Christmas on a Budget: 7 Money-Saving Tips and Ideas

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

While Christmastime is meant to be the most wonderful time of the year, it also comes with an enormous amount of stress. If you aren’t feeling particularly festive or you’re going through a tough time, it can be very difficult to join in the celebrations. If you’re spending Christmas alone, it can get quite lonely.

Then there’s also the fact that Christmas means presents, parties, and decorations. If you aren’t exactly flush, how can you make sure you stay within a certain budget? Here are our seven tips and ideas.

1. Set a Budget and Stick to It

Start by setting a Christmas budget. Write down everything you will need to spend money on, including gifts, decorations, food, outfits, travel costs, etc. Then, write down the costs you already know. For example, going to visit your family comes with a somewhat predictable price tag.

Once you have your list, assign an amount to everything. You can start by considering how much you are able to spend and work your way back from there. Or, you can start with rough estimates and see whether or not you can afford the total.

Most importantly, don’t go over budget. Stick to your plan. It will require quite a bit of will and determination, but keep reminding yourself why you are doing Christmas on a budget in the first place.

2. Look for the Best Deals and Discounts

Armed with your list of expenses and budgets, start looking for gifts. Most brands have Christmas deals and discounts, like buy 2-get-1-free or free shipping over a certain amount. Try to buy different gifts from the same website so that you can qualify for any deals.

Make sure to also do a search for the best online deals. Plenty of websites provide lists of all the available discounts, so make sure to take advantage of them.

3. Make Your Own Gifts and Cards

In order to save money on gifts, you can, of course, make some of them yourself.

You can start by making your own Christmas cards. This can be a great way to spend a couple of winter evenings, especially if you do it with a friend or your kids. You can also use the children’s drawings as wrapping paper and ask them to draw something for each member of the family.

As for the gifts themselves, you can make anything from ornaments and candles to desserts, jams, mugs, and scarves. You can also gift certificates for massages, carpools, or babysitting, provided by yours truly, of course.

4. Gift Experiences

If you can’t think of a gift you can make for someone special, you can give them an experience. This can sometimes cost more than an actual present, though, so carefully calculate the costs before you commit to the gift.

For example, you can host a movie night for your family or organize a treasure hunt for the kids. You can take someone sightseeing or sign them up for a class.

5. Regift Anything You Haven’t Used in over a Year

You can also consider gifting something you already own but don’t use. This can be a bit tricky, though, as you want to make sure you don’t give something to the person who gave it to you in the first place.

If you have clothes you never wear but know one of your friends would look great in them, regift them. If you have mugs that you’ve never used or a game you never play but one of your family members loves, regift.

Add a little personalized note to each gift and explain why you thought this person might particularly enjoy it. Don’t try to pass the gift off as something new, but rather explain why reusing what you already own is better than buying new items that may never get used.

6. Do Secret Santa for Adult Gifts

If you have a lot of adult groups you need to give presents to, try organizing a Secret Santa instead of having to buy a present for everyone. Most people will appreciate the idea, as it means they don’t have to buy as many gifts either.

You can make it even more fun by doing a Secret Santa Steal, also called the Dirty Santa game. It can ensure everyone (or almost everyone) gets a gift they actually want, and it’s tremendous excitement, especially in a group of friends who know each other well.

7. Don’t Buy It Just Because It’s on Sale

Finally, do your best to resist buying an item just because it is on sale if it’s outside your budget. Most stores will try to get you to buy as much as possible and throw around all kinds of incentives. Your job is to resist them.

Don’t go into department stores or shopping malls if you can help it. Do most of your shopping online, or have a list in your hand and only visit the specific stores you need. Keep your eyes away and don’t window shop while you’re out and about in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

Wrapping Up

Hopefully, our ideas for having Christmas on a budget will help you spend a bit less and enjoy the festivities a bit more. Don’t forget that it’s perfectly okay not to spend exorbitant amounts on gifts or decor. Do whatever makes you feel good.