Gift-Giving on a Budget

Looking for Mother’s Day ideas on a budget? With this special celebration just around the corner, gift procrastinators are undoubtedly beginning to shake! But, (assuming that they have a decent amount of money to spend on mom’s gift) let’s be frank, their worries are minuscule in the face of trying to find a last-minute Mother’s Day gift on a budget. If there’s anyone we’d want to spend all our pennies on, the women who have shaped us are certainly at the top of the list. But, as life would have it, sometimes giving her the world doesn’t fall within our budget. 

Fortunately, there are many ways you can make mom feel special. After all, how hard could it be to impress her when all she really wants is for you to “call more often”? As experts in affordable gifts and celebrating on a budget, we’ve put together a few ideas that will help you make Mother’s Day memorable in the ways that matter most. 

Mother’s Day Ideas on a BudgetRead More »

Alex London

Alex is a hopeless romantic who was supposed to be born in Italy (her dream destination), but proud to be South African nonetheless. She lives by her heart, and, consequentially, leaves a little bit of herself in everything she writes. She wholeheartedly believes that mermaids (and fairies) exist and is deathly afraid of the age ’30’.

In 2023, an estimated 81% of U.S. consumers celebrating Easter will spend a total of $24 billion. So, if you’re considering celebrating Easter on a budget this year, you’re already doing better than most of us! Year-round holidays have us spending a little more than we know we should and, according to the National Retail Federation, Easter 2023 isn’t going to be an exception. But, that doesn’t have to be the case for you or your loved ones. 

As experts in affordability, we believe in the beauty of a budget. Whether you’re wanting to cut down on gift spending, or looking for budget-friendly ways to host the perfect Easter get-together, you’re celebration can be magical even when you’re counting coins. So, read below as we share Easter saving hacks you’re sure to keep in mind for years to come.

Bunny on a Budget. How to Celebrate Easter on a BudgetRead More »

Alex London

Alex is a hopeless romantic who was supposed to be born in Italy (her dream destination), but proud to be South African nonetheless. She lives by her heart, and, consequentially, leaves a little bit of herself in everything she writes. She wholeheartedly believes that mermaids (and fairies) exist and is deathly afraid of the age ’30’.

Some pessimists call it a money making scheme, advertisers call it a ‘marketing strategy’, and the best of us refer to it as ‘the most wonderful time of the year’. But, let’s be honest, whichever way you view the holidays, you’re still somehow bound to become another statistic in its bright red tinsel topped mistletoe madness of mass consumerism. Or…are you? Is there a smarter way to go about spoiling your loved ones during the holidays? Oh, we hope so! On to the Christmas savings!

With holiday savings and Christmas deals on the rise, you’d have to have super human strength to resist indulging in holiday shopping. The truth is though, you don’t have to resist! And instead of super human strength, all you really need is a plan, and to stick to it. Whether you’re doing Christmas on a budget, or simply want to cut down your holiday spending this year, we have some tips you may find useful. Read below and let us help you rock around the Christmas tree – debt free! 

Christmas Savings: How to Save on Christmas Gifts and Holiday Shopping Read More »

Alex London

Alex is a hopeless romantic who was supposed to be born in Italy (her dream destination), but proud to be South African nonetheless. She lives by her heart, and, consequentially, leaves a little bit of herself in everything she writes. She wholeheartedly believes that mermaids (and fairies) exist and is deathly afraid of the age ’30’.

It feels like a lifetime ago when Black Friday was an event that had the entire world marking their calendars and queing (camping) outside their favorite department stores at the crack of dawn. But, although we’ve come a long way since the unruly consumerism and chaotic Black Friday hysteria of 2012 – it is still an event that causes people to overspend and fall victim to big black ‘50% OFF’ signage. The only difference is that, today, the tricks of the trade (and we mean tricks) are occurring more frequently online. 

This year, consumers will be participating in Black Friday sales online more than ever before. And, this will unfortunately leave more room for scams and ‘too good to be true’ discounts. Luckily, there are a few ways you can take precaution both online and in store. So, before you add to cart, or go busting down store doors, have a look at our Black Friday safety tips so you can make the most of this year’s frenzy. 

6 Black Friday Safety Tips: Facts and FairytalesRead More »

Alex London

Alex is a hopeless romantic who was supposed to be born in Italy (her dream destination), but proud to be South African nonetheless. She lives by her heart, and, consequentially, leaves a little bit of herself in everything she writes. She wholeheartedly believes that mermaids (and fairies) exist and is deathly afraid of the age ’30’.

We understand that when it comes to special occasions and major life events, there is a lot of pressure to give the ‘right’ gift. The same way a good gift has the ability to strengthen a relationship, an offensive one can unfortunately cause damage. And, we never want to partake in the latter. However, when it comes to celebrating our family and friends, we don’t always have the funds to send expensive gifts. Finding an affordable and valuable gift for the right occasion may require an extra dose of thoughtfulness and creativity, but trust us, it’s not impossible! So, are budget gifts appropriate?

Ace of Hearts is here to help. Before you start scrolling through gifting catalogs and jump into giving mode, we suggest creating a gift budget. Thoughtful gestures beat impractical and costly gifts every time. And, fortunately, we have loads of tips and tricks to help you decipher when is the best time to save and give gifts with a budget in mind. Read below to find out how you can send gifts even on a shoestring budget. 

The ‘B’ Word: When Are Budget Gifts Appropriate?Read More »

Amy-Paige Cox

Born and raised in her beloved mother city Cape Town,  Amy-Paige Cox is a writer, poet and plant mom. A hopeless romantic at heart, she loves exploring different parts of the world, all the while documenting her ever-changing perspectives with pen and paper. Although tempted by numerous interests, her life-long goal is to be a globe-trotting children’s book author.