And, so I’m off in search of another perfect gift. While I hope to finish today, and steer clear of stores tomorrow, it is nice to know there are store hours on Christmas Eve just in case.

I know I’ll come up with something awesome for my sis, but occasionally I’ve had to go with a last resort item, as we come down to the wire.

Here are several gifts you can purchase all the way up to Christmas Day:

• Magazine subscriptions: Find deals at Amazon, then wrap the current issue with your subscription note. Check the magazine rack at the nearest convenience store, for super last minute options!
• Daily Deals: Give the gift of time with a ticket package, family fun attraction or restaurant deal from Groupon, EverSave and more.
• Gift Cards & Cash: It may not be very personal, but you can get cash at the ATM and gift cards at Walgreens (open on Christmas Day). At least you can choose one of these fun ways to package money!
• Movie Tickets: Order & print online at any time. Plus, Get 20% off $25 in movie tickets when you use your Visa Signature card.

Fess up—who is still left on your list?

Photo Credit: Flickr

1. 1 Day Until Christmas: Very Last Minute Gift Ideas
2. 5 Simple Ideas to Lower Your Gift Budget
3. Simple & Sustainable Holiday Gifts

Genius hit me like a ton of bricks: A filtered water bottle would be awesome. So I set out on my journey to find one on the internet. It wasn’t easy, but finally I came across one that fit me very well. Not only is a water bottle that you can fill with any kind of tap water, because it has a filter in it, but it was nice looking, it’s MADE IN THE UNITED STATES and my favorite part…..it also donates water to people in need of clean water. How can you not love something like that? The water bottle is called Hydros Filtering Water Bottles. And I love mine!

Basically, you have the filter at the top (which will need to be replaced periodically). You fill it up with tap water and you’ve got clean water you can bring with you anywhere. And then, when you run out, you fill it up from ANYWHERE because the filter is working it’s magic no matter what! Totally love it. The filter removes chlorine and it’s anti-microbial. Comes in different colors, plus you can buy refills right from the website, too. I’m in love.

I purchased one of these. I carry it with me, my kids have little metal water bottles I purchased for them. When they run out of water, I refill from my Hydros Water Bottle and we’re on our way. Once I run out, I refill my Hydros at whatever sink I find, or water fountain. PERFECTION. If you want it super cold, do like we do and tote along an insulated bag with an ice pack in it. We always have ours with us. Mine hangs on my shoulder, which I use to carry my Hydros Water Bottle in anyway.

And that’s how I save money when it comes to drinking water on the go.

Check out how they’re giving back to those who are in need of clean drinking water:

Hydros Bottle™ holds more than water. It is a chance to help the nearly 1 billion people who do not have access to clean drinking water. With your purchase, you have joined the fight against the Global Water Crisis. We are reinvesting profits today into developing new filter technologies so tomorrow an even better Hydros Bottle can bring clean water to people in need globally.

In the meantime, $1 from each Hydros Bottle will go towards a water infrastructure project designed to be socially, economically, and environmentally viable. Such sustainable development projects meet the needs of people today without compromising those of tomorrow.

For their first project, Hydros Bottle has partnered with the Engineers Without Borders USA to deliver fresh water to the village of Gundom.

Click here to Order your own Hydros Bottle

*I am a PROUD Hydros Bottle affiliate.

1. Give Clean Water (Blogivation)
2. 5 Tips to Save Money When Packing a Lunch
3. Give Money By Playing Games

I’ve always wanted to pay someone’s bill at a drive-thru, but the opportunity just never came up. Of course, that’s probably because I avoid drive-thrus. One day, I’ll go out of my way to try that one! It sounds like a fun way to bring a little joy to someone’s day. I do have a Starbucks gift card around here somewhere, so I think I’ll set that aside for a fun gift soon.

My goal this week was to spread the love a little, and to involve the kids more. It is important to me that we raise children with giving hearts. They had fun baking cookies to share, but I did let them have a treat or two for themselves! This week, we’re also going to fill a grocery bag for the church food drive. Typically, I donate a lot of food through coupon deals. This time, though, I want to dig into what we have to show them what it means to give of yourself.

I didn’t want that to be part of this project, though, since it’s already something I do. The point was to step outside of my comfort zone, and find new ways to give.

