Enjoying Christmas Holidays on a Budget

Christmas is fast approaching, we are literally days away from one of the biggest holidays of the year, and of course, it is also the time where a lot of money gets spent. The danger here is not having a budget, or not sticking to it if you have one.

The great news is that Christmas can still be amazing, without you having to spend a crazy amount of money. Yes, there are ways to have an amazing Christmas without breaking the bank.

The other thing that we can’t ignore is just how expensive everything has become, which can make spending less money even more difficult. The decorations, food, presents, clothes, drinks, snacks and other essentials have sky rocketed in price, and when you factor the fact that a lot of families are under a huge financial strain in South Africa, it’s even worse.

So, here are:

5 Ways to Save Money Over the Christmas Holidays

There is always a way to save money, one just needs to be open to it.                                                                            

#1. Have your guests pitch in

I don’t know what your Christmas setup is, but if you are getting together with family or friends and you are the one hosting it, then you should get your guests to each bring a dish. This is a great way to spread out the cost, and you won’t have to be the one who forks out the entire amount that’s needed.

This works for every other get together, or dinner or party, not just for Christmas.

#2. Gifts

This is the season to give . . . and as you know, gifts can be very expensive. It helps to look for gift opportunities when you still have time, so you can scout for Christmas discounts every chance you get. Try to get meaningful gifts, as opposed to the most expensive gifts.

When it comes to wrapping paper, be creative. Look around the house to find wrapping paper left over from other times, or get creative with old newspaper, and you are good to go.

#3. Decorations

Reality is, you probably bought decorations the past year, there is absolutely nothing wrong with mixing the old with the new. Use the same decorations and just add to what you used the year before . . .recycling works very well.

Also Youtube has a ton of ideas about literally everything, just Google Christmas decorating ideas and you will have a head start.

#4. A Plan for Drinks

Shuu . . . Drinks are super expensive, and what’s a Christmas without something nice to sip on? Again, get your guests involved in pitching in for drinks. Also, focus on getting drinks that are affordable, stay away from expensive brands and focus on affordable ones.

Also, it will be cheaper to make your own punch at home, use Google/Youtube on how to make a great punch that you and your guests can enjoy, garnish it with fruit, and you will have a great cocktail to enjoy.

#5. Have a Budget

A budget is very important, as it will help you keep track where your money is going.

So, start with a list, so you know what you are supposed to be buying when you go to the shops, instead of being swayed by what you see . Limit the trips to the shop, it costs more petrol and exposes you to more things that you don’t need but want to end up buying.

So, I hope these 5 ways to save money during Christmas helps to spend your money better this year and beyond.

Have other ideas on saving money during the Christmas holidays, let us know below in the comments.

Pic: Pexels