Save Time and Money This Christmas
By Sydney Hoffman on November 26, 2018
If you want to save time and money this Christmas, the most important thing to do is to plan ahead. Make a list of who you need to get presents for and what you want to get them. Here are some extra tips to try.
Gifts
Food
Decorations
When the season is over, take a bit more precaution to avoid issues next year. When taking down your tree, wrap your lights around a coat hanger or piece of cardboard to avoid future tangles. These tips and tricks will help to save you time and money this Christmas.
Gifts
- Look in advertisements for store deals. This next month will be filled with different sales and discounts. Explore different stores and their future deals to find the best time to shop―the sooner, the better.
- Compare store prices with online. Online shopping has become quite popular because it is easy, but in many cases, it is also cheaper. This is not always the case, however, so take the time to compare online prices with store advertisement prices.
- Online shop in one or a few purchases instead of multiple small purchases. If you spend a certain amount of money, you can save on shipping. Don’t let this encourage you to buy more things. Instead, add items to your online cart overtime and check out all at once to get deals or to save on shipping.
- Use loyalty cards in stores and online. Shop at places in which you own loyalty cards for to gain points toward future purchases. Doing your holiday shopping at these stores may save you money on the spot, or it may save you money in the future.
- Check out ebates.com. This website offers good deals, coupon savings, and money back offers.
- Save money on wrapping paper. Christmas wrapping paper can be expensive, especially if you have a large family or many friends. Instead, buy a large roll of brown paper and some string. Your presents will look charmingly old-fashioned, and it will save you enough money to buy that last Christmas gift that you wanted for yourself.
Food
- Cook ahead of time. Many dishes can be prepared ahead of time and put in the freezer. Begin making freezer space now. You will be buying many groceries in a few weeks and you need somewhere to put them.
- Look in your kitchen to see what ingredients you have and what ingredients you need. You may have the right ingredients, but do you have enough of them? Look over your recipes ahead of time and measure out the ingredients that you have on hand. Then you can make your holiday grocery list.
- Don’t over buy food. Make a headcount for dinner, and plan for the amount coming. Leftovers are tasty and nice, but too much will go to waste.
Decorations
- Recycle tangled lights from last year. We’ve all been there – you excitedly unpack the decorations, only to find the lights are so tangled that you’d need a Christmas miracle to rescue them. Don’t throw them out. Find a plant pot that is home to some attractive foliage and place the twisted strands on the soil. They’ll create a magical soft glow beneath the branches.
- Make your own décor: handcrafted ornaments, paper chains, stringed popcorn or cranberries and simple wreaths (buy foam wreath from craft store, wrap in tissue paper or tulle and add a bow). You can also use free printables or the kids’ art work for inexpensive and fun decorations.
- Decorate the tree with real foliage: pine cones, cedar limbs and springs with berries.
When the season is over, take a bit more precaution to avoid issues next year. When taking down your tree, wrap your lights around a coat hanger or piece of cardboard to avoid future tangles. These tips and tricks will help to save you time and money this Christmas.