As prices of everything go up, you may be feeling it in your budget this holiday season. You may be wondering how you can fit everything into your Christmas budget. If you are trying to find ways to save money on your groceries, on my YouTube channel I share my grocery shopping hauls and share money saving tips. By stretching out my purchases over a few trips and using what I have at home it can make holiday meals more affordable. On top of making your money cover your food budget, adding on the costs of buying gifts can be incredibly stressful.
Christmas Gifts on a Budget
We have always had more minimalist Christmas traditions. In order to take some of the financial stress out of the holidays, each member of my family gets three gifts each Christmas. The gifts fall into three categories: a want, a need, and a hobby. Each year we set a budget for how much will be spent per person and the three gifts are purchased to fit within that Christmas budget. This means that we can buy all of the gifts without going into debt.
My Fondest Memories
My children’s hobbies have changed over the years, but this gift can be dual purpose and used to help them stay busy and occupied over winter break. I have given many art sets, clay making kits, and embroidery kits. As they have gotten older one of my children wanted bread making supplies. This gift is a great way to foster their interests. It is a way that you can show that you care about the things that they enjoy doing.
We also get an age-appropriate game or puzzle for the whole family to do together. One of my fondest memories is a year that we bought the game Pretty Pretty Princess and my husband ended up all dressed up as he played it with our daughters.
Let Go of the Pressure
No matter what your Christmas budget is, you can still make the gifts memorable. One year my husband printed out an image with the phrase, “What a Difference a Day Can Make.” It had important dates from our lives on it. I have had it hanging on my wall for years and it is something that I truly treasure. He printed the image at home and spent $5 on the frame, but I consider it priceless. It is so special to me. If you think outside of the box, you can come up with gifts for very little money that can mean so much to the people who is receiving them.
When you remove the need to over consume and constantly buy more and more gifts, it brings so much more joy to the holidays. I encourage you to slow down and enjoy this holiday season. Do you have a gift giving tradition that your family follows? Share in the comments below.
Leave a Comment