Green And Frugal Gift Wrapping

So much money can be saved by reusing, being inventive and being green on wrapping gifts. Christmas presents cost so much money. If you pay full price for wrapping, bags and bows, it may cost more than some of the things you are wrapping. Packages can be beautiful and not cost a fortune.

When they ask paper or plastic say "paper, please". Grocery brown bags work great. Cut them so you are using the (blank) underside of the bag. If you have stamps, colored pencils, pens, or stencils, use you imagination for a one of a kind package. The brown bag background gives you a neutral that all colors match. It can be quite pretty with a bow, bright stripes, and best of all it's free!

Bags, ribbon, and bows can be bought at the Dollar Store. They may be last season's, but really who cares? Look be thrifty and get the most for you buck. This is the rule whatever store you are at.

Look on clearance items. Yes, it isn't Christmas merchandise. However all of the summer, Halloween, birthday, wedding, and baby shower items are on sale. It could be wonderful having pink, baby blue, or bright orange bags, tissue paper, and bows.

Tissue paper is very inexpensive and comes in many colors. It can be also reused over and over. Many times a sheet of tissue paper can work as wrapping. If you can purchase 24 sheets of tissue paper, double it and that's 12 gifts wrapped.

When I was young my parents wrapped packages with newspaper. It still works great. It's the thought that counts not the wrap. Recycling is an issue today. I hope someone reading this keeps that in mind.

Going to a feed store is another really neat idea. They always they have free twine. Twine works well instead of ribbon. It can also be died with food coloring, tea or coffee. Put the twine in the colored water, let it soak up, and then let it dry. Very pretty if used up against the brown bag wrapping paper.

You can also use yarn and fabric when on sale. It's usually not a large amount, but great for a brightly wrapped gift. Fabric is nice; on those last chance racks at thrift store. May not be something you would want to wear, but how nice to wrap a present in. You can still keep a color theme, if that is important to you. Using texture is quite "trendy" in decorating. Look at all of the rags you will have afterwards.

I last purchased cheese cloth for dish towels in my kitchen it was $2.00 for a big roll of them. It great wrapping and it all coordinated. It also can be dyed what ever color you wish.

Saving boxes you may have now can work like empty Kleenex box, cereal boxes and check book boxes are great for small things. I have saved so many jewelry boxes, over the years. These can be used on a jewelry instead of purchasing another box. Earrings may be on a sale rack, but they look so good in a jewelry box. If you do have these boxes, don't ever throw them out; thrift stores love them as donations.

It doesn't have to say "Merry" anything if you are giving baked goods, or candy. They go very nice in containers you already have, brown bags or a gift bags you got on sale.

Shipping is very expensive, most of the time. It is cheaper to use the box they supply, because whatever you can fit in the box is at one cost. Go pick up the boxes (free at post office). Bring them home so you can pack everything safely, using as small a box as possible.

Buying the Styrofoam peanuts isn't necessary. You can use plastic bags, newspaper, rags, old socks, or stained clothes. If you receive a gift with peanuts as packing material, try saving them instead of throwing away.

If you can't use the boxes at the Post Office for shipping, try looking at the grocery, liquor and drug store. Boxes can be found free whether for shipping or wrapping. Ask every store, and catch them before they go into the machine that flattens them. I would spend the money I saved on boxes for shipping insurance, because I know that is well worth buying.

Name tags are the biggest rip in my opinion. Cut off a piece of the wrapping paper, fold it in half like a card. You can cut 3x5 inch recipes cards, used envelopes or a piece of paper cut into a heart, all works great. If you use post its make sure they don't fall off. Whatever you use, do a double ring of scotch tape to hold securely.

If you use your stockings, then you really don't need to spend extra money on wrapping paper.

Be inventive. If you do use on sale new paper, recycle it. This year after Christmas everything will be on sale again, so stock up. I think your family would be happier having the money go into the present, instead of what it's wrapped in.

By Luana M. from San Diego, CA