Six Ways To Save Money During The Holidays

It won’t be long before we’re all in the thick of our holiday shopping. If you’re worried about how you can save money during the holidays, you’re in the right place. Today we’ve got tips to help! Here are six ways to save money during the holidays.

Ways To Save Money During The Holidays

The first thing you need to do–even before you buy your first gift or plan your first Christmas party–is have a plan in place for your holiday spending. These six ways will help.

1. Make a budget, and stick to it

You might want to put a cap on your total spending, or decide on an amount per person, but make a budget for your gifts. And then stick to it. Here are 6 holiday budgeting ideas to help.

2. Keep track of your receipts

Keep the receipts, not only for possible return needs, but so you can track your spending. Add them into your budget so you can see exactly how much you’ve spent.

3. Opt for less expensive {or cost-free} traditions

Cut out expensive gifts or that annual holiday travel, especially if these things don’t fit your budget. Instead, try some cost-free traditions such as night drives to see the lights, movie nights in, or caroling around your neighborhood.

4. If your list is filled, stop shopping

This may seem like a no-brainer, but a lot of us are easily tempted by last-minute sales and emergency gifts to spend more than we need. So stick to your list, and when it’s filled, stop shopping. Focus on wrapping and spending time with loved ones instead.

5. Give to charity

Instead of spending lots of money on extended family gifts, try getting everyone together to give to a charity. Or take your extended family to donate time at the food bank. This is much more meaningful than buying stuff that’s likely to be returned or forgotten anyway.

6. Start really early

This means immediately once the holidays are over, go over your budget and see how you did. If you have extra cash, it’s also a great time to buy discounted holiday decorations and gifts for next year.