Low Cost and Hand Made Christmas Cards

How to Economise on Christmas Greeting Cards.

Oct 14, 2008

During this difficult economic situation, families need to economise, particularly at Christmas. Greeting cards are very expensive, but can be made cheaply.

With the credit crisis continuing, families and individuals need to cut back and save money wherever they can. Many people are finding cheaper ways to make or buy their Christmas presents, and here are some suggestions on similar methods to save money on Xmas cards.

Send Email Christmas Cards

In these days of computers, it is worth considering if actual cards need to be sent at all. It is possible to find special email Christmas cards online; several companies do them, and they can be easily found by doing a search. The cards themselves may be free, or there may be a small charge. But sending cards this way will save a significant amount on both the cards themselves and on postage.

Making Photographic and Personalized Christmas Cards

Photos can easily be made into greetings cards, either by sticking them onto cheap card which can be bought in any art shop, or buying special card frames…still cheaper than Christmas cards. The photos themselves can be printed cheaply, or even done by individuals on a PC…though it is worth checking that the cost of ink cartridges will not nullify any savings made. Cards made in this way can have photos of one’s house, children, pets etc, and may be far more appreciated by the recipient than mass produced cards.

Hand Made Greetings Cards

It is very easy to make cards from scratch. Most good craft shops now have cardmaking sections where one can buy everything that is required – plain card, pictures, greetings stick-ons etc. All that is needed is a little time to assemble everything, and children love doing it. Again, this gives everyone a chance to make personalised and very individual cards.

For those who have kept last year’s cards, it is also possible to re-make them into greetings cards for this year. Recycled cards made in this way are quite acceptable. And of course everyone should save the cards they receive this year, to repeat the process next time.

Saving on Postage

Postage for a large number of Christmas cards is a significant outlay. But no-one needs to post all their cards. Most people send cards to many individuals whom they see quite often – friends, workmates etc. It is a good idea to make a list, and separate cards into piles; those which can be passed on personally, and those which really need to be posted.

Even those in the “to post” pile may not all need sending. It may be cheaper to pay a teenager or jobless acquaintance a small amount to deliver them, perhaps on foot or by bicycle. Of course, this may not be suitable in all countries or areas, but it is worth considering.

As can be seen, a little ingenuity is all that is required in order to save a significant amount of money, which can be far better spent on presents for the family or other important items. At Christmas, it is the thought that counts and remembering one’s families and friends, not how much money has been spent. These ways of doing things take us back to the true spirit of Christmas.

The copyright of the article Low Cost and Hand Made Christmas Cards in Family Budgeting is owned by Helen Krasner. Permission to republish Low Cost and Hand Made Christmas Cards in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.