Who says that saving means sacrificing quality?
At CashCo Pawn Shop, we are all fans of making a smart use of money, and love sharing tips to help our neighbors do so as well.
Follow these strategies to save on everything, from entertainment to holiday gifts, and have more fun than ever!
Saving on Christmas Dinner and Entertaining Guests
Have a buffet-style dinner
Sit-down meals, where the host serves the guests, tend to be 40% more expensive than buffets. A buffet-style dinner allows everyone to choose what they eat -which reduces waste. It also means less work for the hostess. Make the serving table look elegant by planning the layout of the platters and artfully placing flowers and holiday decorations among them.
Switch to brunch
Brunch meals are 40% more affordable than dinners or formal lunches. The menu can include eggs, cheese enchiladas or crepes, which are more inexpensive than dinner staples such as beef. So consider brunch as an option for get-togethers with friends, visiting relatives. If your family is flexible, you can even make brunch the new tradition for December 25.
Skip the entrees
For parties with co-workers, friends gatherings and “posadas,” consider serving just canapes, salads and desserts. Skipping the main-course saves 35% off the cost of a meal, and your guests will enjoy themselves as much as they always do!
Save On Holiday Gifts
One for All
Instead of buying presents for each family member, get a large item for the whole tribe. Think of a game console, laptop! , concert tickets or household items!. This idea if fantastic for families with older children. Check out our online store for more ideas. Better yet, drop by one of our pawnshops in San Diego, we have three locations!
Gift Exchange
A staple for workplace parties, the gift exchange between adults can be a lifesaver for large clans. The Dirty Santa game is a fun variation of the exchange (it’s the one where you “steal” gifts from other people). Not sure what to buy? Our pawn shops offer a broad range of gift items, from fun items like DVDs to fashion watches, electronics and gadgets… Come see us! There is a CashCo pawn shop near you.
The gift of skill
Are your brownies legendary? Can you knit beautiful scarves? Make use of these abilities! Buy a nice set of containers and fill them up with goodies, or knit up a storm and give scarves to every member of the family!
Want to go the extra mile? Include a card with the recipe, or instructions and yarn.
The gift of time
You are one of those persons that can fix anything. Or maybe gadgets and computers are your thing. Why not visit the house of an elderly relative and make some repairs? Or maybe teach grandpa how to use a tablet or set up his phone alarm? These gifts are much appreciated.
Want to go the extra-mile? Bring a laptop or gadget as a gift, and help them set it up.
Think outside the box (that is, the big-box store)
Traditional brick and mortar stores mean high markups on merchandise and poor, impersonal service. Compare to what happens at CashCo. Right now, our Holiday Jewelry Sale is going on, with 60% discount on gold, fine jewelry, and watches.
Want to go the extra-mile? Watch out for our Deals of the Week, where every Monday, we announce steep discounts on our already low prices for some unique items. Check-out our Facebook page on Mondays to discover the week´s offers.
Inexpensive Wrappings for Presents
Use shredded paper
Don´t let the wrappings of any gifts you receive go to waste. Shred it and store it in Ziploc bags. It can be re-purposed as filling for gift bags, a cushion for mailed gifts and a colorful addition to goodie baskets.
Recycle toddler art
If you have a budding mini-artist at home, give them a large roll of paper and crayons. Save the resulting “works of art” to use as wrapping paper, which older relatives will treasure. This will also give the future Dali something to do while you cook or decorate the house.
Charitable Donations
It´s tempting to put “giving” at the end of our priority list. However, “giving” is one of the most congruent actions with the authentic holiday spirit. Hands-on giving can be as important as contributing cash. Here in San Diego, where our CashCo pawn shops are located, there are a number of organizations which consistently rely on volunteers to accomplish their mission. Scroll down to find a link to their websites and contact them!
We are here for you…
If you still feel the extraordinary expenses of the season are putting a damper on your holidays, think of CashCo. There are several ways in which we can help you go through this time. You can pawn an item and repay later, or just sell unwanted things in your house and get cash. Either way, we are here for you. That´s why we have been voted San Diego´s favorite pawn shop several years in a row. With three locations in Encanto, City Heights and University, there is a CashCo Pawn Shop near you.
Resources
For Volunteering:
San Diego Rescue Mission: http://www.sdrescue.org/ways-to-give/donate-your-time/ San Diego Food Bank: http://sandiegofoodbank.org/get-involved/volunteer/
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