How Am I Saving Money This Holiday Season?

8 tips that help me reduce spending every year

Save During the Holidays. Created with Adobe Express.

I didn’t grow up poor in the strict definition of the word, but we were always on a strict budget. On top of this, I fully economically emancipated during college, at the age of 20, while studying and working part-time.

Being frugal, back then, wasn’t just a lifestyle, it was a survival mechanism. And while right now I have a lot more cash flow, that experience taught me what things were worth spending money on. It taught me how to identify unnecessary spending.

And these learnings come up VERY handy when the Holiday season rolls over.

So here are 8 of my best saving tips:

Stick to a budget

I have been there. You don’t set up a budget and just buy the things you think you need.

It looks like everything is under control, but when you check your credit card statement… surprise!

You overspent by a lot. But how do I stay on budget you may ask? Well, read next point…

Make a list

I LOVE lists! Can you tell by the way I organize most of my posts?

But seriously, there’s a quote that says this: “What gets measured, gets managed”.

There is some authorship controversy, so I won’t get into this here. But there is some truth behind it.

If you make a list of the things you are planning on buying, and then compare it to your budget, you will be able to plan ahead and set your priorities within the list before it’s too late.

Which brings us to the next item…

Plan ahead

It is not just the list of purchases that you need to plan ahead. If you know what your family needs ahead of time, you can keep an eye open for when sales or special offers come around.

This will also help you reduce last-minute impulse buying due to running out of time. It may also save you some extra shipping costs.

Have Children? Be strategic with their gifts

I once heard a YouTuber say that they followed the Need-Wear-Read-Want rule with their kids. And it made sense.

It’s quite self-explanatory, but basically, you get your children something they need, like school supplies, or a new backpack.

Something to wear. Maybe a new jacket, or a t-shirt with their favorite cartoon characters.

Something to read. This is always a must in our house, and the read item can easily get updated to two or three books…. no apologies!

And something they truly want. Maybe a toy car, a playset, a doll, or an electronic for older kids.

It doesn’t only help stay on a budget, but it also teaches children about budgeting, real needs, and being thankful for what they have.

For instance, it makes them understand that there are things they need, but also things they simply want.

Use your credit card rewards

For example, I have set my credit card to give me a higher cash-back when I buy things online.

This is funny because I almost never buy things, but when I do, I get 3% of all my purchases back.

So in my case, I make sure I buy as many of the things I intend to buy online as long as I can get free shipping.

Secret Santa

Have a very large family? Having to buy presents for over 10 people can be a nightmare for your finances.

So have that conversation with your family members and propose doing a Secret Santa instead.

This way, each adult only has to buy a present for one other person in the family.

Just make sure that you set up a budget so that nobody feels left behind.

Do it Yourself

Do-it-yourself gifts can be so much more valuable, especially if the person who’s receiving the gift values these sorts of things.

In my case, this year I’m using my Etsy store set up to make personalized gifts to the family.

I gift the same quality that my customers receive, but I save on the design aspect because I am the designer myself.

On top of these, personalized digital art designs can be so rewarding.

Reuse Christmas Decorations

Don’t feel like you have to get new Christmas decorations each year.

People most likely don’t remember, and if they do, they look forward to seeing that decoration that looks so familiar to them.

For example, I remember that my grandmother had some Christmas decorations for the tree that looked like shiny red strawberries.

When I see those, I remember my grandparents and it brings up memories from my childhood.

For the same reason, don’t be afraid to inherit Holiday Decorations from the older people in your family.

What about you?

What tips do you use or have to save during the Holiday Season that help you save some money without sacrificing quality time with your loved ones?