Easy Ways to Save Money

When my oldest three daughters were 6, 4, and 2, it seemed like there were birthday parties to attend every weekend. The girls, of course, were thrilled to be part of the social scene, but all those presents were sabotaging our budget. To save money, I began stocking up on children's books that were on sale. When an invitation arrived, I'd "shop" through my stash. As the mother of seven, this tactic saved me tons over time! And birthday gifts weren't the only area in which I cut costs. I scoured secondhand stores for kids' clothes and skipped the gymnastics classes in favor of free story hour at the library.

Once you get into the swing of things, you'll be amazed by how much you can painlessly trim from your budget.

Gift Giving

• Toys go on sale every January, so stock up after Christmas and keep items on a designated gift shelf. I found $25 Dora and Diego two-adventure deluxe activity sets for $6. I log the toys in a notebook so I know what I have "in stock."

• Savvy shoppers hit the stores when items are going out of season. At the end of July, you'll find 50 percent reductions on beach balls, pails and shovels, and assorted sandbox gear. Load up at summer's end for next year's warm-weather birthdays.

• Buy half-price Christmas wrap in generic solids like blue, gold, red, and green, and use it year-round. No one will be the wiser. And instead of shelling out $3 per birthday card, have your kids create them by hand or on the computer.