Still need more gifts? Feeling low on funds? No worries! The Budget Diet Girl is your Christmas gift-giving angel with 6 festive, frugal and almost free Christmas gift ideas. Even better…no shopping required! Write a Poem – If… Read More >
Simplify Christmas Gift Giving
Spend less time in the mall and more time enjoying the season. 6 Ways to Simplify Christmas Gift Giving Give an Annual Gift – Rather than wandering the mall year after year in pursuit of the… Read More >
Festive and Frugal Gift Idea – DIY Fort Kit
Remember the joy of building a fort in your living room? Maybe you used a card table and sheets, or maybe you created a fort with a giant box and markers. Those forts could be castles high in… Read More >
The Savvy Shopper’s Survival Guide for Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Is Black Friday shopping part of your holiday tradition? Or do you prefer the joy of couch commerce, scouring the deals from your iPad in the comfort of your home on Cyber Monday? Whatever your shopping preference, The… Read More >
Say Goodbye to Paper Coupons
Once upon a time, Thanksgiving Day meant shuffling through the newspaper, clipping coupons for Black Friday. Then we would wake up in the wee hours of the morning to race around the stores snatching up bargains. With bargains… Read More >
10 Ways to Save Money on Toys
If you have little ones in your life, Christmas morning is likely filled with toys and hours of figuring out how to make some of them work! I can’t make those instructions for putting them together any easier,… Read More >
Christmas Shopping Online? Take the Bargain Shopper’s Pledge
The Bargain Shopper’s Pledge I promise to make a list and stick to it! I promise to use the internet to compare prices and read product reviews before making purchases. I promise to do everything in my power… Read More >
8 Ways to Cut Your Grocery Bill This Holiday Season
The Thanksgiving Feast for 20. Your annual cookie exchange for the neighborhood. You Christmas Eve open house attended by at least 50 folks. Don’t let holiday parties and family feasts take a bite out of your grocery budget…. Read More >
Ho Ho Haystacks – A Super Easy No-Bake Recipe
Print Ho Ho Haystacks – A Super Easy No-Bake Cookie Recipe If you need a homemade treat, but you don’t have a moment to spare…Ho Ho Haystacks are your answer! They’re a cross between a candy and a… Read More >
Hostess Gifts: They Don’t Have to Break the Bank!
You know that you should “never show up empty handed” to a party. At the same time, buying a hostess gift every time you are invited somewhere can get really expensive – so expensive that some people honestly… Read More >
Festive and Frugal Gift Ideas – Less Than $10
Still need a few gifts? Wallet feeling stretched? Let this collection of festive and frugal gift ideas inspire you…everything costs less than $10 and many will cost next to nothing! If it’s a homemade gift, don’t panic –… Read More >
Dollar Store Gift Guide
Before you laugh, before you decide that I’ve gone off the frugal deep end…let me explain. You won’t actually be buying a gift from the dollar store, you’ll be buying the supplies to make a Dollar Store craft… Read More >
Festive and Frugal Gift Idea – Homemade Coconut Sugar Scrub
If you’re in the full-blown Christmas panic mode, take a deep-breath, relax and treat your hands to a Coconut Sugar Scrub. Actually, this super easy 2-ingredient sugar scrub is a nice treat for you, but it’s also a… Read More >
Christmas Countdown – 12 Days of Frugal Family Fun
School’s out. Santa’s coming. Let the Christmas break fun begin! The Budget Diet’s Christmas Countdown gives you 12 festive and frugal ways to make a little “merry” for less this season. There’s one activity for every day until… Read More >
DIY Chalkboard Flower Pot
Another festive and frugal DIY gift from The Budget Diet girl! These make great gifts all year round…imagine the messages, imagine the gift giving possibilities – Get Well, Happy Birthday, Welcome to the Neighborhood, Good Luck, Welcome Home…you… Read More >
Hostess Gifts – Beyond the Bottle of Wine!
It’s day 9 of The Budget Diet’s Festive and Frugal Christmas Ideas, and today’s gift ideas are perfect for hostess gifts, teacher gifts or neighbor gifts.
Don’t get me wrong, a bottle of wine is a great hostess gift, but sometimes we want to give something more unique. The Budget Diet girl has come up with some unique and budget friendly hostess gifts for every type of party. Why don’t you give one a try this holiday season!
Hostess Gifts – Think breakfast!
The party was wonderful, your hosts had a blast, but a late night of cleaning made the morning come way too fast! Wouldn’t it be nice to leave them a breakfast hostess gift!
- Muffins or Homemade Pumpkin Bread – try my recipe for Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Filling
- Fresh Bagels and Gourmet Coffee
- French Bread with Homemade Strawberry Jam
- Homemade Granola – try my frugalicious and fast Granola Recipe!
Hostess Gifts – No Cooking Required!
Look no further than your local T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, Ross or Homegoods for inexpensive hostess gift ideas! The rosemary plant will have to be purchased from a garden center.
- Rosemary Plant – smells great, looks great and it’s useful!
- Cocktail Napkins – seasonal or silly!
- Candles – choose a seasonal fragrance like cinnamon, sugar cookie or pine!
- Christmas Ornaments
- Gourmet Foods – pasta with sauce or soup mixes will make dinner the next day nice and easy!
Hostess Gifts Ideal for a Family Party
A tasty gift is sure to please the entire family or have fun putting together a CD of your family’s favorite Christmas songs!
- Peppermint Hot Chocolate Mix
- Ingredients:
- 1 cup non-fat powdered milk
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies or candy canes
- 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows
- Peppermint Hot Chocolate Mix Directions:
- Mix together all ingredients, put in a cellophane bag or glass jar and tie with a festive ribbon.
- Add a gift tag that says: To make 1 cup of peppermint hot chocolate – add 1 cup boiling water to 1/3 cup of peppermint hot chocolate mix.
- Orange Spice Tea Mix
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened instant iced tea powder
- 2 cups Tang
- 3/4 cup of sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- Orange Spice Tea Mix Directions:
- Mix together all ingredients, put in a cellophane bag or glass jar and tie with a festive ribbon.
- Add a gift tag that says: To make 1 cup of orange spice tea – add 1 cup of boiling water to 2 teaspoons of orange spice tea mix.
- Make a CD of your family’s favorite Christmas music!
Hostess Gifts for an Girly Gathering
Your homemade hostess gift will help your girlfriend relax after the party!
- Homemade Sugar Scrub or Bath Salts – Make your own for a fraction of the cost! Try these simple diy spa recipes.
This holiday season, think outside the wine bottle! Please leave a comment to share your favorite festive and frugal hostess gifts!
Remember…
Be festive, be frugal!
~~~~~~~
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
DIY Aromatherapy Neck Wrap
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Are you a typical holiday shopper?
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DIY Chalkboard Tray
Give an old silver tray a new life, give a festive and frugal gift, and spend less than $10 bucks! Sounds like my kind of gift! Uses for a Chalkboard Tray Hang it on a wall just like… Read More >
Throw a Christmas Party for Less Than $100…Aldi Style!
Make a little Merry for less when you throw a Christmas party Aldi style! Here’s your festive $100 party plan*, and your guests will enjoy a yummy spread of more than just chips and dip – thanks to… Read More >