Christmas is almost here, and there’s a good chance that you still have some last-minute presents to buy. After all, most of us have to combine prepping for the festive season with things like looking after children, dealing with work, and countless other regular tasks. Don’t worry though, just because you’ve left your shopping to the last minute doesn’t mean that you can’t still get a bargain.
Rather than rushing out and blowing your entire budget on presents that you’re not even sure whether your friends and family will like, make sure that you take the time to create a plan. The following tips will help when it comes to saving cash on your Christmas presents.
1. Make a List
First things first, you need to figure out who you’re buying for. Sit down and write a list of everyone that you’re going to spend money on, and exactly how much you’re going to spend. When you go through your list, if you think that you’re going to have trouble making ends meet, then you might need to ask yourself whether you can cut anything off. You don’t necessarily need to spend a fortune on everyone in your life.
You can also check the list for people who would be happy to skip gift-giving this year. There are sure to be a few people in your social circle that need to manage their own budget too.
2. Try Secret Santa
Instead of buying a present for everyone in your social circle, and then leaving yourself with no money to spend on your family members, consider asking your friends whether they would mind doing a secret Santa this year. That way, you’ll only need to pay for a gift for one person, and you can all agree on a limit on how much you’re willing to spend in advance too.
Usually, if you’re just spending on one person, you can agree to a higher price tag. That means that even though your friends only get one gift, they will probably get something they actually want, rather than just a pair of socks.
3. Spread the Cost
If you know that you really want to buy something big this year, or you’re planning on travelling somewhere to spend Christmas with the family, make sure that you don’t have to find the cash for everything all at once. The last thing you want to do is drain your emergency savings account and leave yourself with nothing to use if something goes wrong. Christmas and winter can be a time when you need your emergency savings the most.
To prepare, make sure that you’re spreading the cost out by taking a loan and paying it back month by month in the year ahead. It will be a lot more stressful for you in the long-term.
4. Get Crafty
Making your own Christmas presents is easier than ever these days, thanks to the arrival of YouTube and other video tutorial sites. You can figure out how to do everything from making your own artwork for your friends, to creating custom candles and so much more. The great thing about designing unique products for your loved ones is that you can really get personal with whatever you make. Additionally, even if the products that you produce are less than perfect, your friends and family members will appreciate them because they’ll know you put the time and effort into making them.
Do some research in advance and figure out what you might be able to make without too much disaster. Truffles and baked goods can be a great simple option.
5. Get Cash Back
Finally, when you are shopping for products online, make sure that you take advantage of things like cashback. While you might not save a fortune on your purchase this way, it only makes sense to ensure that you’re actually getting a little bit of money back on the cash that you were going to be spending anywhere. There are plenty of cashback sites out there that are free to sign up with. You just need to enter aw few basic details, like your name and email address, and you can get started.
Additionally, cash back websites are very easy to use. Instead of going direct to a website or merchant to buy something, you simply click through the affiliate link that is provided on the cashback site instead. You never know, you might save enough money to buy one of your gifts with next year.
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