With Christmas fast approaching, are you looking for ways on how to save money for Christmas?
Christmas signifies time with family and friends but also means spending money on gifts, festivities, eating out and much more!
While this sounds like a great plan, it can be a little stressful when money is tight. From planning your Christmas dinner, pre-Christmas gatherings to giving gifts, the holiday season can be stress-inducing for many. This is especially true in 2021, considering the rollercoaster ride many of us have endured.
However, all is not lost. You can definitely save money this Christmas and still enjoy a merry, jolly season. In today's post, I would love to share these 7 easy ways that include DIY gift ideas and simple hacks to help you save money for Christmas and have start the new year fresh!
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7 Easy Ways To Save Money For Christmas
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As you know, the biggest expense when it comes to Christmas includes holiday gifts, followed by food and drinks for Christmas Eve as well as the next couple of days that follow.
If you have young kids, the expenses are even higher considering you also need to decorate your home, plan Christmas activities for them to do as well as give them plenty of Christmas desserts, candies and gifts.
The first thing you can do is by considering DIY Christmas gifts, gift tags and doing gift wrapping using cheap material or recycling things you already have at home.
Check out these amazing DIY holiday gift ideas perfect for kids and adults alike!
#1 Make homemade Christmas gifts this year to save money
Instead of shopping for Christmas gifts and spending hours searching for holiday deals, why not make your own Christmas gifts this year? Giving DIY gifts this holiday season even has added meaning to it, as you spent lots of time apart from friends and family. Your gift might not cost much monetarily, but it will definitely be more sincere and thoughtful.
How to make a double-sided infinity scarf – Happiest Camper
Make all your girlfriends and daughters happy with this adorable double sided scarf. It makes the perfect winter or holiday gift that does not cost much to make! All you have to do is dig out your sewing machine, follow along this easy to follow sewing tutorial to get started.
Photo credit: happiestcamper.com
DIY Manicure Kit Sewing Tutorial – The Happiest Camper
Perfect for the friend that is always traveling. Include their favorite mani or pedi supplies. Follow along the easy sew tutorial to start making DIY manicure kit as holiday gifts.
Photo credit: happiestcamper.com
30 Minute DIY Memory Box Gift – Crafts and Printables
This DIY Keepsake Memory Box is quick and easy to make, but unique enough to be something that can be given as a gift or cherished in your own home for years.
Homemade Gingerbread Cookies – Keep Calm and Eat Ice Cream
Save money this Christmas by making your own homemade gifts. These gingerbread are fun to make and make fantastic gifts for friends, family, teachers and co workers!
Photo credit: keepcalmandeaticecream.com
Simple Hanging Dish Towel Sewing Tutorial with Free Pattern – Mindy Makes
This hanging dish towel is an easy and cost friendly DIY Christmas gift that is great for your loved ones who love to cook and bake! You can even customize it by adding the recipients’ initial or first letter of their name on the towel topper to make it extra special.
DIY Garden Stepping Stones – Fluxing Well
These DIY garden stepping stones are inexpensive and fun to customize to make treasured keepsakes.
Handmade Stocking Hanger DIY – Dollar Crafter
Photo credit: dollarcrafter.com
Every stocking needs a hanger, right? And now you can make your own for just a few bucks. Whether you use it for your own home to save money on decor, or make these as DIY Christmas gifts, it is a great DIY project that saves you lots of money in the long run!
DIY Homemade Gift Idea: Seasoning Jar – Our Crazy Adventures In Autism Land
Photo credit: ourcrazyadventuresinautismland.com
Want to show your appreciation for everyone with a tight budget? This DIY homemade seasoning jar gift idea is a great one, as the natural seasonings do not have preservative and are perfect gifts for parents of children with Autism.
Easy Canned Blueberry Syrup – Fluxing Well
This easy homemade canned blueberry syrup makes a terrific, inexpensive gift if you have frozen berries waiting to be used. It is also a great way to show your appreciation to everyone who has helped you and your family out this year, if you have a huge Christmas list.
