Holiday Saving Tips
Every year Christmas rolls around I think “Yep, this year is the year! I won’t over spend and it’ll be fine.”
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And every. single. year. I am somehow flabbergasted that I spent way too much money and may even be in debt.
It’s an icky feeling, especially when you’re already coming down off the holiday hullabaloo.
Having a frugal holiday doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice any joy. You might actually find more joy in being mindful of your spending and making things instead of buying everything.
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Frugal Christmas- how to save money for the holidays:
- Plan it out/budget
- Sign up for cash back programs
- Use Acorns
- Track spending
- Shop early
- Give fewer gifts
- Don’t get caught up in meaningless stuff
- Budget a certain amount per person and use that amount in cash
- Make your own DIY gifts
- Use a savings plan
- Pay cash when possible
- Search for discount codes
- Make more money
- Opt out of random gift exchanges
Plan it out/budget
Write down all the people you are buying gifts for this year and set a realistic budget of how much you can spend per person.
You may be surprised how quickly it all adds up- get creative and don’t feel the need to spend an exact dollar amount on every person.
Thoughtful cards, homemade gifts or offering your time all make great gifts!
You can also add food and decor into your budget if you’re hosting a party or doing a lot of baking.
Sign up for cash back programs
- Rakuten– “Stores pay Rakuten a commission for sending you their way, and Rakuten shares the commission with you as Cash Back.“
- Earny– “Earny will claim your money back when prices drop after you purchase.”
- MyPoints– “MyPoints members get up to 40% back with every purchase at 2,000 top retailers like Walmart, Best Buy, Home Depot & Amazon.”
- Swagbucks– “Shop online, Watch entertaining videos, Search the web, Answer surveys and find great deals to earn your points. Redeem your points for gift cards to your favorite retailers like Amazon and Walmart or get cash back from PayPal.”
Use Acorns
Acorns is a really cool app that saves your spare change without you having to do anything. Every time you make a purchase, it will save your spare change for you.
There is also an Acorns extension that you can add to your browser that will earn you more money for shopping at certain stores!
This is a really easy way to save money all the time and without thinking about it- sign up here.
Track spending
Keep track of how much money is coming in and how much money is going out. Christmas time is when so many of us get swept up in the holiday cheer and good feelings which leads to forgetting to stick to the spending plan.
The free Christmas Spending and Budget printable below is perfect for keeping track of your spending- click the image to download it!
Shop early
By shopping early, you can save money by avoiding those holiday mark ups. You’ll also save yourself some time by missing out on the crowds and extra traffic.
Getting your Christmas shopping done in October and November will not only save you time and money, it will save on stress!
Imagine skipping all of the craziness in the stores around the holidays. While others are out fighting crowds, you’ll be at home in the worlds coziest PJ’s sipping hot chocolate and thanking the Good Lord you got your shopping done early.
Give fewer gifts
How long has it been since your pared down your gift list? Does Aunt Betty really need a gift shipped across the state again this year?
Try replacing the gifts for people who don’t really need one with a thoughtful holiday greeting card or perhaps a phone call instead.
Don’t get caught up in meaningless stuff
Are there things around the holidays that you could let go of? So many of us hold onto things because our parents or grandparents did them and that’s it!
If you don’t love baking every single family member a tin full of Christmas cookies then DON’T. Save yourself some time and money and find something you DO love to do that fits into your budget.
Come up with your own holiday traditions that bring you joy.
Budget a certain amount per person and use that amount in cash
Things can get a little bit out of control if you don’t have a certain amount planned per person.
Plan an amount and then take it one step further- bring that amount in CASH when you go shopping for that person. Use envelopes if you’re shopping for more than one person.
This guarantees you won’t go over your budget!
Make your own DIY gifts
Why not make some gifts this year instead of buying everything? This is becoming more popular as people get back to craving more connection and meaning in their lives.
Everything is so commercial now- spending the time making something for someone is priceless.
RELATED: 13 DIY Christmas Gifts (they’ll actually use)
Free Christmas Saving Plan
Use this fun free printable to save an extra $600 in 8 weeks- give yourself motivation to save some money and come out on top after the holidays are over 🙂
Click the image to download your copy.
Pay cash when possible
It’s hard when you’re shopping online to pay cash. If you are out and about, try to use cash when possible!
When shopping online, be wary of marketing tactics such as “buy more to save x%!” or “buy 3 get one free!”
Those are all designed to make you feel like you’re saving when in reality you’re not. Be diligent with your hard earned money and don’t give it up easily!
Discount codes
Always, always, ALWAYS search for a discount code for whatever it is you’re buying. It works to simply google “discount code for _____”.
Or you can use Honey to scan the web for you and find all the best discount codes and deals- for free!
Make more money
How can you get creative to bring in a bit more money for the holidays? Is there anything you make already that you could sell?
Do you have things hiding around your house that you could sell- like clothing, exercise equipment,etc?
Here’s a list of legit side hustles for you that anyone can do! Some are for an immediate cash boost and some for a long term plan.
Don’t be a part of random gift exchanges
How many gift exchanges are you a part of every year? I used to do one with my co-workers and another with my husbands co-workers.
Mine was $20 and we did $40 for my husbands (because we both brought a gift.)
That is $60 for some useless stuff you probably wont use (random Christmas lantern or snow globes anyone?).
Opt out and save your money!
How to Save Money for Christmas
Saving money for Christmas or any holiday is as simple as being aware of how much you’re spending and having it all planned out.
Budget accordingly, stay strong and keep in mind what is truly meaningful.
Do you have any holiday saving tips for others? Share your tips with others in the comments!