Surviving the holidays can be tough if you're trying to live a frugal life. There's so many gifts to buy! Millions of families every year go into debt at the holidays to afford all the presents they "need" to buy.  I have a better idea: save now, spend later. Pay cash! I know it can feel like it is too late to start saving for Christmas, but it isn't! I have a plan that can help you save as much as $500 between now and Christmas for you to spend on all of those holiday presents. Here's how it works: from now until Christmas, I challenge you to eat out of your pantry at least one week every month. Most of us have a pantry or freezer full of food, yet feel like we have "nothing to eat." I challenge you to each month take one week to eat up much of that food you have stored away, without going to the store to buy more food. How will that help you save $500? The average American family of four spends $175 a week on groceries and household supplies. If for one week you spend only $50 for the must-have basics only,(like bread, milk, and some produce) then eat out of your pantry, you would save $150. Here's the crucial part: take that $150 and put it into a savings account! Do not leave it in your normal account--we all know that you will spend that savings elsewhere without even noticing it! Take it out and put it somewhere that you can't get to it too easily. (Even better, open one of those bank accounts that reward you with cash for opening a new account--you'll get an extra bonus for your holiday funds!)If you take one week per month for eating out of your pantry, by mid-December you will have saved $500!  If you can cut that week's grocery bills even more, by spending only $25 that week, you will have saved $600!  I've come up with a schedule that I'm going to follow, based on when the fall holidays are.  I'm ending the Pantry Challenge on December 10th, giving me plenty of time to spend my savings! If you want to join me in the challenge, I'll be posting reminders here in the blog.  

• September 25 - October 1
• October 23 - October 29
• November 13 - November 19
• December 4 - December 10

  Credit card debt adds up so quickly. What starts as a small $200 purchase for the holidays can end up costing you a thousand dollars in interest and fees as you try to pay it off every month. Before you know it, you're caught in a debt cycle and can't get out. So this year, make a resolution: survive the holidays with a Debt-Free Holiday! Plenty of deals will be coming up over the next few months that will help you save BIG on Christmas. Have the money set aside so that you can take advantage of them--saving you even more on the holidays!  Joining me in the challenge? Leave a comment below and let me know!