Crocus And Paperwhite Potted Bulb Gifts – Barley and Birch
Photo credit: barleyandbirch.com
Giving the gift of plants is always a great eco-friendly and budget-friendly option, if you have plenty of people on your Christmas list this year! These cute ideas will also give you plenty of inspiration to dress them up for the festive season year after year, so be sure to check out this guide.
Hypoallergenic Homemade Dog Treats – This Mama Cooks
Photo credit: thismamacooks.com
This homemade hypoallergenic dog treats recipe is made without peanut butter. Make these with dog bone-shaped cookie cutters as a cute homemade gift for anyone who has pet dogs, or are certified dog lovers.
DIY Citrus Bath Bombs – Surf and Sunshine
Photo credit: surfandsunshine.com
What is more relaxing and satisfying than a cold busting bath during winter? This absolutely gorgeous DIY citrus bath bomb makes a great self-care gift for anyone on your Christmas list! If you had extra bath bombs leftover, just pop them in the bath for a relaxing soak after a hectic holiday season.
#2 Save money with handmade Christmas decor
Decorating your home for Christmas is part of getting into the festivities and creating excitement for little ones for the holidays. So, if you would like to spice up your home with plenty of holiday cheer, you can do so with these DIY decor tips and tutorial and save money!
DIY Festive Felt Garland For The Holidays – Barley and Birch
Photo credit: barleyandbirch.com
If you would like to save money on holiday decor, here's a gorgeous DIY holiday garland you can easily make. Not only will you add a unique touch to your home this Christmas, you can also reuse these homemade felt garlands next year.
Turn Your Old Toys Into Cool Christmas Tree Ornaments – Easier Motherhood
Have plenty of old toys lying around your home? If you want to get a little creative with your Christmas tree ornaments this year, check out this cool guide on how you can turn old toys into cool custom Christmas ornaments without spending a dime!
How To Make DIY Christmas Crackers – Simplify Create Inspire
Photo credit: simplifycreateinspire.com
Make your own Christmas crackers for a fun festive dinner, filled with what you want rather than the usual plastic toys. Check out this easy to follow tutorial to add a little personal touch to your festive table and enjoy that extra bit of DIY fun!
DIY Denim Mini Stocking Advent Calendar – Vicky Myers Creations
Photo credit: vickymyerscreations.co.uk
Transform your old jeans into a reusable advent calendar. These adorable mini stockings are perfect for chocolates or little notes with Christmas activity suggestions, including free stocking template. The best part is, you can use these to gear up for the festive season every year!
#3 Start a Christmas savings plan now
Food is consistently one of the top three expenses in almost all household budgets and those costs only tend to go up over the holidays. This is why saving money on meals, such as the $5 meal plan, throughout the Christmas period can have a massive impact on your budget.
For example, by meal planning throughout the holidays, particularly including the week or so leading up to Christmas, you'll only buy what you actually need at the supermarket. That also ensures you'll always have ingredients on hand to make something, even when things get a bit chaotic in the week before Christmas when you may be tempted to spend money on take out.
This 2021 Christmas Saving Plan is a great first step towards a frugal, fun Christmas. If you would like to be track your holiday spending, grab this free Christmas Savings Tracker printable.
You might also like:
- Steal these 15 money saving tips from the Great Depression
- 35+ awesome(and free!) budget tracker printables to help you save money
- Tips On An Awesome Christmas On A Budget
#4 Meal planning and low-cost holiday desserts
White Christmas dessert – Keep Calm And Eat Ice Cream
Photo credit: keepcalmandeaticecream.com
This easy no bake white Christmas recipe is a delicious update on a classic dessert. With white chocolate, crunchy cereal and tangy red cranberries, it makes fantastic homemade Christmas gifts to save money this holiday season.
