Christmas Savings: How To Save On Gifts

New year — a holiday of fun… and pretty expensive, whatever you say. Alone gifts what are worth: family, friends, coworkers, neighbors. And still new attires, generous the table, Christmas tree, jewelry. In family budget new year’s troubles can punch a fair gap.

So that such troubles do not overshadow us these happy days, let’s talk about saving. What and how can you save in preparation for the holiday? And how at the same time not to offend anyone, not to spoil the mood for yourself and others? Let’s think together.

I do not pretend that this article to give an exhaustive answer to a difficult question — my goal is to offer food for thought, to create a platform for the exchange of views and experiences. So, I suppose it’s possible to save if…

Do everything with your own hands

This is a great way to save on interior decoration, and gifts, and festive outfits. But is it always good and suitable for everyone?

When it’s good

• you are sure that you know how to do what you have in mind (otherwise the result may disappoint, and instead of saving we will get extra costs and a spoiled mood);
• you are a creative person, and the process of creating something with your own hands gives you pleasure (then, even if you fail, you will lose only time — but you will gain experience and, perhaps, new skills);
• you have enough free time (if not-you risk: the rush is often strongly reflected in the result, and on your own nervous system);
• you know for sure that those to whom the fruits of your labors are intended will be happy and appreciate them (just remember: all people are different, everyone has their own tastes and their own values).

When it’s bad

• needlework — not your strong suit (only very close people will see in the crooked craft your sincere desire to please them-the reaction of others can upset);
• you have a very busy schedule, leaving neither time nor effort (remember that time is also money, and think carefully whether you are suitable for such a way of saving, which will require serious costs of this resource);
• the necessary materials, tools, etc. are not at hand, and their search and purchase will require additional time and money (in this situation, it is better to stop and ask yourself: if your goal is saving, not creativity or something else, will you achieve it this way?).

Make purchases in advance

If you start preparing for the holiday in advance, you can, if not save, then at least rationally distribute the costs. But is this method universal?

When it’s good

• you know exactly what you want, and make purchases not just “because the sale” or “suddenly useful”, but according to a clear plan (in this case, you can really save, because it will be purchased only what you really need, and also at good prices);
• you have where to store a growing stock (if we are talking about gifts, it is also important that your “treasure cave” is not stumbled by someone who is not supposed to see all this);
• you love and know how to look for bargains, discounts, promotions, organize joint purchases, etc. (if you do this in advance, you can get a decent savings).

When it’s bad

• you get, not really thinking, all sorts of trinkets, which then become” duty ” Souvenirs to friends and colleagues — and will be in the trash soon after the holiday (just remember: not everyone will be pleased with the fridge magnet, another mug or statuette-a symbol of the year);
• you tend to get carried away (there is a risk to make holiday stocks for several years in advance — and this is hardly a good way to save; knowing for a “sin”, it is better to make a purchase plan in advance and stick to it if possible);
• you do not pay attention to the shelf life of products that have decided to stock up in advance (probably, there are no explanations needed, and someone even finds the reminder unnecessary).

Use the harvest from your garden

If you have a cottage, then there are ready-made gifts! And to a festive table, by the way, purchases to do less: home preparations will help out. Not a bad way to save money. But is it worth it to seriously count?

When it’s good

• you have not only a garden, but also a suitable storage, where potatoes and cabbage, and apples, and other crops live up to the New year without problems (in this case, you will at least save on purchases for the festive table);
• you make blanks (a jar of delicious jam or original salad can be a great gift, and on the table will have by the way);
• you have not only a large pantry with supplies, but also your own wine cellar (homemade wine, liqueurs, tinctures — a good help in saving the holiday budget);
• you have friends who share your passion for giving (if an avid florist can be pleased with seeds or a plant in a pot, then a person far from garden worries, such a gift to anything).

When it’s bad

• from you-due to traditions, habits or other reasons-waiting for other gifts (someone may seem strange, but not everyone will appreciate the presented jar of honey from his apiary or a bottle of wine from home stocks-consider the tastes of those you want to bestow);
• all your friends and relatives have their gardens and orchards, where everything grows the same as you, and even more (there are exceptions, and if in your circle to exchange country gifts — a good tradition, do not pay attention to this point);
• you can not pick up a decent presentation design (gifts from the garden — the case when it is important not only the content, but also the form: if the jam is in an unusual jar, if the fruit is in an elegant basket; a package of onions-a rather strange gift, and a beautiful onion braid-a great souvenir, etc.).

To use the available materials for decoration

The amount spent on tinsel and Christmas toys, hardly much harm to the family budget. However, this item of expenditure can also be saved by decorating the house with improvised materials. It looks simple, but there are pitfalls.

When it’s good

• you have taste, a sense of proportion and some design skills (the line between the original decor and old junk is sometimes very thin);
• style your homes disposes to such experiments (this is important; not every fancy reception or idea formalizing the can be painlessly shifting in own house);
• these are the most improvised materials you really have at hand (if the cones need to stomp into the forest, for corrugated cardboard-to the store, and for the old Wallpaper-to go to the country, the economy is questionable).

When it’s bad

• you don’t have a General idea of decoration (candle holders out of tin cans will look strange next to the silverware);
• improvised materials were not too high quality (imagine, for example, that the picture on the above photo is made of crumpled, sometimes stained with something cardboard);
• such crafts do not fit into the interior (no matter how good an idea with a liked picture, you need to think about how it will look in your home).

Take care of proper packaging

Christmas gifts are usually beautifully packaged. And such packaging itself is sometimes not too cheap — if a lot of gifts, the amount will be typed sensitive. Is it possible to save on this? You can! But with the mind…

How to do well

• original design instead of packaging;
• useful packaging, which itself can serve as a gift (for example, all kinds of baskets);
• neat packaging of simple materials (it is fashionable, stylish and not expensive).

How not to do

• use the old packaging repeatedly (and it does not matter that it is “almost exactly like new”);
• overdo it with the decor (a sense of proportion is necessary in everything).

Share your holiday savings secrets! How do you manage to solve this difficult task? Tell us about it in the comments! Or maybe you think that saving is inappropriate here at all?



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