Continuing on the last post's thrifty note, I came across some fantastic ideas over at Real Simple for 14 Simple, Beautiful Homemade Holiday Gifts.  They really delivered on both the simple and beautiful notes, with easy to follow instructions and some very unique ideas that I know I'd love to give OR get!  From an adorable little Cactus Garden to a too-cute Family Recipe Book to incredibly chic Infused Vodkas, these gifts are completely appealing and personal... and who can put a price tag on that?  Some of my favorites:

Forget The Look For Less.... how 'bout The Food For Less??  If you're like most people, you're probably a bit more strict with your budget right now, and nights out might not be as frequent.  Need an affordable break?  Treat yourself to a date night or girls night out at a  local restaurant at a substantial discount using Restaurant.com!  This website offers gift certificates to a range of local restaurants in your area at crazy low prices.  On the site they are listed usually as $25 certificates for $10.  But wait, it gets better!  There is usually ALWAYS a coupon code floating around for anywhere from 60% - 80% off.  You do the math.  That's as little as $2 for a $25 gift certificate!!!  Now, as there usually is with great deals, there are some slight catches. You will need to spend at least a $35 minimum (probably pretty easy to do though, especially with a party of 4 or more), and you can only use one certificate at a time, and one certificate per restaurant per month.  During checkout, make SURE to read all the fine print.  Then print off your $25 certificate and enjoy a night out for a little bit less!