Save money on Halloween giveaways and Christmas stocking stuffers at back-to-school sales

Hate back to school shopping? Then why not make it multitask, shopping for holidays, too? Shop back to school sales for Halloween, Christmas gifts, stocking stuffers, birthday presents and other holiday gift-giving. Save gobs of money and time.

Get cool candy alternative Halloween treats at back to school sales. Stock up on stocking stuffers for Christmas. Who says you have to give candy at Halloween?  Buy super cheap pencils, stickers, crayons, glue sticks, pencil sharpeners and pass them out for trick-or-treat. Or give healthier back-to-school snacks: fruit snacks, granola bars, crackers and popcorn.

Who decreed that stocking stuffers must cost a lot? Sure stores would like you to think that $10 is cheap but we tightwads know you can fill Santa's sack much more affordably. School supplies make awesome, inexpensive stocking stuffers. Fill kids' stockings with markers, scissors, calculator and other useful stuff. Shop back to school sales for pencils, glue sticks, notebooks, markers, crayons, scissors, pens, activity booklets, coloring books and craft sets. Throw in some Free Printable Coloring Pages from my blog here.

Back to school sales are a good place to find cheap gifts for holiday toy donations. Do you participate with Operation Christmas Child? Think BTS sales for shoebox fillers. Or use them for grandkid goody bags or travel kits or Easter baskets...the possibilities are endless! I made travel bags for my twin 2-year-old grandsons when they moved to Louisiana. Their parents said these cheap little goody bags literally saved everyone's sanity on the 21-hour trip!

Oh and if you  have a little extra to spare, buy school supplies and donate items to a school to distribute.

Fire Safety, Emergency Preparedness Concerns for Families

Last year, a family of seven kids perished in a home fire in Pennsylvania. Without faulting the Clouse family and with deepest sympathy, it's important to ask: could this tragedy possibly have been prevented? What can we as parents take away from this terrible tragedy? The need for family emergency preparedness. And the holiday season is a time to be particularly aware of fire dangers: candles in Halloween pumpkins, decorative candles, holiday lights, flammable Christmas trees. More decorations mean more things to catch fire. I almost sent our mobile home up in smoke (and us with it) leaving a Christmas candle burning. Thankfully, we had a smoke alarm and charged fire extinguisher and my husband is a quick thinker. So check those fire extinguishers and smoke alarms. Here are more resources for parents to prepare their children for emergencies and prevent home fires. read more

Cheap Recycled Bible Character, Saints Costumes, Halloween or All Saints Day

Every parent has a little different spin on Halloween. Some go all out with the spooky costumes. Others celebrate it but only allow certain costumes. Still others make it a religious event where kids dress in Biblical costumes. Many Catholic families celebrate it for the religious holy day it is--All Saints Day. Whether you celebrate Halloween and trick-or-treat and have children dress as saints, or if you celebrate All Saints Day with a costume party, here are easy cheap Bible character and saints costumes. Use recycled materials green, eco-friendly free costumes, too. Read on Easy Bible Character and Saints Costumes for Halloween or All Saints Day 

Green, Recyled Harvest and Halloween Crafts

Eco-Friendly Recycled Halloween and Autumn Harvest Craft Ideas
Planning your annual Halloween or harvest party? Here are great fall themed crafts that focus on autumn harvest and non-spooky Halloween fun. Easy, inexpensive fall crafts using recycled materials.
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Free Printable Halloween Pumpkin Carving Stencils for Trick-or-treat

Free Printable Halloween Jack-o-Lantern Pumpkin Carving Stencils for Trick-or-Treat
Carving the traditional Halloween pumpkins is a time-honored rite of trick-or-treat. If you are looking for some unique, creative pumpkin carving stencils for your jack-o-lantern, you've come to the right place. Here are free printable pumpkin stencils.
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