10 Easy Ways to Save Money this Fall

It finally feels like Fall in Indiana!  I had to scramble to find our hoodies and some long sleeve clothing options for the kids mid week.  I'm not confident that it's cooled off for good, but I'm going to enjoy the cool temps while they last.

We're in full prep mode for all things Fall - clothes, holidays, family events and more.  I thought it would be fun to share some ways to save money this Fall.  They're all pretty easy and all that savings really adds up.

1. Fall Bouquets
Do you need a hostess gift? teacher gift? neighbor gift? or need to add some cheer to someone's day?  These gorgeous bouquets were at my local Meijer store for $16.  That's more than I would pay for fresh flowers for myself, but it's SO MUCH CHEAPER than sending someone a bouquet of flowers from a florist. 

2. Target Dollar Spot
These were my recent kid finds.  My kids love those wands.  They use them for pretend play and we use them during homework time.  I'm going to put those chunky doodle and coloring pads in their stockings.  The felt princess set is so cute!!  I surprised Olive with it one afternoon.  She plays with it regularly and I think it would be perfect for traveling.  I really like the how to be a chef/vet kits.  I'm saving those for a rainy day for the kids.  Everything was either $1 or $3.

I think the Dollar Spot can be a dangerous spot because it's so tempting to buy all the things.  Remind yourself about what you really need/want when you're checking out that section.  Don't buy four of something if you really just need two.  Or skip something all together if you don't love it.

3. Halloween Costumes & Holiday Clothes
All the stores are stocked with cute costumes right now!!  Fletcher spotted this digger at TJ Maxx and had to try it on.  I don't think this is going to be his Halloween costume, but I did buy it just in case.  It was such a good price for the costume/construction hat combo.  I ordered him something different from Target.  Now I'm waiting for it to arrive so I can make sure that it fits him before returning the digger.  Most costumes were under $20.

Target has a deal for $5 off a $30 Halloween purchase going on right now.  I ordered some Halloween candy and Fletcher's costume with it.  It's good on Halloween costumes for the whole family and decor.

Carters has also been having some great sales on their holiday pjs.

4. Free Festivals
Pay close attention to all of the FREE FAMILY FESTIVALS going on in your city this Fall.  I took the kids to National Night Out last week.  It was Fletcher's dream come true to be surrounded by police, fire and rescue people all evening.  The whole thing was free.  My city has things like Family Learning Day at our library with tons of free stuff, Halloween festivals at our parks, tailgate events for college football, homecoming parades, etc.

5. Say YES to FREE things
I've had several different facebook friends offer free trials for meal services lately.  I've said yes to all of them and we've enjoyed 9 free dinners because of them.  This meal was from Hello Fresh.  We've tried Blue Apron and have one more set of meals on the way.  Jump on those opportunities to try new things!  The first box is free and then you have to be sure to make yourself a reminder to cancel the next week if you want to keep things free.

6. Eat at Home & Pack Lunches
I pack lunches for Olive and Kevin every day.  Saves us lots of money and they're eating healthier things than they would if they at school food.  We eat at home for most meals.  If we do eat out, it's usually take out to save money on drinks/tip.

 7. Church Events
We are doing a couple's Bible study this Fall that offers free childcare.  We are also participating in several family friendly events this Fall that are very affordable or free.  Check out your church's calendar to see what free family fun events they're hosting this Fall.

8. Buy Fall Flowers at a Big Box Sore
I saved a lot of money buying my flowers from Walmart this Fall.  I do love to support local businesses and garden centers for landscaping and bigger purchases.  Fall flowers just last such a short time that I feel like it's a no brainer to buy the most affordable options.

9. Sell Your Stuff
Go through your kid's clothes, toys they no longer play with and things are ready to get out of your house.  Take good pictures of them and then list them on resale sites.  I have done this a few times this month.  It feels so good to trade your clutter for cash!  I have the best luck with kid clothes, shoes, pjs, toys and other items that are in good condition.

10. Watch the Sales Closely
Pay attention to the weekly sales.  Try to stock up when your favorite things going on sale.  These cute Halloween DVDs were all on sale at Meijer recently.  I thought my kids would love them so it was a good time to buy.  My kids also LOVE these mini cucumbers.  Usually they're $2.50 for a four pack.  Meijer ran a sale recently where they were $1 a pack.  You better believe I bought ten and we snacked on cucumbers all week long.  I picked up some tennis shoes for Olive for Fall when they were 30% off.  All those little savings add up!

How are you saving money this Fall?

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

Linking up with My Glittery Heart

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