How to Cut Costs for Christmas
From 3arf
When Christmas time rolls around, many people find themselves scrambling to decorate, shop for gifts and cook fabulous meals without going broke. It really is a shame that such a joyous holiday is slowly losing the joy due to higher prices each year. If you are one of these people, put the joy back in the season with these money saving tips:
- Cards. Some people have a yearly tradition of sending out Christmas cards to friends and relatives. This is a fun and festive tradition, however with the high price of cards and stamps almost as expensive as the cards (yikes), it is getting harder to follow tradition. A cost-free solution is to send out electronic cards through your email address. There are some really neat ecard websites out there that allow you to choose a design, personalize the card and send it to as many people as you want, all for free. Another option is to send a card through your cell phone. This is simple too; you can be creative and take a picture of your tree or your family and then send it as a picture message to everyone on your Christmas card list that has a cell phone. One last suggestion for cards is to make your own. You can get out the colored construction paper, glue and glitter and get creative or you can print out cards for free from websites online.
- Wrapping paper. You can really get creative with making your own wrapping paper. You use anything from the comic section of the newspaper to painting designs on plain white computer paper. If you feel you must have actual wrapping paper, check your local dollar stores and second hand stores. Sometimes you can find some really good deals on bulk wrapping paper in these stores.
- Gifts. This is where your creativity and heart can meet in the middle. Make gifts for everyone on your list. The awesome part is you do not have to be artistic or handy with tools to create heartfelt gifts. Examples of homemade gifts include: paint a picture, bake a treat, make beaded jewelry and give a framed photo of you and your family. This is just a small list of possible homemade gifts. If you know how to sew or knit then you can make a blanket or sweater. If you know how to carve wood, then make a nice piece for each person on your list. For low cost gifts, you can go to second hand stores, dollar stores and indoor flea markets.
- Meals. Holiday dinners can actually cost quite a bit. Even cooking at home can be expensive (you still have to buy the ingredients). One suggestion is to get as much as you can when the items you need go on the "season kick-off" sales. Another option is to ask everyone who will be eating at your house, to pitch in and bring one item. This last option is kind of nice because it turns the meal into a sort of potluck, plus it takes some of the pressure off you!
- Decorations. This one can be a fun family/friends activity. Gather everyone around the kitchen table or even the living room floor, and make your own decorations. Kids can have fun drawing festive pictures and adults can enjoy hanging them up. You can really make this a festive event by having hot cocoa and homemade cookies for everyone. Forhomemade decorationideas and how-to's, simply do an online search.
You do not have to drain the bank account to have an enjoyable Christmas holiday. It is possible tocutyour expenses in half or more by simply making things yourself. You might be surprised how much your loved ones will appreciate the creativity and hard work you put into providing them with a truly homemade holiday.