Day 22: Today I give with joy.
Wednesday was Lorelai’s last day of school before Spring break. Her sisters start on Friday. So, as a special treat to Lorelai, I took her out to lunch. We enjoyed Chick-Fil-A together, then she played in the play area for a bit. This was nice because, while she’s with me almost all the time, we don’t usually do things together. She gets drug along to her sisters activities, carted around on errands & stuck with me while I work every day. But, it’s nice to remember to do something nice just for the littlest one now & then.

Day 23: Today I give in celebration.
My bff & I totally celebrate our friendiversary—by sheer fluke of the calendar, we happen to know the exact date we moved from acquaintance to friend. Before she arrived at our celebration on Friday, I picked up (okay, the hubby picked up) a You’re Awesome balloon. It was my request & payment, so it still totally counts, even though he ran the errand for me.

Day 24: Today I give in friendship.
I mentioned I wanted to spread out my gifts a bit more. I can’t go much farther than the package I mailed today. It’s filled with local goodies my dear friend can’t get in her area. I can’t wait until it finally reaches its destination!

Day 25: Today I give with love.
Today’s gift went to the hubby, again, but it’s something I want to work on more. We have vastly different tastes in food & drink, and as I am the primary grocery shopper & cook, he doesn’t get to enjoy his favorites very often So, while I was preparing dinner, I made some tea jut for him. I hate it, but he enjoyed the treat.

Day 26: Today I give with abandon.
This one is straight out of the 29 Gifts book—and something I’d always wanted to do. When I got to the grocery store, I saw several clearance bundles of flowers. I bought one, intending to give a few to each of my girls when I got home. Then, the guy next to me was buying a birthday cake for his wife, so I gave him one of the flowers to take home to her. I gave another to the overworked cashier, who was excited to have something fun at her station for the evening.

I had 3 left, so I was still able to give them to my kid. They quickly found vases, trimmed the flowers & removed leaves just like they see me do when I get flowers from the hubby. The flowers sit at their bedside, and each girl is so excited to have her own vase. It cost just $1.99, but brought joy to so many people that night!

Day 27: Today I give with abundance.
The girls & I baked cookies today, but as I’m trying to live a healthier life, I didn’t want the dozens of cookies lying around. We packaged a few for each of Brenia’s softball coaches, and she took them with her to practice. It was supposed to be a nice treat for them, but they ended up sharing with the girls. So, I guess my gift made several people smile today!

Day 28: Today I give with love.
I had an errand to run in my sister’s neck of the woods today, so I invited her to join us lunch. We took her some more of our cookies and paid for her meal. She then insisted on leaving the tip, but I still think it counts. It was a nice girls’ day and something I need to do more often. She’s off on Wednesdays, so I’m going to try to make a point to do things in her area on that specific day to see her more.

Day 29: Today I give with abundance.
I missed my chiropractor’s appointment on Tuesday—it just completely slipped my mind in the chaos of three kids home for spring break. They have me rescheduled for this afternoon, and I’m bringing a plate of cookies with me. It’s the last from our baking day, and don’t worry—I totally taste tested them to be sure they were still fresh!

1. 29 Gifts: Being Generous With Family
2. 29 Gifts: Giving With Purpose
3. 29 Gifts: Making It Count

Next week, I want to focus on spreading the love a little more—it may require going out of my way to, I don’t know leave. the. house. It’s our spring break, too, so it will be fun to involve the girls a little in what I’m doing. It will be the last week of my 29 Gifts project. That seems like the appropriate time to encourage giving in the next generation.

Day 15: Today I give with consideration.
Spencer is in the middle of a big, stressful project at work. I don’t know how to help him get through it. So, I sat down behind him last week and gave him a back rub—with no expectation of anything in return. I think he was confused, as we usually swap this kind of thing, but I wanted it to be a gift for him. Just something to show him I appreciate what he does for our family and recognize his struggle.

Day 16: Today I give with hope.
It’s been a rough time with Stacia lately. She is beyond grounded, but I think we’re finally making progress toward a solution. She was bummed to be missing out on the Girls’ Club sleepover at school, but I decided to take her. It was a chance for us to spend some time together and show her that we’ve noticed the changes she’s making. I even picked up a gluten free pizza at Monical’s, since she couldn’t eat what the rest of the girls had delivered.

