Happy fall, folks! Thanksgiving is fast approaching (my all-time favorite holiday), and in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I thought I would offer you some tips on how to be thankful and thrifty this month. To help me in these efforts, I’d like to introduce you to our new mascot, Wallis Wallet!
We are launching a new financial literacy program with the hope that it will help to educate students about how money works in the real world: how to earn money, manage money, save it, invest it, and more! Wallis wants you to succeed both at Rochester and beyond, managing your money on a day-to-day basis.
Homemade Hits
At this time of year, it’s a nice idea to show your gratitude to those people who are important in your life. It’s as simple as saying thank you to parents, grandparents, professors, friends—and maybe even your financial aid counselor! Even a little card would be appreciated. And no, you don’t need to spend $6 on a singing card at Hallmark; you wanna be thrifty! Here are some tips on how to make crafty, pretty, and cheap DIY cards!
Maybe you really want to show your appreciation and give thoughtful gifts to a handful of folks in your life. Do you want to offer an end-of-semester thanks to your lab manager? Some gratitude to that librarian in Rush Rhees who helped you find an obscure source? Pinterest, of course, has tons of DIY gifts that you can create cheaply in order to make your own fun and unique thank-yous! It will certainly show your originality and thoughtfulness when you put the time and effort into creating something special just to say thanks. Plus, it's wallet-friendly!
Baked Goods are the Bomb
If you’re not too crafty, maybe you’re a baker! You can find tons of great dessert recipes on allrecipes.com. A sweet treat is always appreciated, by friends or family alike. Plus it’s certainly an inexpensive option compared to splurging on a pricey cheesecake for the fam at the local bakery as soon as you get home.
Coupons are Cool!
Contributing to the Thanksgiving dinner will make you feel like a grownup! If you are willing to cook or bake something for the main meal, I’m sure your family will be thankful and pleased. Maybe even volunteer to help out with the grocery shopping before the big day! Sites like coupons.com offer tons of free, printable coupons that will help you and your family save money as you stock up on all the ingredients you’ll need to prepare the ultimate Thanksgiving feast!
The Little Things
Your thank-yous don’t have to be major undertakings. Oftentimes it’s the little things that count the most. Send a quick text just to say thank you, and be sure to give your parents a big hug when you get home for Thanksgiving. Maybe even offer to wash the dishes after Thanksgiving dinner! That’s the kind of generosity in small acts that’ll really make a difference.