Frugality is quickly becoming a buzzword in America with people's retirement dreams taking a bit of a detour into a ravine — and right before the holidays, too. How very inconsiderate. Here are a few tips and tricks for descroogifying what might be more modest holidays:
- Check out the library and paw through some December family-oriented magazines. Ones like Redbook, Family Circle, and Ladies Home Journal regularly have articles with lists of frugal tips, especially around the holidays. These magazines also have the advantage that the tips don't get terribly outdated the way some other magazines might.
- Hit thrift stores for little kids' toys. (And for big people's toys, too.) When giving a gift, consider whether “new” can be extended to include “new to them.” Antibacterial soap and water for plastics, or a gentle wash for cloth, can do wonders.
- Resist the temptation to buy inflatable holiday lawn ornaments. I've long thought that big huge inflatable snow globes and the like are tacky, and if you don't have them, consider yourself all the richer. (As will I.)
- Put up a website with pictures instead of sending out Christmas cards. If you already have your own web space, most hosting providers will allow you to password-protect a directory. Then you can e-mail the link, and the username/password, to your friends and family. Well, you can e-mail it to most of your friends and family, but your 97-year-old great uncle might still appreciate the snail mail. If you don't have a website or if this is too much trouble, then DropShots.com lets you upload up to 500 pictures and 20 two-minute videos for free, without ads, and lets you decide who you want to see them.
- Try your hand at cinnamon-applesauce ornaments. My wife tried some of the recipes over at HandMadeCountry.com and found the second recipe to work pretty well. You might be the only one in your circle of friends who does this, and they're inexpensive (especially if you get the cinnamon at Costco).
- Speaking of cinnamon, it's really good for you, and it adds flavor to a number of ordinary drinks. Sprinkle a little bit of cinnamon on top of the coffee before brewing. Or, warm some apple cider on the stove with a cinnamon stick.
- Attend a school holiday chorus/band concert. The music is better than you might think. If the rehearsals are anything like when I was in high school, there's probably at least 30 hours of solid preparation that goes into these concerts from the beginning of the year to December. There's at least a little bit of magic that happens during that time. And you can't beat the price.
- If you're going to give money as a gift, you might be able to get by with giving a little less for the same “wow” factor if you give shiny Presidential dollar coins instead of regular bills. (One for each President issued so far only sets you back eight bucks right now!) Or, if you're a really big spender, a full assortment of state quarters is only $12.50!
- If you're after one of those “hot, must-have” toys that you'll fight tooth and nail for, stop. Take a deep breath, and step away from the shopping cart. You might even consider not going on eBay, because there will be opportunities for you to pay way more than retail for it. (I did this with Wii Fit but I felt I had a better excuse.) Instead offer it to your kids after Christmas when there will probably be plenty of them around. Maybe wrap a picture of it with a note.
- Through all of this, remember that the greatest gift of all is freely given for anyone who asks for it.
(Photo credit: shutter.chick)
I second the point to URGE people NOT to buy any inflatable holiday lawn decorations (Christmas, Halloween, Presidents Day, whatever). Those things are tacky, a waste of money, energy, and after it gets enough holes or the blower stops working it's yet another item to add to our landfills.
I saved money this year by buying a smaller tree. The prices increase dramatically by height. Then I put the tree stand on a sturdy wooden box about 1' high, voila taller tree. The tree skirt hides the box and raising the tree off the ground is helping to keep it safe from the dogs.
PS- I hate tacky christmas decorations.
Haha, the 50 state quarters is an interesting idea. I bet I could sell one of those to a pawn shop for 20 bucks or so. 😛
PS: I really appreciate the last link. Very encouraging. 🙂
This is my most creative tip to add: Let others do the entertaining. Fortunately, this is the social norm in my family. We're just not the designated entertainers. We visit local grandparents and one sis-in-law who jealously guards her Christmas Eve gathering. I guess she doesn't like to be away from home on Christmas Eve – neither do I, but I also don't like spending extra money OR entertaining!
Hey no need to take the bad economy out on the inflatables that folks put in their yards(we just retired ours it was old and in bad shape).
But truly great tips!
Remember what you charge today has to be paid tomorrow.
Another idea if you have grandparents or great grandparents that lived through the depression era – call them up!
They've probably got loads of terrific ideas 🙂
NIce tips – I like the one about putting pics online in leiu of CHristmas cards – I do like christmas cards, but I think most people are up with the times enough with the web that they should be able to figure it out. A couple years ago, I don't think it would have been possible…
Good suggestions. I'd like to add a few more.
1. Instead of giving gifts to everyone in a group of friends/family/co-workers, do a gift exchange where you take one name at random and only give them a gift.
2. Try baking or making your own gifts. One example – my sister is giving out miniature herb gardens that people can put in their windows.
3. Instead of exchanging gifts with your significant other, donate to a charitable cause instead. I suggested to my wife that instead of presents, we donate to the humane society. She loved the idea.
To shorten our budget before the holiday one might buy artificial branches or a tree for the decoration of home instead of natural.
I always buy the most of food for christmas beforehand. It is worth doing that because on the eve the prices used to rise .
Excellent tip about Xmas cards with Xmas not that far away again especially if one tries to econimse by sending Xmas cards overseas by seamail. I think I will be using the online method this year. Bit hard on post office profits but I am sure they will survive!
We have an artificial tree which looks alot like the real thing and gets used year after year. No messy needles like a sea of grass on the floor!! Just pack it away for next year.