Frugal gift ideas...

[laZilla]

Like most people, things are a bit lean for us right now. I am already stressing about the cost of Christmas gifts this year. I do want to get friends and family gifts even though money is tights. Any ideas for thoughtful gifts that are inexpensive but don't seem "cheap"? I have some ideas, such as a journal with a special inscription inside, but that seems like a bit of a cop-out creatively speaking.

 

[where]

home made truffles. started out when times were realy lean and now there is disappointment if we don't give them.

 

[laZilla]

home made truffles. started out when times were realy lean and now there is disappointment if we don't give them.

That's a good one. Have you ever shipped them?

 

[firespin]

http://www.zillow.com/blog/1-will-buy-you-a-home-in-detroit/2008/08/14/

"Desperation has hit Detroit. According to the Detroit News, several homes and a parcel were listed for sale for $1 in Detroit. One piece — at 8111 Traverse St, Detroit, MI (photo above) is close to a sale. And no, this is not a family member passing along a long-time property to another relative or some other insider deal, this is the ugly truth of how eager a bank is to unload a foreclosed property."

 

[thør]

That's a good one. Have you ever shipped them?

You can test ship some to my address. If they make it here, they make it anywhere...

 

[laZilla]

You can test ship some to my address. If they make it here, they make it anywhere...

No doubt! I make a great earl grey chocolate truffle but I don't know that it would travel.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I buy lots of new books at Amazon for one penny plus 3.99 shipping; $4 total. Books are great gifts.

I also grow a garden and pickle cucumbers; so I give quart bottles of various kinds of pickles.

 

[cookiejar]

I know someone giving out family trees. There's a template and she freehanded the pic but you can go to Staples and have it printed.

http://www.marthastewart.com/how-to/giving-tree-family-tree

 

[Peregrinator]

You can test ship some to my address. If they make it here, they make it anywhere...

You live in New York?

 

[thør]

You live in New York?

Where?

 

[phrodeau]

Those Zimbabwe trillion dollar bills are a bargain.

 

[Shagly]

No fruitcakes please.

 

[Peregrinator]

Where?

I heard it in a song once.

 

[Shagly]

I know someone giving out family trees. There's a template and she freehanded the pic but you can go to Staples and have it printed.

http://www.marthastewart.com/how-to/giving-tree-family-tree

My brother in law gets his Christmas tree from the Adirondack mountains, just hope a D.E.C. cop does not catch him or it is going to be a very expensive tree.

 

[where]

That's a good one. Have you ever shipped them?

only within the uk, but if they are going from cold place to cold place and there is enough alcohol in them, they should be ok.

 

[laZilla]

I know someone giving out family trees. There's a template and she freehanded the pic but you can go to Staples and have it printed.

http://www.marthastewart.com/how-to/giving-tree-family-tree

That's cool. I might do this one for my parents actually. Thanks!

 

[laZilla]

only within the uk, but if they are going from cold place to cold place and there is enough alcohol in them, they should be ok.

Share the recipe?

 

[where]

Share the recipe?

melt quality dark chocolate. add in double cream I think in the US it's thick cream. about 1/4 to 1/3 of the quantity of chocolate. when fully incorporated slowly SLOWLY stir in spirit like brandy, whiskey or liquieur. I usually use cointro. that's not how it's spelled. triple sec anyway. I also add a few drops of orange oil if I use triple sec.

now you can either whip it to incorporate air and make it fluffy (plus increase the volume, but not sure how well it travels) or just stick it in the fridge.

when set, start scooping with teaspoons. it's never really possible to make it nice and neat but that doesn't matter. drop the blobs into good quality cocoa powder and then onto greaseproof paper.. I then cut up fresh squares of greaseproof (about 12inch square) paper and then place that on top of plain brown paper which the kids have decorated with potato prints of stars and christmas trees etc. I tie it all up with twine and tinsel like a christmas pud with a dangle label on it.

 

[phrodeau]

melt quality dark chocolate. add in double cream I think in the US it's thick cream. about 1/4 to 1/3 of the quantity of chocolate. when fully incorporated slowly SLOWLY stir in spirit like brandy, whiskey or liquieur. I usually use cointro. that's not how it's spelled. triple sec anyway. I also add a few drops of orange oil if I use triple sec.

now you can either whip it to incorporate air and make it fluffy (plus increase the volume, but not sure how well it travels) or just stick it in the fridge.

when set, start scooping with teaspoons. it's never really possible to make it nice and neat but that doesn't matter. drop the blobs into good quality cocoa powder and then onto greaseproof paper.. I then cut up fresh squares of greaseproof (about 12inch square) paper and then place that on top of plain brown paper which the kids have decorated with potato prints of stars and christmas trees etc. I tie it all up with twine and tinsel like a christmas pud with a dangle label on it.

UK to US translation:

Double cream = whipping cream
Cointreau = orange liqueur
Greaseproof paper = waxed paper
Twine = string
Pud = dessert

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

No fruitcakes please.

Wimp! Fruitcake add lead to a man's pencil.

 

[~hellbaby~]

I made slideshows from old family home movies, it is time consuming but you can find the software for free online. Somone made me some really great music cds each of them great songs ftom different albums by 1 artist. If your computer has lightscribe you can personalize the look.
One year I bought clear Christmas balls and poured paint and glitter in them, they turned out great and people started asking me to make them some.

 

[where]

UK to US translation:

Double cream = whipping cream
Cointreau = orange liqueur
Greaseproof paper = waxed paper
Twine = string
Pud = dessert

ummm double cream is way thicker than whipping cream. maybe heavy cream?

cointreau is triple sec but NOT the same as orange liqueur. it needs to be 40% proof

and a pudding isn't a dessert. but this is how I meant. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZiY9_OLg-gY/SUpbTo4a3BI/AAAAAAAADps/pbykU-87wcE/s320/christmas+pudding.jpg

 

[phrodeau]

ummm double cream is way thicker than whipping cream. maybe heavy cream?

cointreau is triple sec but NOT the same as orange liqueur. it needs to be 40% proof

and a pudding isn't a dessert. but this is how I meant. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZiY9_OLg-gY/SUpbTo4a3BI/AAAAAAAADps/pbykU-87wcE/s320/christmas+pudding.jpg

Heavy cream is usually labelled as whipping cream. It still isn't as rich as British double cream, but it's the richest cream on the shelves.

 

[coastal-boy]

simple me...I was thinking getting a blow job would be a nice gift.

 

[where]

simple me...I was thinking getting a blow job would be a nice gift.

for your mother?