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A Friendly, Frugal Thing To Do
How many times do we all say to ourselves "This
year I will send birthday cards to all my nieces
and nephews and anniversary cards to all my brothers
and sisters and cards from the kids on Grandparents'
Day?"
And how many times do we let this promise to
ourselves fall by the wayside? Sending cards is
becoming a thing of the past. But it is a really
worthy thing to do.
Maybe all we need is a little help getting started
and getting ourselves organized. Sending cards
is not as expensive as sending a gift. But it
does show the recipient that you are thinking of
them.
The first thing you need to do is mark all your
birthdays, anniversaries and other dates to
remember on your calendar. You may have a large
calendar where you keep track of the family's
schedule. Or you may have a small one that you
carry with you. If you prefer to organize these types of things on your computer, use a free reminder service to organize and remember special ocassions. This free reminder service will email you when your event is coming up and will renew each year, eliminating the need to write things into a new calendar again next year. Either way, mark every date for
the entire year.
Then at the first of every month, glance at the
calendar and note what cards you will need to
send. Of course, there will also be unexpected
occasions that come up--you may need to send a
Get Well or Sympathy card.
It is handy to keep a stash of assorted greeting
cards in a special place in your home along with
a supply of postage stamps. It's a good idea
to keep your address book here, also.
 It's nice to include a small gift along with a
birthday card for small children or even adults.
Bookmarks, small calendars, magnets, stickers are
some things that are flat and small enough to fit
in a card easily. Be on the lookout for gift
items when you are out shopping and add them to your
"stash" at home so that you are always prepared.
If a card is from the whole family, have the
children sign their own names. It adds an extra
touch that friends and family will appreciate.
Another thoughtful touch is to always write just
a short note, instead of just signing your name.
Even one sentence is enough to make the recipient
know you thought enough to take a little extra
time just for them.
By the way, the proper way to send a card is to
insert the folded side into the envelope with the
pretty design facing the flap.
"Why not brighten someone's day today?"
Editor's Note: Keep a stock of postage stamps on hand so that your cards can be sent out immediately and will not run the risk of being late. The United States Postal Service offers special postage stamps that say "Happy Birthday" on them at the same price as regular postage stamps.
Photos of the cards in this article were provided and hand crafted by Cindy Sanchez of MomsMenu.com. For information regarding these cards, please contact Cindy at editor@momsmenu.com
About the Author
Cyndi Roberts is the editor of the "1 Frugal Friend 2 Another"
bi-weekly newsletter and founder of the website of the same name.
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 Recommended Reading: By following the shopping list, and using my coupons and club cards I saved over $102.00 on my grocery bill! The fact that everything is made in advance means no more last minute trips to the store for one or two things and walking out having spent valuable time in line and an extra $75.00. Now I just run to the dairy for fresh milk and eggs once or twice a week and that's it.
The first time I tried the recipes my daughters helped out in the kitchen and it turned into a fun learning experience and quality family time.
The recipes are easy to follow and well thought out. I didn't have to add anything at all to spice up the flavor.
Most importantly, the kids are hooked to, since they are responsible for kitchen cleanup. There are fewer nightly dishes. No more fighting over who has to scrub the pans. Fantastic book! (courtesy Amazon)
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