creative with this, getting healthy and frugal at the same time. Oh did I mention…..make it fun!

Is your home or business office a little too cluttered and disorganized. I know mine from time to time overwhelms me. I have tried to just get organized in small increments. So to begin with I started with Scanning documents as they come in and shredding/recycling the waste.

Don’t be afraid to part with all those papers. Scan your documents. Take advantage of a desktop document management solution like the Free OCR v2.2 software download to organize those electronic files. Visit Freeware Files and download a copy now.

Getting organized now and erasing those piles of paper can help to ease the stress of tax time next year. Having all of your documents scanned and filed electronically will make them easy to find and submit come tax time. And you’ll also have peace of mind knowing that you now have a safe, secure electronic copy of your most important files.

Already have electronic copies of your documents but need them in PDF to submit with your taxes? Products such as PDFMoto can help get your files converted to PDF in a snap. For more information, visit Freeware Files again for your free down loadable copy.

To save time and space, scan documents that you need to save as soon as they come in and shred what you don’t need. Shredders are so inexpensive today, go to Wal-Mart and pick out the very smallest to the largest, whatever you fancy. The important thing is to get organized.

Let this little tidbit help you start the list of things you need to accomplish in 2009. Maybe a little early but none the less, it is a start.

Are you looking for additional inexpensive ways to reduce energy and water while washing clothes might consider the following:

• Wash full loads of laundry. Running a partial load uses the same amount of energy as a full load.
• Use cold water when possible to reduce energy consumption by your water heater.
• Don’t dry clothes excessively. Drying laundry excessively uses more energy and is hard on fabrics. Consider drying clothes partly in the dryer and then hanging them to dry the remainder of the way.
• Clean the lint filter after each load. Doing so keeps the dryer running efficiently. Also, periodically check the air vent and hose to prevent a fire hazard.

If you are going to charge your purchases for the holidays; try to use the cards that offer you the following:

 Cash back
 Airline Miles
 Fuel Perks
 Points

As well as getting back a little something for your effort you will also want to be vigilant in your credit card payments.

When paying your balance due on these cards, you will want to pay as much as possible as to not have a high finance charge added to the remaining balance.

Speaking of finance charge rates, use only the cards you have the lowest finance rate. You can also negotiate that rate with your credit card company if you have established good paying practices with this financial institution. Good Credit is great leverage.