$35 Zovirax Printable Coupon
Use this $35 printable Zovirax coupon for instant savings on a $15 or more purchase of Zovirax. Zorirax is a prescription cream that reduces the duration of recurring cold sore outbreaks.
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Saving Money on Holiday Meals
The concept of frugal holiday meals may sound like an oxymoron, but it really isn’t as impossible as it may seem.
Even though holiday meals express the great value of abundance, you can still avoid stretching your finances beyond their capabilities.
How Can It Be Done?
There’s nothing stopping you from serving up delicious holiday meals without destroying your budget in the process. The key to saving money on holiday meals is planning and forethought. When you put time and effort into planning your holiday meals, the results are nearly always positive.
Follow these strategies to save money on your holiday meals this year:
1. Consider your portions. Consider your guest list to ensure that your portions match how many people will be eating. Limit waste by only buying and cooking what your guests will actually eat. If you want to have generous leftovers, simply figure them into the math as well.
2. Remember the leftovers. Plan out your leftovers so you use them effectively and nothing goes to waste. Package your leftovers in portions sized for meals and store them based on when you plan to serve them. Meat and many side dishes can be frozen, so consider how you will use your leftovers to promote frugality and prevent waste.
3. Know when to shop. The day after Thanksgiving is ideal for stocking up, especially if you plan a repeat performance for Christmas. Turkeys, hams, and many of the fixings from Thanksgiving will be available at a steep discount the day after the holiday. Stock up on anything that you can freeze or store to cut down significantly on Christmas holiday meals.
* Turkeys often go on sale for as little as 25% of their original price, and hams are often sold in a similar fashion. If you plan to cook something similar for Christmas, make some room in your freezer and take advantage of this sale to cut costs for your upcoming holiday meal.
4. Know which conveniences matter. Some conveniences are worthwhile and will save you money while others will not. Canned sweet potatoes cost less than fresh, for example. Pre-baked rolls are often less expensive than making your own during the holiday season. Plan ahead to learn which convenience items will help you save money in the long run.
5. Cook from scratch. When it’s possible to do so, cook from scratch. Stuffing and gravy are two staples that you can create at home more cheaply than you can buy them. Boxed mashed potatoes are cheap, but the real thing costs even less and tends to store well.
* Start on your stuffing ahead of time, since you can use the heels from bread loafs or leftover stale sandwich bread. Let the bread dry out on a cookie sheet and you can use it as breadcrumbs in your homemade stuffing.
* Your guests will appreciate your from-scratch cooking.
Holiday meals are meant to be enjoyable. You and your guests will enjoy the meal all the more when you’re not stressed out over the cost. Plan ahead, cut costs where you can, and have a wonderful holiday meal that fits within your budget.
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Six Ways to Set Budgeting Priorities
For some of us, budgeting is second nature. For others, it seems a nearly impossible task. There are just so many things to consider that it’s hard to decide where your funds should go.
Setting priorities makes budgeting much simpler. But even this is difficult for many household money managers. Priorities are somewhat subjective, and those within the household often have vastly different priorities. Here are some ways that you can make priority setting a little easier:
1. Keep first things first. When it comes down to it, there are only a few things that we truly need to survive. These things include food, water, clothing and shelter. Transportation and other things that enable us to work and continue to make money also fall into this category. These should always come first in the budget, although it’s always a good idea to do our best to save money on them.
2. Keep savings in mind. We all need to put money aside for emergencies and set up a retirement fund. It’s also wise to set up a college fund for each of your children as early as possible. But many families push savings to the side, and it often ends up out of the picture altogether. Putting money away prior to any discretionary spending is crucial if you wish to meet your goals.
3. Evaluate your debts. If you have none, you’re in the lucky minority. Most households have large amounts of debt, including mortgages, car payments, loans and credit cards. By paying your debts off as quickly as possible, you can save lots of money in the long run. And once they’re paid in full, you’ll have a lot more wiggle room in your monthly budget. Putting as much money as you can afford toward paying off debt will help you reach that point much faster.
4. Set goals as a family. Maybe you would all like to go on a nice vacation next summer. Get everyone involved in deciding where to go, then calculate your expenses. Get everyone involved in saving money for this goal. Not only will you get to go on a family trip, you’ll also be teaching your children about budgeting and teamwork.
5. Review your budget periodically. A family’s needs change over time, and if your budget is no longer meeting your needs, it’s time for a change. Once again, you’ll need input from everyone in the family to make this work.
Priorities are at the heart of a successful budget. By keeping them in mind, we can resist impulse spending and make progress toward our financial goals. And by getting input from the entire family, you can gain valuable insight into individual needs and encourage interest in working together to keep your finances in good shape.
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