20 Tips for Saving Money during the Holiday Season

The Holiday Season is upon us again, but perhaps your wallet looks a little different this year than it has done for the last few years? With families having less to spend, you have to get creative with the way you spend those dollars.




Here are 20 great tips you can start using today to get you through the Holidays. You can check out http://www.saving-money-tips.com/ for more money-saving ideas.

1) Get Planning: Go through all of your Holiday items and décor at home to check what items you really need; then shop for only the necessities.

2) Write your Holiday List: Write a Holiday shopping list. It should include all the people you are planning on buying a gift for and ideas of what to buy them. It should also include things that you need for your home and which stores you are going to get each item from. You’ll find you save gas and do fewer trips to the stores.

3) Shop online: You can buy everything online these days and if you get free shipping on items it definitely saves you gas money; plus you don’t need to go out to the stores in the cold and you avoid the crowds.

4) Enjoy Black Friday: (the day after Thanksgiving) Take advantage of the Black Friday sales and look for coupons for that day so you can save even more. Check out http://www.blackfriday.info/ for all the deals in the major stores.

5) Think Ahead to next year: Invest in an artificial tree after the Holidays when they go on sale. If you take care of them they can last for several years. Also get discounted gift wrap, cards and décor after Christmas to really save for next year.

6) Set a limit on gifts: Agree in advance with your family members to an affordable amount for everyone to spend on gifts. This saves everyone in the family money.

7) Create a Christmas Savings Account/Club: Estimate how much money you need at Christmas for gifts and divide that by 52 and each week put that amount away and when Christmas rolls around you’ll have the necessary funds. You can also do this monthly (Amount needed divided by 12) and even have that amount come out of your checking account and into your savings account automatically.

8) Shop Sales Year Round: Hit the clearance sales after Christmas and all the Holiday sales through the year like…Memorial Day, 4th July etc…you’ll save major bucks and you’ll be ready when Christmas comes to relax and enjoy the gift giving season.

9) Homemade Gifts are a great idea: Let’s get back to basics with simple homemade gifts from the heart. It doesn’t take long to bake/make Christmas breads, fudge, truffles, jams, jellies or cookies for your family and neighbors. Everyone loves to eat! Another super easy homemade gift idea is a simple fleece scarf that requires no sewing skills.

10) Establish traditions that don’t cost a lot: Instead of having expensive formal dinner parties, do a “Pot-Luck” Dinner and get everyone involved.

11) Organize an “Ornament Exchange” at work. This is an inexpensive way to buy gifts for co-workers that they will use and enjoy.

12) Take advantage of the free wrapping stores offer: You’ll save time and money.

13) Eat before you go Holiday shopping: Research shows that you can spend up to 40% more when hungry.

14) Make your decorations & get the kids involved: Make inexpensive garlands from popcorn & cranberries. The kids will love stringing them together.

15) Get out & see the lights around town: Take your family to see the neighborhood Holiday lights or city lights for free instead of an expensive Christmas theater show. Play Christmas music in the car and finish the night off with some hot apple cider.

16) Check your plastic: Make sure you pay off your credit card as soon as you get the bill in January or February. If you know you can’t ahead of time, pick a single low-interest card to make your purchases with. Before you head out to spend, give the card company a call and see if the will lower your rate.

17) Be charitable: Instead of buying yet another gift for that sister/brother/uncle/aunt that has it all, make a donation to a charity in their name.

18) Be a smart traveler: If you travel on Christmas morning the flights are cheaper and you still get there in time for Christmas lunch!

19) Use cash to shop: Research shows you spend 30% less with cash. Just keep it safe!

20) Remember what it is all about: Keep the Holidays simple. You’ll save money and enjoy celebrating the holidays for its real meaning and cherish the family members and friends in your life.

See more great money-saving tips at: http://www.saving-money-tips.com/
Have a great Holiday Season!