Pro Tips!

Holidays can be a real pain for budgets. Those who budget but don't have an awful lot extra to spend on get-togethers and celebrations can also feel the pain that comes when everyone else is spending and it looks like they're having the good times. It's hard in that moment to feel ahead to mid-January when you won't have a credit card bill to stare in shock at. 

But here we are. It's January and time to look forward to tax season and the two next holidays are Valentine's and St. Patrick's Days. And I stumbled upon a moment of genius at the grocery store this month to get me through two more holidays of celebrating on da cheap. (photo from a google search)

Tis the season for the grocery store to get rid of their Christmas inventory, and this festive little critter was on sale at our Kroger for SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS A BOX. So, I bought two. The red half is in the oven to make a romantic red velvet cake, and the other half is staying in the box until March, for St. Patrick's Day cupcakes.

I scored a few other baking things as well. Cinnamon, chocolate chips, pumpkin spice stuff, all of it leaves the shelves as soon as its holiday is over. I paid half price for most of it. Keep an eye out a week or two after the holidays and stock up on baking goods then. It's also a great time to get inexpensive decor to put up for next year, if you have margin in your budget for that.

Commenters: What baking scores have you made in your after-holiday shopping?