The holidays are a time filled with family and fun, but, throughout the festivities, there is also a lot of stress to ensure, especially when you’re on a budget. The decorations, travel, days out, and food can all cost you more than you can afford, but the biggest expense most have to deal with is the gifts. With a long list of presents for your children, partner, friends, family, and maybe even co-workers, the costs add up quickly, leaving you with a financial hangover in the New Year. To keep your budget in shape and your stress levels low, here are seven ways you can save.
Check Your List Twice
Father Christmas himself has a naughty list, so there’s no harm if you do too. This may be the season of goodwill, but you shouldn’t feel pressured into buying presents for everyone you know. In fact, you don’t even have to do it for most of them. To keep things simple and costs low, you should take a second look at your gifting list and see if there are any people you feel don’t need to be there. Just ensure you let loved ones know that this is your plan, so they don’t get you a gift.Suggest A Secret Santa
No one likes to feel left out when everyone around them is receiving presents, and they haven’t had one. Unfortunately, if you’re on a tight budget and have a large family or group of friends, then you may not have the funds or time to consider every single person. If you’d rather everyone got a gift, then you should suggest a Secret Santa. This means that everyone can get a more meaningful present while saving on others’ gifts at the same time.
Look For Vouchers Online
There are few better feelings in the world than coming up with the perfect gift for a loved one. However, that doesn’t mean that you should get carried away and buy it right now. Instead, take the time to shop around online and compare prices from a number of different stores. A price comparison tool can make this relatively quick and easy. You should also check out the online voucher and coupon sites to see if you can get money off for an even better deal.Use Your Rewards Points
These days, almost every store on the high street has some sort of loyalty and rewards program for those that frequently shop with them. Unfortunately, most people forget about the points they rack up and never exchange them for money off their shopping. Don’t let that be you. Instead, take a look at your getting list and see if there is anything in the store that might suit one of your recipients. Once you’ve found something, you can cash in your points to save on this gift.Spend With You Investment
It used to be that you could only purchase things using cash or card. However, in recent years, times have changed dramatically, with stores now accepting a range of different payment options, including bitcoin cash. If you don’t have enough regular money to cover the cost of Christmas, then consider cashing in on your cryptocurrency investment. You can use this to buy from a range of different stores or to pay for gift cards, which you can spend in other ones.
Rewrap Any Unwanted Presents
We all receive one or two gifts each year that we’re not really sure what to do with. Instead of leaving these unwanted presents to gather dust in your closet, you should rewrap them and give them to the perfect recipient. This allows you to declutter your home, while also saving time and money. However, if you do plan to do this, then there are some basic regifting rules that you should follow. The most important is that you only give items that are still sealed and packaged.Wait Until Too Late
Giving presents on the 25th may be the regular tradition, but it doesn’t have to be for your family. Many things are highly discounted in the days and weeks just after Christmas, so you should consider giving your family IOUs on the day. This way, you can shop the Boxing Day and New Year’s sales, cutting costs significantly. However, you should discuss this idea with your family first so that you’re not the only one arriving at the festivities empty-handed.Christmas gifts can ruin your budget over the festive period, but, hopefully, with the advice above, you can cut costs and avoid a financial hangover.