Day 17: Today I give with hospitality.
My brother and his wife visited her family for their spring break. He let me know on Friday that they’d be stopping by on their way back home. That was a nice gift for me, since I don’t get to see my baby nephew as often as I’d like. I had intended to make some cookies that day anyway, but I called my mom to find out Robbie’s favorites. Apparently, he’s a sucker for Rice Crispy Treats, so I hit the store for marshmallows & our gluten free rice cereal. They were a huge hit—he tore to the kitchen as soon as I mentioned them! It was nice to offer something special, just for him, on the spur of the moment.

Day 18: Today I give with purpose.
Lorelai was the snack volunteer for this week. Ordinarily, I would have hit the store for a few sale items, but as a special gift to her I took requests and picked up the bananas, grapes & cheese she wanted to share with her class. She was so excited to take her things to school the next day.

Day 19: Today I give with gratitude.
I had also picked up some browning bananas, with the intention of making banana muffins. Lorelai & I baked on Monday, and I decided to take it a step further. We made several mini loaves of bread and wrapped them in pretty plastic wrap. The girls took a loaf to school for each of their teachers. I hope it was a nice treat after test week. And, the girls were thrilled to take a special gift to the teachers they love.

Day 20: Today I give with
Yesterday, Brenia’s class had a Living Wax Museum. They were to dress up as the person they learned about in this month’s biography book report. She read Miles to Go by (and about) Miley Cyrus so, of course, we had to have some serious Hannah Montana sparkle. I went a step further, dug through my party supplies and found the Hannah Montana wig I had set aside for another purpose. (We have a lot of rock/fashion/diva parties around here—you just never know when you’re going to need a pop star wig!)

Day 21: Today I give in celebration.
I always try to go out of my way to be sure the hubby has a good birthday. So, it was going to be a challenge to find an extra gift on a day that was all about him. Earlier this week, I had stocked up on his favorite bell peppers—I had every color! So, I started his morning with an omelet. After taking the girls to school, I made his breakfast while he slept in a bit. I hope it was a nice way to start his day.

What have you given this week?

1. 29 Gifts: Spreading the Love
2. 29 Gifts: Giving With Purpose
3. 29 Gifts: Making It Count

I won’t count anything after the fact, but if I go into it—however small—with the purpose of giving, I have fulfilled the day’s mission. Anytime I go out of my way to do something for someone—even if it costs me nothing—it will be a part of my 29 Gifts. Most of this week’s gifts cost little to nothing at all, but that’s always been my point with Giving Inexpensively. It doesn’t have to cost a lot to have an impact on someone’s life.

Day 8: Today I give with inspiration.
When I learned about Mamavation, the one requirement that tripped me up was the 5K. Graduates must complete a 5K within 6 months of completing the program. So, I chose one I thought I could enjoy before I ever applied to be the next Mamavation Mom. Outrun the Sun is a night race in the Indianapolis area, to benefit melanoma research. I’m not a morning person so this seemed perfect for me. Then, I put it out there that I’d be doing it and several area bloggers offered to join me! So, last week, I established a team, made my contribution and set goals for our fundraising efforts. If you want to run (or walk!) with us, you can join my Mamavation Support Team or make a donation to the cause.

Day 9: Today I give in friendship.
When I saw the Groupon for the Lincoln Lawyer, I called MFJ to see if she’d like to see it with me that weekend. Girls Night was officially planned. Then, I forgot to actually purchase the deal—ugh! Since we’d both been looking forward to it, I hit the movie theater on Friday afternoon to buy tickets at full price. I used a leftover Christmas gift card for a portion of it, paid for the rest myself and looked forward to treating my best friend to a movie that night. I even brought coupons so we could both get free popcorn!

Day 10: Today I give with love.
It’s been a rough couple of years with our oldest—and an especially rough couple weeks. Last week was pretty much a teen parenting nightmare! She is beyond grounded right now, but on Saturday the hubby took her out for some alone time. While they were gone, I delivered my gift to her bed. We gave her a fun notebook & gel pen (because her teacher thinks it could help) along with a “just because I love you” card from Hallmark. It was one of the freebies from my Blissdom swag, but was completely perfect for the occasion. The night ended with tears & hugs so I know I need to do things like that a little more often for her.

Day 11: Today I give in hospitality.
Recently, I was selected to host a Nutella breakfast bar for moms. I had planned to serve mimosas with our gluten free treats. When the time came for the date we had selected, I was on a no alcohol injunction, courtesy of Bookie Boo, along with the rest of the Mamavation Mom applicants. Serving a favorite drink to all my friends when I can’t have it myself? That’s a sacrificial gift if I ever heard one!

