Divas on a Dime Series:Holiday Entertaining on a Dime

The holidays can cost a fortune, but they do not have to. Try some of these frugal and fabulous tips

Décor on a Dime
1. Ornaments
I don’t know about you but I always have tons of ornaments missing their tops. Instead of tossing them I simply fill festive bowls with ornaments. I also toss in the strands of lights that aren’t completely functional. Toss in some of the evergreen that you snipped from your Christmas tree for added effect

2. Nature
As frugal fashionista I am always looking for ways to reinvent or repurpose what I already have handy. I use the same rationale when entertaining. I go outside and gather up pine cones and branches. You can fill bowls with pine cones nestled on a bed of evergreens. But I prefer to spray paint pine cones or branches gold or silver. I will often place them in clear glass vases filled with artificial snow.

3. Let it glow-candles not only creates ambience but it also hides flaws. If you didn’t have time to apply a fresh coat of paint to your walls, don’t worry. Dim the lights and place candles everywhere. At one of my holiday parties, I decorated with a Country Holiday theme. Plaid tablecloths were covered with mason jars filled with artificial snow and candles

Entertaining on a Dime
1. If you are hosting a holiday party. Encourage guests to bring an item. At last year’s holiday party, I asked each guest to bring a bottle of wine
2. If you are serving alcoholic beverages, stick to 1 or 2 cocktails. One of my all time favs is winter Sangria. It is low cost to prepare but is always a big hit

3. Opt for homemade party favors, your guests will appreciate the time and effort. Not to mention, it will be better to your bottom line

Thrift Stores are a treasure chest of finds for holiday décor. I recently scored tons of new items from a failing retailer for pennies. For instance I purchased a Christmas tree stand-originally $29.99 I paid $6.00. This is an awesome place to find votives,wreaths and other versatile décor you can use for the holidays.
Our DIVAs on a Dime is a lifestyle series to help you become frugal and fabulous and every area of your life.

The DIVA on a Dime Lifestyle

On Saturday September 14, 2013 we will launch our DIVAs on fashion portion of the DIVAs on a Dime Lifestyle Brand.  Despite popular belief, you can be budget conscious and fabulous.  You do not have to sacrifice your fabulousity.  As a DIVA you must learn how to be flexible and adaptable.  This series will teach you how to be a budget savvy Diva. 

This lifestyle series will provide tips and trips on how:

• To look like a million dollars without spending a fortune
• To enjoy travel, culture and arts on a Dime
• To Entertain on a dime
• To be a DIVA Mom on a Dime

Many of you have asked me how I juggle it all, here are a few of my DIVA Mom on a Dime tips.

• Budget and prioritize-at the end of each year, I sit down and plan for the upcoming year.  I set a budget for work, play and the household.  Have your kids do the same.  This teaches them the value of budgeting and achieving their goals.
• Plan for success-my kids know that I am big on planning.  I usually have the next 1-3 months planned.  However, at the start of each week, I review the upcoming week.  Kids are notorious for adding unplanned items to your schedule.  My boys know that if they want to do something they need to plan and to prepare for it ahead of time.  This teaches them valuable time management skills
• Routine-I run my household on a fairly set routine.  I like to have fun and embrace spontaneity, but during school-we’re on a routine.  Kids find comfort and stability in a regular routine.
• Regular Learning Opportunities-I discuss world and local issues with my boys on a regular basis.  I am known for using travel time during our activities to quiz them on geography, world leaders or history.  They also know if they get it wrong, I will have them research it when we get home.  I keep a hard copy of a dictionary and have the boys look up words they don’t know.  I keep a large library of books and encourage them to read on a daily basis

Here are some of the strategies, I use to incorporate these tips.

Weekly Meetings

I have four sons, so you can imagine sports lingo is big in our home.  I schedule weekly “huddles”. These huddles serve as a training/mentoring opportunity for the kids.  I usually select a topic and have a short discussion about it.  Resisting peer pressure, etiquette/manners and pursuing your purpose-are just a few things we’ve discussed during our huddles.  We also use this time to coordinate any extracurricular, school and social events.  The kids look forward to our weekly session.

Well-Rounded Kids

I desire to have well-rounded young men.  I look for affordable or free opportunities to expose the boys to a variety of art, culture and food.  I regularly take them to ballets, musical performances and cultural events.  There are numerous venues that offer reduced student tickets.  We also visit many of the free cultural festivals around the city.

I look forward to bringing you more affordable and fabulous tips to be a DIVA on a Dime.