Savings on Christmas shopping

It's been snowing here all day (Maryland).  It's quite chilly in the house as I've had to turn down the thermostat due to high electric bills.  I'd love to have a fireplace going, but all's I have is a fake one.  I love this little blinkie of the Christmas tree, fireplace with stockings and a nice comfy chair.  The perfect thing to do on a day like today.  The only thing missing in the blinkie is a nice thick blanket to snuggle up in and a really good book!  But, Christmas is gonna be here in the blink of an eye and I still haven't gotten the house decorated.  It's almost a waste at this point, I'm feeling.  I will put up the tree and since it's gonna be in a room this year that has a door on it, away from the cats, I think I can actually put my presents under it instead of bringing them out Christmas morning.  When one has pets, it's very hard to have a Christmas tree with presents under it.  The pets either pee on them or tear them up.  And it's almost needless to mention the things pets do to the ornaments on the tree and eating icicles.  I can't tell you how many years I've spent pulling icicles out of cats throats.  Even when we don't use them, somehow, somewhere, the cats find an icicle.  Strange. 

I went out to do a bit more Christmas shopping last night and I had my coupons with me.  It's always such a great feeling when the total price on the register goes down, down, down.  So here's my savings:

1)  Bed, Bath, Beyond I used a $5 off coupon and a 20% off coupon saving $7.60.

2)  At Pac Sun it was buy one get one half off so I saved $22.25.

3)  At the Family Christian Bookstore I had a 25%  off coupon for the entire purchase plus George Bush's book was listed for $35.00 but was 20% off, another savings so total savings there was $62.66.

4)  For dinner we stopped at Longhorn where I had a coupon for a free appetizer which was worth $6.99.

Total savings:  $99.50

This Christmas is gonna be an itty bitty Christmas as finances aren't nearly as good as they used to be.  I'm hoping in 2011, I'll have a better handle on them, although we did pay off two loans which is a great relief. 

I still have Christmas cookies to bake and next week I will probably go get the Christmas dinner fix'ins. I usually have ham, rolls, potato salad, chips; we just have sandwiches all day long.  It was a tradition of my mom's and I've just done the same. 

I'm already thinking about things I want to accomplish next year.  I'll have to make a list to publish. 

Always so much to do!