When you think of the word Christmas, the word frugal isn’t something you might normally associate with it, or perhaps you would hope not to. However, if things are tight this year (or you just can’t bear the idea of spending so much money on one day), there are some great ways to enjoy a frugal Christmas that looks beautiful and makes some wonderful memories. If you’re curious how it can be done, keep reading for some brilliant ideas.
Set A Budget
Perhaps the most important element of having a frugal Christmas (or having Christmas in general) is to set a budget. In that way, you are less likely to overspend, and you won’t have to get into debt just to celebrate and have a good time with friends and family.
Christmas can be split into different categories. These include:
- Gifts
- Food and drink
- Decorations
- Events
Which of these elements do you want to spend the most on? Which are less important? Once you know how much you can spend, you can divvy up the amount and allocate a certain allowance to each part of your Christmas. You might want to spend more on food and less on decorations, for example. Perhaps gifts are the most important part for you, and the food isn’t so crucial.
Start Early
If you want to make your budget go further, you need to start shopping for Christmas as early as possible. In fact, you might want to start almost a year in advance. This may sound strange, but if you start buying for next Christmas in January, you can spread the cost by purchasing a few items each month. By the time December comes, you’ll have everything you need, and you won’t be out of pocket. With that in mind, take a look at these Christmas gift ideas for your co-workers or bosses and get on top of your gift buying tasks.
Not only that, but you’ll be able to take advantage of some fantastic sales. In January, for example, many stores sell off their Christmas items very cheaply – buy ones that will last and you’re already ahead when it comes to being prepared.
Share Cooking Duties
One of the most expensive parts of Christmas is the food. Even if it’s not that important to you (as we mentioned above, when discussing prioritizing), you’ll still need to eat, and you may well need to feed guests too.
One great way to cut the cost of Christmas food is to share the cooking duties with family and friends. If you are having guests over, have them bring a dish with them – one person can cook the potatoes, another can do vegetables, someone else can bring dessert. Then you could cook the turkey and that would be your sole focus. Not only does this make the actual cooking a lot easier, but it also means you’re not paying for so many items and are splitting the cost with others. If you’re not having any guests for Christmas, you can spend less because you are feeding fewer people.
