Christmas IdeasChristmas is one the year's biggest, and sometimes most expensive, holidays. These frugal Christmas ideas will help you keep your holiday festive and affordable. Start with creating a budget and sticking to it. Consider all the facets of the holiday that could be a drain on your laughing wallet, from decorating to food to gifts, etc. and figure out what you can afford to spend. Then give yourself a gift by not spending more than you have.
DecoratingDecorating is a very popular part of the holiday season. From Christmas trees to simple garland to extravagant lighting displays, decorations are not just an attractive way to set the mood - designing them and putting them up is a holiday activity in itself. But blow-up Santas and animatronic reindeer can get expensive. Follow my Christmas Decorations tips for setting the mood without breaking the bank.GiftsGifts are the area where your budget can most get away from you. You want to be generous, but remember that the holiday isn't about things. It's about the sentiment of giving. With that in mind, here are a few tips for keeping your spending under control while you give from your heart.Shop early. Shop throughout the year. When you find a great gift for someone on sale, buy it and store it until you're ready to wrap it for Christmas. By spreading out your shopping, you'll also spread out the expense, and you'll remove the pressure of needing to find something right NOW, meaning you can make better, more thought-out decisions. Make a list. Make a list of who you are buying for, and stick to it. If you have gift ideas in advance, write those down, and as you find gifts for people, cross them off the list. You may see multiple things that would be great for some people, but if you've already bought something for them, your list will tell you to move on to the next person and help you avoid overspending. Shop online. Some people find it easier to stay focused when they shop online. They can look for just the item they want without getting distracted (and tempted) by other in-store displays. Use cash. If you use cash, you won't spend more than you have, and the money you spend will seem more real. Studies show people spend less when they use cash. Go homemade. If you're looking for a great way to give special gifts without spending a fortune, consider making your gifts. Browse my Homemade Gifts page for ideas on gifts you can make yourself. Wrap clever. Another area where you can save money is with gift wrap. Gifts don't have to be wrapped in specially bought, Christmas-tree embossed paper tied with shiny bows. There are many Christmas ideas for gift wrap that are both attractive and thrifty. Check out my Gift Wrapping Ideas and get creative this year. FoodAny time you gather a big crew of family and friends, food is going to be a big part of the gathering. And food costs can add up quickly. Christmas feasts are similar in many ways to Thanksgiving meals (except with candy canes added to the mix), so visit my Thanksgiving Food page for some helpful tips on keeping holiday food costs down.Cards
Skip the cards. Sending holiday cards is traditional, but technology has changed the way we keep in touch with one another, and they may be an expense you want to reconsider. If you participate in social media sites, and even email, you probably already share the photos and news with your friends and family that you might write about in a card. If so, save yourself the cost of cards and postage.
Go digital. If it just wouldn't be Christmas for you without sending cards of some kind, consider e-cards. There are many websites that offer free cards that you can send. Traditional Christmas ideas can change with the times!
TravelMany families find themselves traveling at Christmas. Travel can be very expensive, but there are a few ways to minimize costs.Host. If you host Christmas at your house, you'll have no travel costs. You might have a few extra towels to wash, but if you have the space, the trade-off is worth it. Skip the hotel. If you can, stay with the family or friends you're visiting. Hotel prices are higher during the holidays, so you can save quite a bit on your travel expenses. Drive. Driving is much cheaper than flying - and you can skip the invasive security scanners! Check out my Tips to Save Gas for ideas on how to save both gas and money when you drive. Fly off-peak. If you have no choice but to fly, traveling on off-peak days and buying your tickets early can save you hundreds, maybe thousands, of dollars. See my Frugal Travel page for more ideas for traveling on a budget any time of year. ActivitiesThe key to keeping your activities frugal during the holidays is to remember the goal of your time together, which is…time together. It's not so important what you do, just that you build experiences together. So, consider some of these Christmas ideas for family-friendly, frugal activities.Watch holiday specials. There are tons of holiday specials on television this time of year. DVR the ones you think your crew would enjoy watching together and once everyone is gathered, put on a show, pop some popcorn, and make a memory. Look at lights. This is an oldie, but it's still a goodie. Lots of people consider decorating their homes for the season a personal challenge. You can benefit from this by enjoying the fruits of their labor. Pile in the car and drive around looking at some of the awesome displays people create for their homes. You can even pack a thermos of hot chocolate to keep things cozy. Take it outside. If you live in an area that gets snow, get out there and do some sledding! If not, try some touch football or a little soccer. It's fun, and it'll burn off all those extra calories from the cookies and pies. How do you keep Christmas frugal?What do you do to keep Christmas festive but frugal? Tell your fellow readers! Jump from Christmas Ideas to one of these other great Christmas pages: Christmas Decorations
|
Search this site
Get the latest frugal news
Want to know when new pages are added to Laughing Wallet? How about special frugal living news? Check out the What's New page or subscribe to my blog.Click here to get updates by email or subscribe to the Laughing Wallet RSS feed using one of the "Subscribe To This Site" buttons underneath the Table of Contents.
Featured Pages
