Keep a stash of gifts on-hand

You will never know when you will need a gift on-the-spot. You might have a wedding to attend, your kids might have a birthday party to go to, or you might be meeting with friends for a holiday get-together.

When you are out shopping at you see good deals, buy them. Keep them in a secret place (in case you need them for your own children). I prefer under the bed. Then when you need a gift, you will save yourself money, hassle and stress as you select a gift from your own collection. Even storing candy bars or little items come in very handy.

Cheap children's books

Children's books are expensive. If checking out favorite stories from your local library won't cut it, peruse through the book section at nearby thrift stores.

You can usually find popular titles for much less than you would have to pay for them at a book store. There might be a few bends or small tears, but isn't there a good chance that a brand new one might look this same way after your kids have had it for 10 minutes?

Buyer Beware

When you are shopping, beware of '3 for $5', or other discounts like this. You usually don't have to buy the quantity listed to get the discount. Stores use this tactic to get you to spend more.

Use those paper bags

Ask for paper bags when you grocery shop. Not only is it more 'green' because you can recycle them, but you can use them for gift wrapping if you are on a budget. Spruce the gift up with a ribbon you have on hand or let your kids (or you) draw or write personalized messages.

Paper towel alternative

If you are out of paper towels, but you really need to clean those windows or mirrors, use old newspaper.