How Can I Spend Less Money For Christmas: Quick & Easy Ways To Stick To Your Budget
Discover practical tips on how to spend less money this Christmas. Find out where to buy inexpensive gifts, and explore creative ideas for cost-effective festive celebrations.
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How can I spend less money for Christmas?
As I’m writing this, I’m shaking my head. Can you believe that it’s already September, Christmas is just around the corner and people, like me, are already getting ready for the holiday season?
Yep, you read that right. Some of us are already gearing up for Christmas and are already organising what we need to do, buy and make for Christmas. At the very least, we’re already starting to make lists.
In a hurry?
Bookmark this page and then get the BEST AND CHEAPEST CHRISTMAS PLANNER to help you spend less money for Christmas!
Regardless of your plan – start now or later? – there’s probably one question in your mind right now: How can I spend less money for Christmas?
We all know that Christmas can be a real money trap and some people go into debt just to give special presents.
To help you (and ourselves, if I’m honest) avoid that, we asked other bloggers for their best tips on Christmas budgeting.
We’re publishing them here and we hope they can help you keep costs down but still give the fabulous Christmas presents you want your loved ones to get.
Note: If you’re looking for ways to better manage your finances so you’re ready regardless of any holiday that comes up, check out these three synergistic posts:
When should you start shopping for Christmas
Rainy Day Mum: If you like to have a lot of food then start stocking up now with things that last. Things like boxes of chocolate, stuffing etc.
The Merralls Home: Buy as early as you can! There are so many sales on in the autumn, it always works out much cheaper and helps spread the cost.
All Things Christmas: Approximately 45% of all U.S. consumers begin shopping for Christmas prior to November 1…If you enjoy adding to your collection of Christmas figurines, outdoor inflatables, and lights, buying these items in the fall can result in massive savings…Shopping early also allows you to set a reasonable budget…By planning out who you will be shopping for, what you will spend on gifts, and purchasing everything prior to the busyness of the season, you will save yourself time, money, and stress.
Why are lists important for Christmas spending
Beauties And The Bibs: Take a look at who you buy for is there anyone you can cut back on? I’m sure they are worrying about money too and would appreciate one less present to buy also.
Twinderelmo: Write a list and stick to it! It’s so easy to keep buying like mad but keep it simple and don’t fall prey to all the big deal days such as Black Friday which make you feel like you have you buy as it’s such a bargain, when in reality the price in the lead up has been inflated.
Where to buy cheap gifts for Christmas
Emma Reed: Buy secondhand toys. You can get really good ones in charity shops, on eBay and marketplace on Facebook. I bought some last week!
The Penniless Parent: I cannot recommend enough using Facebook Marketplace to do your Christmas shopping. Not only can you make huge savings but your little ones will be none the wiser that it wasn’t from a shop and you’re helping to recycle perfectly good toys that could otherwise end up in a landfill. I wrote a small blog about this last year which shows some of the savings I made.
Saving Moving Mummy: Second-hand things or buy throughout the year. I buy all my smellies in the Christmas sales for the random family members. I also ask my in-laws to buy the more expensive gifts.
How to give Christmas gifts with no money
Kate On Thin Ice: Presents are lovely to receive but you make memories that last a lifetime by being together. So give the gift of your presence this festive season.
Raising Moonbows: Go through the kids’ old toys, and sell the ones they no longer play with. That money can then go towards getting them Christmas presents.
A Rose-Tinted World: Go down the home-made route, especially if you are crafty or good with a sewing machine!
Joanna Victoria: Write a list and budget for each person. Then either make, buy second hand or upcycle gifts.
Family Budgeting: Consider making some of your gifts to save you money. Kids love to join in with this too. Snowman bath bombs are fun!
How to give Christmas gifts without spending too much money
Lylia Rose: We do the four gift rule for our kids but slightly edited. We do ‘something you want, something you need, something to eat, something to read’. We also start buying really early in September/October to spread the cost.
Miss Many Pennies: Don’t overbuy – think about anything last year that you ended up throwing away or had way too much of, and cut it down this year. There’s always that fear of not having enough, but it usually works out as having too much, so save money but only getting what you really need/will use.
Falcondale Life: If you have a lot of adult relatives then why not organise to buy fewer presents between you? We’ve done this in a circular way so, for example, I buy a present for my brother, he buys one for our sister-in-law, she buys one for my husband and so on until everyone is included in the circle. Takes a little planning but it saves a lot.
All Things Christmas: I have a lot of articles on this topic but my top tips are:
1. Use what you’ve got. (DIY/Update Decor yourself)
2. Buy Ingredients in Bulk/On sale (for Baking, or non-perishable items)
3. Cards instead of Presents – most of the time it really is the thought that counts, so give a Christmas Card with a thoughtful message instead of a Starbucks gift card to your acquaintances.
