I bet you are thinking, “Hey Jess, ummmm it is May and nowhere near Christmas time.” I promise I have not gone completely crazy. The key to affording a debt-free Christmas is to start your planning and saving early. Christmas falls on the same date of every year, it never changes. It should not be a surprise that sneaks up on you.
If you find yourself struggling year after year to afford the holidays, try a few of these tips to having a frugal holiday season.
Say What You Want
When someone asks you what it is that you want for the holidays, answer them honestly. If you need new bath towels but do not have the room in the budget for them, answer that you need bath towels. Do not feel that you cannot ask for things you actually need and do not feel bad for doing it. People that want to give you a gift actually want to give you a gift. A gift is something that we may not go out and buy ourselves or something that we simply cannot afford at the time. So, when someone asks what it is that you want for Christmas, answer with exactly what it is that you need or want.
The Rule of Four
If you have children, purchasing Christmas presents can often times be daunting. Children always want the latest and greatest, the new thing that their best friend has, and typically the most expensive but not always good for them item. This year, for Christmas, only buy them four presents. Why only four? You buy them one present that they need, such as new shoes. You buy them a second present that they can read and a third present that they can wear. The fourth present being something they want, like that new toy their best friend has. If you make this a habit for all Christmases with all of your children then they will come to expect only four presents.
Use Cash
The holidays are no excuse to go into debt. If you cannot afford to purchase Christmas using cash then try to earn money for free online. Start a savings account specifically for Christmas and set aside a designated amount from each paycheck to this savings account. If you start this at the beginning of the year and only contribute $20 from a bi-weekly paycheck, you will over the course of a year save $520.
Make a List and Check it Twice
Just as you would not go grocery shopping without a list avoid going Christmas shopping without a list. Using a list will prevent you from wondering the aisles and making rash purchases. Start planning for your Christmas purchases months in advance. The more planning and organized you are the easier shopping for the holidays will be and the more money you will save.
Avoid feeling the pressure of overspending during the holiday season by remembering that no one remembers every gift they ever received. Most people only remember the traditions, values, and time spent together. Do what you can with what you have and make the most of it.
What ways are you planning for Christmas this year?
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I was indeed a little confused when I saw this post’s title… 🙂
All of these are good tips, and the first is something I regularly do. My husband used to feel badly buying useful things I really want – Pyrex containers, a slow cooker, etc. – but he’s finally on-board. They’re not always completely necessary, but I love useful gifts.
My hubs was the same way for a long time! One year for Christmas, I asked for a vacuum cleaner and he was so made at me because I ‘wouldn’t tell him what I wanted.’ lol Dear, that is what I want! 🙂
I just purchased a stocking stuffer for my son yesterday! It’s something I know he’ll love, it was small and inexpensive. I could have given it to him as soon as I got home but in an effort to not have an over-indulged child, I am saving it to Christmas. My kids don’t look for things & so I can shop all year and save it for Christmas….even then, we only give the kids a few things (probably three each) their stocking and then Santa brings them one bigger thing each.
Heck yeah! That’s the best way to save money on gifts – stockpile them throughout the year! 🙂
I recently, stumbled across your blog while looking for baby lotion recipes for a shower gift. I recently started making a lot of cleaning, beauty, and skin care products. I also loom knit and make jewelry. Because of this I regularly order ingredients for making these products, and always have a ton of crafting supplies on hand. This year, Because of this, I’ve decided to make homemade gifts for everyone this year. Since I buy these items throughout the year, I know come Christmas I will have the items on hand, and the time to make gift baskets amongst other items for everyone on my list. It will also save money, and other than work I won’t have to brave the large crowds of people in stores.
I think handmade gifts are the best! You’re so talented! 🙂
I never realized as a child that my parents had to sometimes ask my grandmother to help out at Christmas time but we were always allowed to ask for 3 things (the reasoning being that baby Jesus only received 3 gifts). I plan on passing that idea on to my own kids one day.
