#FrugalReads – December 17th, 2013

December is always a cheerful month because of the holidays. However, even with all the lights, snowmen (depending on where you live), and the vacation days off work, it can also be a time of pressure, worry, and stress. I think the truth is most of us feel the some sort of strain, whether it comes from our wallets, free time, our brain power, or somewhere deep in our hearts for any number of reasons.

Here at All the Frugal Ladies, you know we try to cover a range of topics regarding the overall frugal lifestyle and we’re always on the look-out for timely news and advice pieces.

Our Holiday Season Round-Up of Frugal Lifestyle Articles

Here are 5 posts that really stood out to us these past few weeks as the holiday season kicks into full-gear:

3 Step Method to Saving Money Online This Holiday Season from The Family CEO – We really enjoyed this article that gives a solid list of coupon, rewards, and money-saving websites for being more cost-efficient shoppers. Julie walks us through great online options and also gives us her own personal perspective, telling us where she has had great success and giving us small tips here and there to help us along the way.

Coping With the Worry of Debt from Money Rebound – A great read and reminder of how we can resolve debt problems. Their biggest advice is to stay balanced – both in terms of your spending and budget, but also in the allocation of your time. One of the best things about Christmas time and the upcoming new year is that it reminds us to be more appreciative of what we have. It’s also a time for giving ourselves second chances at budget management and taking the right steps for the fresh new year.

How to Avoid Shopping for Yourself During the Holidays from See Debt Run – (We promised you a humorous post to lighten up the mood). A fun, light, and quick read to give you a smile and chuckle as you try and come up with your own ‘prevention plan.’ However, when they tell us that “Americans will dish out an estimated $586.1 billion dollars in November and December alone,” you might stop laughing and think more seriously on how you can be more watchful of your cash flow.

5 Ways to “Get” Money This Holiday Season from Young Adult Money – A helpful and clear list on how we can save money when it comes to the shopping and gift-giving. Getting email-notifications from retail stores was one of Victoria’s tips and it was impressive to hear how she has personally saved hundreds of dollars this way.

Year-End Review: 2103’s Love List from Frugal Portland – Like All the Frugal Ladies, Kathleen is not just a frugal writer, but injects lifestyle pieces and her own personal experiences along the way. We are in awe of people like Kathleen who have the discipline to be able to write such a wonderfully comprehensive Year-End Review. We recommend reading this article for pure inspiration. She lists out over 20 goals she had last year and reflects on her accomplishments and experiences. She’ll also get you curious about her saving strategies, (e.g., How on earth did she increase her net worth by 50%?!)