The English Family: I have been using apps like shoppix and receipthog. You just scan your shopping receipts and when you build up enough points you get Amazon or PayPal vouchers!
So, how do you spend less money on Christmas?
To recap, the best ways to spend less money for Christmas are to shop early, make sure you make a list and a budget, know where to find the cheap gifts (or make them yourself) and minimise the number of gifts you need to buy in the first place.
That’s really it.
I know, this isn’t always easy but it can be done.
It just takes a bit of planning and loads of time.
What about you? Any foolproof tips on spending less? Share it with us in the comments section below!
Thank you so much for your advice about buying our necessary goods long enough before Christmas. The main problem is that I always think about but I keep postponing until the prices get expensive.
And I try to put a budget but most of the time it does not work.
I thought about getting some second-hand toys and I want to try doing that one day.
You’re welcome, glad you found our tips valuable.
I can not really believe that we are getting closer to November yet. How fast the days go by! Every year when we get into November I start to ask how can I spend less money for Christmas? Because I’ve got many loved ones who are expecting me to give them some present. Most often I tend to neglect to prepare gifts earlier to carry on my mission. But thanks to your reminder post I am going to create a list now and write down a calculated budget as well as receivers name to devote a reasonable budget. Thanks
Yay! We’re glad you found our post valuable. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Christmas is actually the most celebrated season all around and it’s of no doubt that it consumes a lot of our income, having articles like this at our disposal will be of great benefits and it’ll be help save cash. Every information in this article will be very useful, ranging from where to buy cheap stuffs, to when to buy things. Having lists of what you need will help you know where and where to divert the cash to and also shopping early will be a great help. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome! We’re glad you found this post useful. 🙂
Some families save money on Christmas by not exchanging gifts at all, except for maybe giving gifts to the children. However, it does sound like a good idea for the relatives to agree amongst themselves who they wil be exchanging gifts with. Although it’s too late for this to be a money saving tip for this Christmas, another idea is to take advantage of after Christmas sales and store the things until the next Christmas.
That’s an excellent tip! I always miss the after Christmas sales but I’m going to make it a point to buy something this year – especially winter boots and clothes. Prices drop considerably. 🙂
Thank you for these great tips on saving money this Xmas. It is always a silly season where everyone spends more than they actually need to and then get themselves into debt that they take half the year to repay.
Now if you could please post some easy to make gifts that we can use to make for friends and family to save us even more money, this would be greatly appreciated, as I have zero creativity to think up any myself.
You’re welcome. Here are a few:
https://liveablissfullife.com/the-best-christmas-essential-oil-blends-how-do-you-make-your-house-smell-like-christmas/
https://liveablissfullife.com/super-easy-christmas-decorations-on-youtube-that-anybody-can-do/
They don’t have to be gifts. You can do them for your own house too.
Enjoy! 🙂
To many people, Christmas is a really large project that takes almost all of their budgets and it’s really true that some people do it to the extent of running into debts, it’s so tragic. This is common to women, I can tell cos I have a great one at home here and she really spends a lot for Christmas which I’m certainly not too convenient with but what can I do. Prices always skyrocket whenever it’s close to Christmas so it’s always advisable to buy things before it becomes of utmost need. I’ll share this article with her and I’m sure she’ll grab a lot from it. Thanks a lot.
You’re welcome. I agree about buying before something becomes a need. It’s also a good idea to take advantage of any sales that are happening, like the ever-popular Black Friday. As long as do your research (like in the post below), it could be a great money-saver.
https://liveablissfullife.com/how-do-i-survive-black-friday-the-ultimate-guide-you-need-to-read-every-single-year/
Thank you. This is something very important to me because I always end up spending more that I can afford. You gave some nice examples and alternatives I will really consider when I decide to go for Christmas shopping. Not only you can save money, but sometimes you do not even have to spend a dime – if you know what are you doing.
Strahinja.
Exactly! Thanks for sharing your experience, Strahinja. 🙂
Excellent ideas! When my wife and I first met we definitely went overboard purchasing gifts especially for the kids. Last year, however since we were trying to save up for a house (which we bought this past March, yay!). We were on a budget and stuck to it. Everything worked out much more smoothly and the kids still had a great Christmas. I really like your idea of the four gifts, something you want, need, eat and read. I think we will try that out this year! Thank you again for the great information!
You’re welcome, Travis. Thanks for popping by and sharing your experience. I’m also in danger of going overboard with gifts for my son and I always need to keep myself in check. haha