I had such a fun time planning & preparing our breakfast bar—we had waffles, pancakes, tortillas, toast, homemade cinnamon chips & fruit. And, Nutella is yummy! I really enjoyed the time with my friends and realized it was fairly easy to put together. The hubby and I are planning to host more frequently. I’ve already invited my sister & her new hubby for dinner—I hope we can put our schedules together soon.

Day 12: Today I give with love.
The other day when we were cleaning, I stumbled on a freebie I’d picked up somewhere—Lunchbox Love. It’s a collection of cards to tuck into lunchboxes with affirmations & notes of love on one side and silly trivia on the other. In light of how successful our gift to Stacia was, I tucked them into the girls’ lunchboxes on Monday morning.

Then, I found a coupon code (EASTER) to save 20% and discovered they ship free when you order 4 packages. So, I ordered several more sets—including one specifically for teens &amp tweens. I won’t use this for 29 Gifts again, but I do plan to use them on a regular basis to sprinkle a little love on my girls.

Day 13: Today I give with gratitude.
Several months ago, I found a package on my front porch with a note from a neighbor saying it had been delivered to his house by mistake. We share a street number, though we live a few blocks apart. I saved the note, intending to drop him a quick thank you. That, of course, never happened. Last week, he stopped by with another package for me, and I knew I had to take the time to properly thank him. There’s just something about a hand-written note, though the hubby finds it ironic that I mailed it to him! We’ll see if it comes back to me next.

Day 14: Today I give with abundance.
A few weeks ago, Lorelai’s teacher sent home a note asking for donations of bubble wrap. They have been using it as a reward in the classroom—the preschoolers can earn some time on the bubble wrap and have a blast jumping up & down to pop the bubbles! A package I opened earlier this week had a sheet of bubble wrap in it, so I tucked it into her backpack for the school. That wouldn’t have been enough to count, for me, but I decided to do some digging and ended up putting together a grocery bag full of wrap I had saved for shipping & storage. I hope the little ones have a ton of fun with my gift!

1. 29 Gifts: Being Generous With Family
2. 29 Gifts: Spreading the Love
3. 29 Gifts: Giving With Purpose

As the site grew, so did my vision. I wanted to help people afford all kinds of things they didn’t think they could—including more ways to be charitable, even on a budget.

The weekly Giving Inexpensively series was born out of that desire, but lately, my heart just hasn’t been in it. Oh, I still fill bags to dropoff each month. I still keep a going donation bin a we declutter the house. And, I still donate my time to the school, church and Scouting.

But, it’s all become a little rote. The giving sacrifice isn’t there anymore. I’ve just been doing only what I’ve always done, giving only the bare minimum. When that hit me, I decided I needed to change it. Yet, I still didn’t give as freely as I should. And, I still passed up simple opportunities to make a difference.

Then, I remembered 29 Gifts—a book & worldwide movement created by Cami Walker. When my friend Angie blogged daily about her experience with the concept, after reading 29 Gifts: How a Month of Giving Can Change Your Life, I was intrigued & inspired. Yet, I did nothing about it. So, earlier this month, I picked the book up from the library.

It was a fascinating (and easy) read, and I was once again inspired! I started last Thursday, and while I don’t know that I’ve noticed any of the instant karma others have reported, I am feeling more peaceful overall. The house has been calmer, the girls seem to be getting along slightly better and things are running pretty smoothly right now. I am just more centered, and I think our home is starting to reflect that already.

I decided to track my journey, and I’ll be blogging my giving each week. This will temporarily replace Giving Inexpensively, letting Alicia have a little more time for Mommy. (A little extra gift to her this month!) I will be including my reflections on the week, my daily “meditation” to go with each gift and details about what I am giving.

Day 1: Today I give in gratitude.
I donated to Jacob’s MS Bike Tour. My Personal Finance Journey is one of the blogs in the Yakezie network with me. In addition to support & tips, we frequently share advertiser contacts. Last week Jacob helped negotiate a new ad contract for me, and the payment arrived on the first day of my 29 Gifts journey. Since I knew that he was trying to raise funds for his ride, I used a bit of my cash to make a donation to his team.

