Frugal Beautiful

The season is full of amazing cocktails that you won’t enjoy (as much) in the other parts of the year- sangria, margaritas, mojitos and our favorite, boozey ice cream or popscicles with a twist. You don’t need an ice cream maker, but you can make some amazing pops and smoothies with the abundant fruits of the season. See if you can borrow someone’s ice cream maker or find an alternative to make ice cream without an ice cream maker. A quick internet search or asking some friends will help you find a new town or city that’s a day’s away and wouldn’t require a hotel.

Of course, I’ll spend my cash on other things that people deem frivolous- like sending flower to a sick friend (worth the $70 in my book) or buying something if it goes to a good cause (like TOMS shoes or a fun fundraiser) but I save wherever I can. Most people know to skip the $5 lattes, but honestly, I make all of my beverages at home and bring them to work in a mason jar or travel mug- which includes iced coffee, iced tea or other beverages which I make with Mio or Crystal Light to save a few bucks a week. There was a time in graduate school when I really wished I’d picked a fancier apartment, or I wouldn’t have to work odd shifts to help pay for school but honestly, it helped me graduate with minimal student loan debt and no credit card debt. In Chicago, we have a few discount movie theaters where you can see a film that’s about to be retired from theaters for about $3 with a student discount, but even then, I think the last movie I saw was Inception and it was on my birthday 3 years ago as a gift from a friend.

Make it heartfelt and personal, and know that yes, someday you can go back to cutting corners, and using credit (responsibly) to buy gifts from the store, or a new holiday outfit, but this year, you’re living authentically and giving meaningfully with what you have. While many of us fear being a Grinch, and others simply loathe having the dreaded budget talk around the holidays with each and every one of the people we typically buy gifts for, why not simply do a family name swap at the holiday Truly, getting all of our crazy family under one roof is a present in itself, so we can simplify things and cut down on the awkward gift giving with distant cousins by simply buying for one instead of buying for nine. With the right framing, this can be an opportunity to get creative and insist on having a festive Christmas that isn’t hinged on excessive consumerism, but instead, only what matters most- time with family, crafts, volunteerism, learning new recipes or traveling to visit loved ones, not time at the mall.

Before the overload of Santa Clauses hits you like a ton of bricks, the autumn-inspired decor items can offer a more subtle, yet beautiful, seasonal touch to any room. Instead of resorting to the Target dollar bin for gaudy pumpkin banners yet again, try out these crafts that include your own personal touch. DIY Donut Pumpkins by Studio DIY DIY Antler Wreathe by Twelve on Main DIY Fall Mason Jar Centerpiece by Addicted to DIY What Che Said DIY Fall Wood Banner by The Crafted Sparrow DIY Pumpkin Flower Pot by I Heart Nap Time