No Scrooges Here - How to Have a Merry Christmas Without Spending a Fortune
Set a Budget
This may seem obvious, but if you don't set a budget you will definitely spend more than you want to. I like to set a budget for the total amount as well as a value for each person on my list. More likely than not, you spend for the same people every year. Therefore, make a list of the people you buy presents for. If you don't already know, the day after Christmas make a list of people you purchased for this year and then you will be all set for next year! Assign a value to each person (e.g., significant other $100). I give myself a little wiggle room so that the value for each person is short of the total dollar amount. You also want to keep track of the actual amount spent per person (e.g., significant other $90). This way, you know you are on track and if you spend a little more for one person, you will need to spend a little less for another.
Shop All Year Long
With your budget in hand for each person on your list, it is easier to shop all year long. This gives a much longer window (outside of just Black Friday sales) to find good deals. It is also cheaper to buy things off season. Get your summer items at the end of summer and your winter deals at the end of winter, etc. By shopping all year long, you also spread out the pain for your wallet so that all of the purchases aren't due in December. Make sure you keep track of what you purchased, the amount, and for who so you don't buy duplicates or forget what you have at the end of the year.
Buy Secondhand
I'm not sure where the requirement came along that everything needed to be new, but at least for my kids they don't have any clue as to whether something is new or not. I often shop consignment sales for secondhand clothes and toys. There's no way I'm paying full price for an item I know they will only use for one season or for a short period of time. I've also had good success in buying secondhand where the original tags are on the item or the original packaging is still available. As with anything, it's important to know your prices because you don't want to spend on secondhand when you can get the same item new.
Use Credit Card Rewards
I make sure to pay off my credit card in full every month, but I'm fine to use the credit card to stockpile rewards. If you have self control issues, then by all means, skip this advice and get rid of those credit cards. But if you know you can pay in full, then save up the reward dollars and put them to good use. I save the rewards all year long to pay towards my statement in December. This gives me extra cushion in the month that tends to be tight. This logic also holds true for gift cards and gift certificates. You can save them to spend in December and lessen the financial load of the holiday season.
Talk to Your Friends and Family About "Dialing it Back"
A few years ago my mom and I had a frank conversation about gifts. The fact of the matter is neither of us wanted or needed any gifts. And while it is nice to be thought of at the holiday season, we decided a card and maybe a few lotto tickets was more than sufficient to celebrate the holiday. We also decided to do a white elephant exchange with all adults in the family so there were still gifts to open, but it wasn't so excessive. Some people are more into gifts than others so have the discussion with family and friends about for who and when gifts are desired. It may make for a better holiday after all.
In that discussion with my mom, it also was apparent that experiences were a lot more important to us than material possessions. Therefore, it was much better for us to spend time together and do something. I have been trying to emphasize with my kiddos experiences over tangible possessions, and while it's harder for kids to understand the significance of that, it has been important to me to focus my efforts to that end.
Free Events
So now your focused on experiences. Don't spend all your hard earned money on that either. I have found that there are plenty of free and discounted events to be had. In our town, there is a Christmas event with a tree lighting, visit with Santa, hayride, carriage rides, pony rides, etc. If you look around, you will see their are tons of free or cheap events that everyone in the family can enjoy and get into the holiday spirit. Take advantage of these events. They are free after all.
Photos
It seems to be the time of year where everyone wants family pictures or pictures with Santa. I say do them yourself. When you visit one of the free local events, snap your own pictures with Santa. Stand in front of the beautiful tree and have a friend take some shots. These photos will be just as precious and special without standing in line for an hour and paying a fortune to see the mall Santa.
These are some of the ways where Christmas can be special without damaging your budget. Remember, it's all about family and love and there are plenty of ways to experience that without opening your wallet.
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