Tips on Saving Money During the Holidays

Knowing the fact that the Holiday Season is just a few months away, saving before the actual season is the best thing to do in order to fully enjoy it.

It’s the season of indulgence! For most people, it’s the season of giving and traditions — the food, the decorations, the parties and the gifts – so it can be a tricky task to enjoy it without finding yourself penniless this coming new year.

Luckily, with a bit of creativity and foresight, you can still enjoy your favorite holiday without busting your bank account. Here’s a list to help you make sure you’ll spend the least and have a great holiday season experience at the same time.

1. Write a Budget: Decide on how much money you plan to spend

 
One of the biggest mistakes is to just spend money during a holiday season without allotting a budget to it. Whether you are purchasing gifts, treats, or travel expenses, you should figure out first how much money you are planning to spend. Write a list of each person on your gift list and any additional expenses, add up your total estimated amount and see if it works for your budget.

2. Stick to your Budget: Make a shopping list and organize it.

 
Make the list of the things you would like to buy and make sure that you will organize it, eliminate the things that does not make any sense and worth your money. There are some cases that other people will check the price of the things from different stores that they want before buying or purchasing it. Check online for sales ahead of time. Carry your budget on your phone or in your wallet so you’ll have no excuse to not follow it.

3. Cash not Credit: Pay cash for everything that you want.

 
Using cash over credit card is the prime money saving ideas. It is very easy to shop during holidays when you use your card; by just swiping it everything you picked will be paid. But staying on the track of the budget that you have allotted for the Holiday Season, will help you in saving money. Paying cash for everything that you want in Holiday Season will force you to stick to your budget and it will also help you in keeping your card away from the holiday fraud.

Use credit only if you pay off your bill in full quickly with the cash you’ve already saved up. Otherwise, you could be spending extra in interest.

4. Be Creative: Look for alternative gifts and decorations.

 
Not all the gifts that you will give should come from stores and should be expensive. One thing that will keep you on saving money even the holiday season is being creative on what you will give. I read some article about offering to babysit so that the parents can have a night off, using custom coupons for a day at the park for friends, or baked goodies and use those instead of buying individual gifts. Through this you’ll just have to pay for the things that you need in making the gift.

How to save money on food? Save money on groceries by choosing recipes that use in-season produce to minimize costs. Keep a close eye on quantity and be sure not to over-buy.

While for decorations, keep it simple. Don’t spend money on new ornament or other holiday gear. Use what you already have instead of buying new decorations.

5. Take Advantage of Free Stuff: Join online giveaways and sweepstakes.

 
It is holiday season and there will surely be a lot of free stuff and giveaways online, by joining giveaways online you’ll get a chance to receive any items for free. There is much free stuff online that is ready to be given away for the holiday season. Every year, blogs and companies show the holiday spirit by giving away big prizes for Christmas, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, New Year’s, and other holidays. The prizes can range from cash and online gift cards to gadgets and fashion items. See how many of these giveaways you can win before the holiday even start.

This season will definitely start soon. By saving and spending wisely, your holiday season doesn’t have to be a total budget-buster.

Do have your own Christmas saving ideas? Share it below so that everyone can take advantage of it.