As time has passed, I’ve discovered that the holidays often end with a large amount of holiday debt incurred because of large gift purchases for friends, family, extended family, teachers, coaches, and everyone else. Each year, the budget for Christmas gifts seems to get smaller and smaller and the list gets larger and larger. The list gets longer and the kids get older and their participation grows. Sharing your appreciation with everyone who contributed to the success of your previous year doesn’t mean that you have to go over budget. Incorporating your children and friends into making inexpensive holidays gifts is a great way to laugh and play while taking it easy on your checkbook.
Debt free living during Christmas time begins with setting your budget ahead of time so that you don’t overspend. By starting the saving process early in the year, set aside in a bank account or a sock drawer, you will find that paying for Christmas doesn’t make you cringe. While there are numerous volunteers, co-workers, coaches, and teachers, they don’t all need an individual gift to express your gratitude. A hand-written card will make anyone’s heart smile. Also, purchase a bulk of small tealight candles and attach a note that says something such as “you light up my world” or “you light up our lives” or even “you light up the office”.
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For anyone who isn’t on a diet or watching their holiday weight cookies, pies, cakes, breads, and desserts are great gifts. Everyone loves baked goods.
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Breakfast packs can be made for multiple people by purchasing large bags of pancake mix or waffle mix with chocolate chips and a box of ziplock bags. You can separate small quantities for each gift and place them inside of a ziplock bag with a note that instructs them to add water, oil, and eggs.
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A BBQ kit would include a single BBQ utensil with a bottle of sauce. You can purchase a set of BBQ utensils with multiple bottles of sauce and simply divide one utensil from each with a single bottle and distribute them to the men in the family.
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A chocolate kit can be made by purchasing large bags of fun size chocolates in different kinds such as bars, truffles, kisses, etc… and mixing and matching handfuls placed inside waxed paper, tied off with string.
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If you are better at cooking than your friend, offer to come over and cook for them as a gift.
- If you have a printer, download and print a variety of recipes from the internet and place them on 3 X 5 cards, then place them inside a small plastic box usually found in the dollar section at Target.
No matter which online gift cards you want,
be sure never to pay full price for them. There are websites which sell unwanted gift cards from consumers at a discount such as giftcards.com or plastic jungle. Halfoffdeals.com is one of many half price websites which offer gift cards for restaurants, trips, shows, and stores at great deals. Warehouse stores such as Costco or
Sam’s Club also offer gift cards at a rate of 15-20% less than the face value for places like Baja Fresh,
iTunes, Regal Cinemas, and AMC Theaters.
