Embarrassed by my frugality
I am rarely embarrassed by my cheapskate ways, but recently a girlfriend put me to shame for skimping on holiday cards. I was gushing to her about a deal I found at the 99 Cent Store - 20 holiday cards for a dollar!
But, I told her, I'm not even going to spend that. Instead, I planned to cut the cards I received last year in half, glue the picture part to a fresh piece of paper, and write in my own holiday greeting? (Example above).
My friend, who is a frugal fashionista herself, raised both eyebrows. I giggled nervously. Had I crossed the line from cheapskate to miser?
Her face told me I had. So I backpedaled. I will re-purpose one card and if it looks really cheap I will trash the idea and buy new ones. She gave me a skeptical look. You can't win them all, I thought.
Later I realized the bargain hunter gods had been listening because I walked into my doctor's office that night and was greeted by a plastic bag with a label that read: "free - cards and calendars."
Sha-zamm! I snagged seven respectable holiday cards with envelopes and a 2009 animal calendar. But I'm sending more than seven holiday cards so I am turning to you for a second opinion.
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About The Bargain Hunter
Daily News staff writer Julia Scott loves to find bargains on everything from groceries to Gucci. Her tips will help keep your hard earned cash where it belongs - in your pocket.
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99 cents for 20 cards is super cheap! that's 5 cents each for a card and envelope. making holiday cards by re-using your old cards isn't really a deal...think of the cost of a decently thick paper stock and glue you are using PLUS the cost of finding and purchasing an envelope to fit the card...can you do that for 5 cents??? not to mention the time you will spend cutting and gluing. your hourly rate may not be $100 but i'm sure you're time is worth more than $1/hour (assuming you make 20 cards in one hour, you've saved yourself all of 99 cents).
if you want to re-make xmas cards in order to save the earth (are you really using less paper than if you buy a new card anyway??) or let your creativity flow, then do so, but admit it--it's not cuz it's cheaper!
You are right, sort of. I already own a lot of thick paper that I haven't used in years. So that is not an additional cost. The time it takes to cut and glue is minimal, perhaps equal to how long it would take me to run over to the 99 Cent store, find the cards, get in line, buy them, and drive home. I do agree with you that I may not be using any less paper. But I am buying less new paper so that counts for something. ~Julia
I don't buy any cards at all, because I always receive free holiday cards from several of the charities that I support. Since the trees have already been used to produce those cards, I might as well use 'em.
I cut the cards from last year and make gift tags for this year!
I was going to write a comment but then realized what I was going to say was exactly what the first person said. I think the one you made is cute and if you are doing it in the name of creative and fun then go for it. If you are doing it in the name of "cheaper and green"......don't be in denial. :)
Julia,
You have NOTHING to be ashamed or guilty of. The success of your column reflects your own personal wise spending and saving habits. Some of this was instilled into you by your parents. Others were life expeiences you learned along the way, I'm assuming from necessity to stretch an already tight dolalr while you were a student and starting your career.
I realize that journalists are not supposed to have any opinions, unless on the editorial board, FOX News or MSNBC, but your column is not just about reporting news items, it's about helping your redaers become better Bargain Hunters, and pass along your own expeiences. To me, it's not the same kind of journalism, and obvious to Carolina and Dean, because your column, blog and your very own section in the Daily news on Tuesday must be doing something right!
Of course, some friends have a different tolerance of how they spend their dollar, and what works (or doesn't work) for them is fine, but on the otherhand, many people like yourself are quietly trying to obtain the best deal, and/or the ability to creatively stretch and make several uses out of an item.
That's what I call ingenuity!
I've been beat up for so mnay years for supposedly how cheap I am, but at the end of the day, I still have a dollar in my pocket and box of matzohs!
I don't regret it for a minute, nor should you!
SO_CAL_RETAIL_SLUT
A dollar *and* a box of matzohs? Nice! Thanks for your support, SCRS. ~Julia
Okay while this frugal fashionista did give you a look of wonder for your card plan, after some thought I think it's a fine idea- if you can pull it off. ( And I know you will) And you know I am a fan of bargains- no bigger bargain than finding someone else's garbage and turning it into treasure.
An alternative to still "re-use", but not seem cheap with your Christmas cards...for as long as I can remember, my Mom saves all the cards and after the holidays she cuts the fronts off all of them (like your idea), but then she punches a hole in the corner of each and uses them as gift tags for the following year. It's nice to have a little space to write a note on gifts, and the pretty cards are a nice touch to a package!
Then you can buy the 20 cards for $0.99 without feeling guilty about just throwing all those old cards away!
(For Christmas cards, I prefer the Kodak Gallery route; a couple nice pictures with a short note about my year, and bam, easy & done with, all I have to do is put on the addresses. No, not frugal, but efficient! :)
Great idea, Maggie! Thanks for the tip. ~Julia
We've cut up old cards before to make place cards at the dinner table. Write the name on the blank side and put the pretty side facing the other way so people on the other side of the table have something pretty to see.
Martha Stewart one year had a whole slew of things to do with old cards to make them into something new.
20 cards for 99 cents is good enough, basta I say.
I have taken older cards (I save all in a yearly large manilla envelope) and made swags out of them. I punch a hole in the corner,t hen thread nice red ribbon through and hang on doorways, etc., so I'm not throwing them away.... I group them by theme....just a thought.
J.
Try using the front of the old card and cut off the side that has writing on it. Use the card with the picture as a postcard. Not only are you saving paper by using an old Christmas card but the postage for a postcard is less than the first class card in an envelope. Just make sure that the postcard is the correct dimension so that the post office will accept it.
Only down side to the postcard is that you don't have a return address on it.
In addition to making swags of old Christmas cards I have taken some of the most beautiful of them and put them in frames so during the holidays I have a wall devoted to my ChristmasArt Gallery.
An idea- you can make a newsletter on your computer using a template available in programs like word or publisher. In the newsletter you can add stories about you and your hubby's year- past and future plans, you can insert pictures and make it a nice way to communicate with loved ones- total cost= paper(since you already have some this is no cost), ink for the computer (not bad if you have a cost effective printer) and a box of envelopes ($1 at places like target). If you want to get more creative you can put seasonal return address labels on the envelopes (These usually come in from the charities I donate to throughout the year).
Thats my sugguestion!
LD, good idea. I have done this in past years, but instead of printing each one out I email it. No postage! ~Julia