Zedis Lapedis

Can you guess what I'm watching by my blog post title?  Zenon: The Zequel, a fantastic Disney Channel Original Movie.  Yes, I am twenty five and watching a Disney movie.  So sue me.


I changed my blog!  If you haven't noticed, I have a Christmas-y background and a new title.  

And I finally finished a huge assignment for my research class, so I can breathe a little easier.  Until tomorrow, when I have to start the last major assignment.  

I have to get caught up on the other 30 day challenge, but today's challenge requires a picture from ten years ago.  I was fifteen, and I can guarantee you I do not keep those pictures around on my computer.  I've got to find one and scan it in.  

I am going to keep up with the Christmas challenge, though.  Without further adieu...

Day 4: Tips/Tricks to a Budget Friendly holiday season

If you know me, you know I am TERRIBLE with a budget.  Like, awful terrible.  One time I went shopping and said I was only going to spend less than one hundred dollars.  And thennnn I ended up spending three hundred.  Budgets + Elise = disaster.  Seriously.  So if I give y'all some tips, you might want to take them with a grain of salt.  Or just actually have some self-discipline.  

1. Set a budget.  And stick to it.  Best way to do that?  Use only cash and leave credit cards and debit cards at home.

2. Know what you're going to get before you go.  I try to have an idea of what I am getting for everyone before I go shopping, but that's not always the case.

3. Buy early.  Okay, see I always plan to have all my shopping done before Thanksgiving.  But remember how I said I was awful with a budget?  Yeah, I usually blow all my money before I can buy gifts, so I end up waiting until last minute to get gifts.

4. Do a Secret Santa or Dirty Santa/White Elephant gift exchange for large groups.  We used to do a Secret Santa exchange with my friends from my dorm hall and it was fun and much more inexpensive than buying gifts for ten or fifteen people!  The teachers on my grade level have also done a Secret Santa exchange each year. 

Well, I hope you have more success with budgets than I do!  I haven't even started shopping for anyone yet this year...wish me luck on not blowing my budget!