DIY Mason Jar Peppermint Bark Gift Tutorial – Maple Planners
This homemade peppermint bark in a mason jar is a perfect gift for Christmas for friends, coworkers, teachers and your classmates.
3 Ingredient Christmas Fudge Recipe – Desserts On A Dime
Photo credit: dessertsonadime.com
This gorgeous-looking and delicious 3 ingredient Christmas Fudge is so easy to make, not to mention being the perfect dessert for kids and adults alike. You can turn these into inexpensive DIY gifts with some gift wrapping and adding some festive ribbons to your gift.
#5 DIY your holiday self-care
DIY glowing unicorn sugar scrub – Surf and Sunshine
Do you experience break outs during the holiday season due to stress? Here is a great way you can treat your skin and your soul with a DIY Sugar Scrub that’s sure to make your inner unicorn glow.
Photo credit: surfandsunshine.com
Easy Homemade Peppermint Sugar Scrub DIY Gift – One Crazy Mom
Whether it is a frugal DIY holiday gift idea, or as a way to look after yourself during the holiday season, this peppermint sugar scrub is heavenly. It is definitely a luxurious DIY gift that smells amazing, and will leave anyone feeling refreshed. The presentation is also holiday-themed, so it fits in perfectly as a mini Christmas gift for those on your Christmas list.
Photo credit: onecrazymom.com
Decadent DIY Cocoa Butter Chocolate Lotion Bar – The Blog Stuff
DIY chocolate bar recipe to nourish the skin. Easy to make for Christmas gifts and won't break the bank.
Vanilla and Honey DIY Lip Scrub – The Soccer Mom Blog
Photo credit: thesoccermomblog.com
If you’re not exfoliating your lips, now is the time to start! This Vanilla & Honey DIY Lip Scrub is an easy way to keep your lips healthy and hydrated during winter.
DIY Coffee Sugar Scrub With Coconut Oil – This Mama Cooks
Photo credit: thismamacooks.com
Want to pamper yourself with smooth skin, or a homemade spa day during the holidays? This inexpensive DIY coffee sugar scrub with coconut oil will leave you feeling fabulous without spending huge for a day at the spa.
Easy homemade wrapping paper for the holidays – The DIY nuts
Make your own homemade wrapping paper out of brown paper bags. Not only will the DIY wrapping be personalized, but will save you money.
Photo credit: thediynuts.com
Super Cute DIY Tree Tags – Hip Home School Moms
Photo credit: hiphomeschoolmoms.com
Homemade phone book wrapping paper
Here's another great DIY wrapping paper tutorial that is also perfect for other special occasions, including birthdays and anniversaries. It is definitely a unique and vintage way to present your holiday gifts – and it does not cost you much at all!
12 Free Modern & Glam Printable Christmas Gift Tags
These free printable Christmas Gift Tags mean one less trip to the store and less money wasted, this holiday season.
#7 Shop ahead for this year and next year's Christmas season
Last but not least, you can save even more money this Christmas by taking advantage of sales before December arrives! With plenty of countries recently getting out of lockdown, retail shops and online businesses are trying to make their money back with sales.
Better yet, you should shop early and take advantage of sales like Black Friday. Here are some great Stocking Stuffer ideas for under 10$ and other ideas.
Want to save more money on your gifts? Here are plenty of useful links you should definitely check out:
- Cash Rewards: Get up to 10% cash back from New Balance when you shop through Cash Rewards. You will also find plenty of awesome deals with brands including Myer, eBay, Apple, Bonds and Amazon.
- Print on Demand: Make your own custom gifts with Printful and save money on embroidery order, or get free shipping when you buy in bulk.
- Shop Handmade: Support small businesses and save money when you shop handmade goods, digital printables and more on Etsy
- Shop Back: Get up to 40% off for electronics, health and beauty, travel, home and living and sports/outdoor gifts when you shop via Shopback.