Day 2: Today I give in friendship.
Along the same theme, a childhood friend of mine was raising money for an MDA walk. When I saw her final request for donations, I wanted to contribute. This is not the sort of thing I do often—you’ll notice I said “final” request as I’d ignored all the others—but another check had arrived in my mailbox that day, and I wanted my gift to help a lifelong friend. Literally. We’ve been together since infancy!

Day 3: Today I give with purpose.
On Saturday, I hit the gym for a Zumba class with MFJ. We went out for lunch afterwards, and the opportunity for the day’s gift was presented when I saw the tip jar at When Eddie Met Salad. I always tip well at restaurants—both because it’s expected and because they do work hard to keep us hydrated. However, I rarely (if ever) tip for counter service. When I saw the jar, I decided to offer a little something to the guy who was so helpful with my first order & allergy substitutions.

Day 4: Today I give with abundance.
This past weekend, my girls had scheduled cookie booths on Saturday & Sunday. At our final booth, another cookie mom stopped by to see if I had any extra Thin Mints or Trefoils. The entire council was out of mints, but we hadn’t sold a single Trefoil all day. Yet, I didn’t need anything she had extras of. My instinct was to tell her sorry & wish her luck with her next stop. Instead, I swapped a case of cookies, out of my abundance of shortbread. I still have the cookies she gave me to get rid of, but I hope it helped her troop a little bit.

Day 5: Today I give with inspiration.
Monday’s gift was primarily time. My friend’s little girl needed letters cutout for a school project on blizzards, and I have a Cricut. I was originally going to use the blue construction paper they gave me, but found myself inspired to do more in the scrapbook aisle at Target, on an unrelated errand. When I saw the shiny, glittery blue paper, I just had to have it! I cutout the letters, included the leftovers in case she wanted to mat any of her other work and delivered them to her that night. That smile made it so worthwhile!

Day 6: Today I give with love.
A few weeks ago, I picked up a Miss You card for a friend who is just too far away. It sat here, bringing her no joy, in its original bag. Last night, I dug it out, signed it and got it mailed. I wish I could see her smile when it arrives!

Day 7: Today I give with hope.
I had to be very intentional about this one. I started a loaf of gluten free bread in the bread maker on Tuesday night. On Wednesday morning, I woke up late (as usual) and groggy. I did not want to go downstairs, slice bread and pack lunches. I wanted to throw some of the “lunch emergency” supplies in a bag and call it done.

But, it is pizza day and my girls are always so disappointed not to participate due to their food allergies. So, I lovingly made 3 gluten free sandwiches and even indulged a request for ranch dip to go with their carrots. I hope it provides a bit of a lift to their usual lunch, and I hope it reminds them that we don’t have to do without everything!

There was a wide range of gifts just in my first week—from digging into my checking account to a little extra something with the lunches I pack daily. It has already been an eye opening experience, and a fun way to renew a giving spirit. Will you consider giving daily along with me?

Photo Credit: Hamed Saber

1. 29 Gifts: Being Generous With Family
2. 29 Gifts: Making It Count
3. 29 Gifts: Spreading the Love

Today, March 10th, is World Kidney Day. According to the National Kidney Foundation, “the mission of World Kidney Day is to raise awareness of the importance of our kidneys to our overall health and to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide.” You can find out more about Kidney Disease on their website.

Here’s how you can share about World Kidney Day with others:

1) You can make a pledge to live healthier.  There  are a variety of pledges available including vowing to eat healthier, exercise, or drink water. You can share it by posting your pledge “badge” to your Facebook page, Twitter, blog, or another social networking site.

2) You can send  an e-card to a friend to spread the word about World Kidney Day.

3) If you are on Twitter or Facebook you can update your status. You can say something like, “Today is World Kidney Day. Find out more information on their website: http://www.worldkidneyday.org/”

Thank you for sharing about World Kidney Day with your family and friends!

1. Blissfully Frugal Entry: Confessions of a Social Networking Cheapskate
2. Blissfully Frugal Entry: Living Inexpensively in an Expensive World
3. Facebook – The Newest Coupon Source

On this chilly day, I wanted to share about BlanketStatements.org. For every blanket that is sold in their online store, Blanket Statements will donate an identical blanket to a local women’s shelter. Those that purchase the blanket can choose to include a message with the blanket that is donated or give it anonymously. I love the idea that I can buy something nice for a family member or friend and give to a woman in need at the same time.

Click here to shop.

1. Share Breakfast
2. Stand Up To Cancer With Me
3. Saving on Clothes