Allie, I LOVE the idea of three gifts! That’s perfect! 🙂
What? I thought that the normal number was supposed to be one or two presents at the most. To give “just” four presents is crazy! No wonder why so many children ask for more and more, if you said “just” four it means that people give their children much more than four presents. Thats too much, that’s why children today do not appreciate what they have and what they get. I’m sorry for saying it , but that’s my opinion, is not meant to hurt the feelings of anybody, I just can’t avoid getting surprised about the “just four” statement.
You’re right, Maritza, four is a big number. However, many children do receive much more than four and it helps parents to hear that it is okay to “just” give four, especially if they are struggling to with the comparison trap.
We made a conscious decision when our oldest was a baby that, while our children were still young enough to believe in Santa, we would give them an abundance of presents. However, we don’t spend a lot of money on them. I make things; we buy things second-hand; we look out for freebies; and we shop sales. Each year we budget $100 per child for Christmas. Depending on your own personal circumstances this may seem like a lot, or it may seem like not much at all. It’s the same amount my parents budgeted for us growing up – but back then of course $100 was a lot more money. Where we live, many parents spend $500 to $1000 per child, so $100 is not an exorbitant amount for us in our circumstances. However, we generally end up spending about $40 to $60 per child, instead.
It helps that my children are not at all obsessed with having the latest thing. They hardly ever ask Santa for anything; generally they say, “Mommy, what should I ask for?” and so I’ll gently give hints based on what I’m already giving them – “Well, let’s see . . . Maybe you’d like a new purse?” (The Buttercup Bag is adorable and very easy to make.)
I find the most difficult part of making homemade presents is coming up with ideas, so it’s easiest for me to work in themes. For instance, an art kit: crayons (melt down last year’s school crayons into fun new shapes – you can use an old muffin tin, but I prefer to use a silicon ice cube tray from the dollar shop), a doodle pad or two or three (where I work the printer is always doing that annoying thing where it prints a line on a sheet of paper, about a hundred times, before anyone catches it – take that paper, cut off the line, maybe cut the paper down to a smaller size, or not, and bind it together using cardboard from a cereal box, or an old book), homemade finger paint, homemade sidewalk chalk, a coloring book (print off images on-line according to your child’s interest, or turn your family photos into a coloring book using on-line photo editing software), play doh (you can also throw in some second-hand cookie cutters, or a few from your own stash that you no longer need; and a few printable play doh mats from on-line), a homemade art smock, a lap desk (made out of leftover wood from another project and painted with leftover paint), a homemade chalkboard (really only cheap if you already have chalkboard paint on hand), a cute container to hold crayons and markers etc., made from an old jar or can painted or decoupaged to look pretty . . . . Ten presents, and assuming you have some paint, wood, and fabric on-hand, or can bum some from a friend, they’re free. Hit up the back to school sales for some new markers, coloring pencils, glue, scissors, colored paper, what have you, and for just a few dollars you have a year’s worth of creative fun for your child. Use Pinterest to collect a fun list of easy homemade art projects, using the items you’ve just put together, one for each month of the year (for instance, January=winter, February=Valentine’s Day, March=St Patrick’s Day, etc.), print them off, and seal them in 12 different envelopes and you have a homemade ‘craft of the month’ club. Hit up the second-hand shop to get a couple new-to-them books and a new-to-them stuffed animal (you can often find children’s books and stuffed animals in as-new condition for as little as 25 to 50 cents each – sometimes the tag is still attached). Throw in a new t-shirt picked up for super-clearance at the end of season sale (or free, if you’re lucky enough to get a $10 off $10 purchase coupon from Kohl’s or another shop). Wrap them all up separately and you create the illusion of bounty without spending very much money at all. Say, 8 homemade gifts + 3 things at the back to school sales for $5 all-up + 2 “new” books at 50 cents each + 1 “new” stuffed animal at $1 + 1 t-shirt at $3 and you have 15 presents for $10. (I live in a very expensive country, and those prices are all in-line with what I have paid, so for the US those prices are entirely realistic.) Throw in a $20 item you know they really, really want and you’ve given your kids a memorable Christmas with tons of presents for $30.
Awesome ideas Becca!!! My mom’s budget for us growing up was $100 each and that’s what we’re using for our boys this year. Any extra that is left over in the budget is going into their savings accounts. I love how you make the majority of their gifts homemade – I definitely need to get in touch with my crafty side! 😉