Economize at Christmas
Money Saving Tips To Stay on Budget During the Holidays
It's important to develop strategies that save on money but provide plenty of fun. Saving money also lessens holiday stress.
Create a Christmas Gift Catalog
Children may dream well beyond a family's budget. Figure out what can be spent and make a gift catalog for each child. Find affordable items online and put the photos onto pages. Put a few choices on each page and print them out. Bind the pages together for a booklet. Make one for each child. Let children circle one per page.
Gift Alternatives and Savings
People receive so much at once that a delayed gift can add excitement and anticipation of a gift later in the coming year. Consider giving a promise note with a specific activity or promise of time to attend an event together, baby sitting, errands, or using a talent to do something for the person. Or give a coin with a promise to redeem it for a shopping trip sometime during the year.
Make gifts instead of buying them. One of the easiest is to make a gift jar filled with ingredients with a recipe attached. Also, check out local craft stores for gift making classes.
Watch for coupons and online specials. Many coupons can be found online and printed through a search for an item or store name. Look up secondhand gifts as many are actually new ones other people didn't want or consider swapping used toys with friends.
Give time to a local charity instead of money. Groups collecting gifts need help with the sorting and delivery.
Black Friday Shopping Tips
Capitalize on one of the best shopping days of the year. Read the ads ahead (they are online) and figure out a strategy. Map out where to shop, starting with most desired items or the earliest sales. Shop with a partner so one can get in line to pay while the other grabs the items.
Save on Utilities
Use LED lights, cut back on hours of turning on Christmas lights and have them up for fewer days. Calculate how much electricity is spent per hour of lighting and budget hours to light up the home.
Turn the heat to one degree cooler and dress a little warmer to save on the heating bill.
Entertainment Savings
Try free entertainment like a walk through the community to see lights or sipping cocoa while watching a favorite Christmas video.
Join with friends to plan a cooperative party instead of throwing a party. This spreads out the cost and time commitment. Put on an inexpensive performance.
Save on Gift Wrap
Economize on wrapping gifts. Use a simple bow instead of wrapping gifts or make paper by stamping on plain butcher or paper bags. Wrap the gift before stamping to choose where to apply stamps.
For gifts under the tree, consider decorating white trash bags or pillowcases and filling each with gifts. Children can close their eyes, reach in, and pull out one gift at a time.
A little planning and savings can be found in almost every aspect of the holiday season.
Economize At Christmas
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