Pretty Thrifty is a monthly feature that looks at local events, deals and trends for the Seattle girl on a budget
With only a week left until Christmas, time is running out to not only shop for the perfect presents for friends and family, but even to just think of great gift ideas. If you find that not only time is running low, but your budget leaves little room for gifts with prices that match your holiday spirit, there are still several options to keep you from turning into a Scrooge – or breaking the bank.
Give friends and family $10 restaurant.com gift certificates - for free!
For the food lovers in your life, consider giving gift cards to their favorite restaurants. Many national chains with a local presence are offering $5 gift cards for free if you buy $25 in gift cards. At Applebees, if you buy $50 worth of gift cards, you get a bonus $10 card that you can give, or keep for yourself. At Red Robin and Ivar’s, if you buy $25 in cards, you get a $5 bonus card. Keep an eye out for expiration dates on the “bonus” cards though; these are usually only good until mid or late February. Another great gift option for those who love to dine out is sending free – yes, FREE! – $10 Restaurant.com gift certificates to friends and family through the Feed It Forward program. Through the end of December, the program allows you give up to 40 $10 Restaurant.com Gift Certificates every day. And did I mention – it’s free!
Pretty Thrifty is a monthly feature that looks at local events, deals and trends for the Seattle girl on a budget.
For some, their favorite holiday is one marked by a day celebrated by crazy costumes; others, hallmark cards. Some enjoy those celebrated religiously, others, with extended family. Mine is not a day marked on any calendar; rather, the day after.
My favorite day of the year is Black Friday. This Friday, which is the day after Thanksgiving, is a tradition of retailers to open doors early and offer amazing deals to kick off the holiday shopping season. In recent years, these deals have also been offered online – sometimes beginning even the day of Thanksgiving. Some retailers have better deals than others, and depend upon what you want, or need. In my family, we brave the cold and fight off sleepiness not for bargains on gifts, but for essentials like linens and clothing, which can often be discounted as much as 70%.
Pretty Thrifty is a monthly feature that looks at local events, deals and trends for the Seattle girl on a budget.
Student loans, car payments and rent…oh my! What’s a girl to do when there’s so many bills, yet so many great bars and boutiques? While sacrificing neither great style nor groceries is an option, compromising on price is thankfully both easy and fun.
Think Free. As a tech-savvy woman, think Twitter, think Facebook, and think e-mail. Staying connected on Twitter and Facebook will open up doors to free events – events that often come with free drinks and free food. These events are occasionally related to specialized interests, and often just hosted by the owner of a new venue looking to generate new interest in their bar. Be sure to find, friend and follow your favorite local magazines, restaurants, bars, and businesses for info about these events. A few great twitter accounts to start with are @seattlenightout, @CitysearchSEA and @WeeklyEvents. For the girl with a budget, these events are a great way to grab your friends, enjoy a glass of wine and meet new people – all without spending a penny. Signing up for email lists from these same businesses are also a great way to make sure you’re the first to know about anything free.
Think Thrifty. Sales are the best. Who doesn’t love designer jeans for a serious discount? And let’s not forget about shoes! We’re lucky to have one of the best “thrift stores” right here in Seattle. Nordstrom Rack routinely gets overstocked and slightly out of season designer apparel from Nordstrom every day. If you’re looking for an especially good deal, now is the time – there are more clearance items this time of year than usual. Make sure to also keep an eye out for the Half-Yearly Sale for Women at Nordstrom, which starts November 3rd, for even more discounts. Other great options are designer consignment stores, which are scattered throughout the city and carry everything from boots to bags.
Think Budget. Sometimes we all get a little lost in how much life costs – and how much we have leftover for those amazing boots we’ve been wanting since the GPH Report Launch Party. Mint.com is a great app that will map out your expenses and budget for you. No matter how you plan, though, minimizing your routine can keep expenses low. Don’t try to sacrifice the quality of your life (or your health…you need to eat!) However, you can reduce the financial impact of every-six-week highlights by switching to all-over color that requires maintenance less often, or a manicure that you could otherwise DIY. This can make a huge impact on your budget long-term, so you have enough leftover for more important things.
Like those boots!
Happy shopping!
