There were several random odds and eddies that I did to accumulate money for Christmas this year. Some of these may work for you, some won’t but I hope they will get you thinking outside the box when it comes to ways to earn money.
:: Target Gift Cards
Almost every week Target offers gift card promotions. One of my favorites is the Kashi Cereal promo that came a few times last year. Buy 5 boxes of Kashi cereal, get a $5 Target gift card. When I list the scenario, I list the final price which factors in your receipt of a $5 gift card. Most of the time, I have coupons which apply to these promos making them super cheap or free after I factor in the gift card price.
Well, if I’m getting the items super cheap or free already, paying the initial $5 out of pocket to get that first gift card isn’t going to break my budget. In fact, I factor it in when doing my own shopping. I repeat the scenario as many times as I like “rolling” the gift card into the next transaction to lower the out of pocket. Once I’m finished I’m left with a $5 gift card.
What do you do with yours? I bet you save it for next time to help lessen the initial out of pocket on the next super deal Target offers. Not me! I put the gift card in an envelope and save it. When the next super deal comes around, I just start from scratch. I typically am able to save one $5 gift card every month doing this. Then come Christmas I use them to buys gifts, wrapping paper, Christmas decorations or baking supplies. Target has so many options I can usually get a lot with those gift cards.
Amount Saved for Christmas: $50 ($5 x 10 Months (Feb – Nov)
:: Mail-In Rebates
Very often companies offer mail-in rebates when you purchase their products and almost always you can use coupons and still receive the full rebate. You’ll notice whenever there is a mail-in rebate available, I list it in below the final price as a “Note”.
Why don’t I factor this in to the final price? Well, because people are notorious for not submitting them. I myself am not very good at remembering unless I do it immediately after shopping. Since it is more likely than not that you won’t complete it, I don’t like to factor it in to the final price. That and sometimes it takes two months to get your money back.
About midway through last year I had a revelation. Since I’m not counting on this rebate money or factoring it into my budget in anyway, why don’t I save it for Christmas? So that’s what I do now. Anytime there is a mail-in rebate offer for a product I would normally purchase or can get for free, I submit for it. When the check comes I cash it and stick it in an envelope earmarked for Christmas.
Amount Saved for Christmas: $30 (Rebates vary greatly. This is just what my ballpark savings were last year.)
:: Free Magazine Subscriptions
Fairly often I post opportunities to get magazine subscriptions for free. I know this week you could get US News & World Report and Fitness for free. You usually have to jump on these quickly though because they go fast.
Last year I accidentally signed up for the same magazine twice, once in my husband’s name and once in mine so one month we got two of the same issue. I called the magazine and explained and they just extended my subscription. It was super easy and you know what else they told me? You can extend someone’s subscription at any point in the year!
This means that if someone’s subscription ends in November, you can sign them up now for another year. Find out what magazines your family members enjoy. Find out the exact address those are sent to and find out when their subscription expires. You may have to call the magazine company for that last one. Then if you find a free subscription for a magazine they enjoy, sign them up! Wait about 3 weeks from the signup date and call the magazine to confirm they extended the subscription instead of sending them concurrently. Make a card yourself letting them know what you’ve done and poof! You’ve got a free gift.
Depending on when their subscription runs out, this might work out better as a birthday, mother’s day or anniversary gift but still a free gift nonetheless.
Amount Saved for Christmas: $30 (I found 3 magazines for friends and relatives this year that I was able to extend and give as a Christmas gift)
TOTAL AMOUNT OF ODDS & ENDS: $110
These are just three ways I saved. I’m sure if you are creative you can come up with some too. In two weeks, I’ll have a Mr. Linky at the bottom of my wrap up post. You’ll be able to link to some of your money saving ideas then. I’m excited to read what you come up with!
Happy Saving!
Shellie loves to share her frugal living tips as well as deals and bargains to help you get more with less. A spender at heart, she balances her frugal lifestyle with the occassional splurge. 
I apply the “Target gift cards” principal to pharmacy cards as well. Target, K-mart, Rite Aid, etc offer gift cards for new/transferred prescriptions all the time. I’ve already got $45 put up for next Christmas.