Christmas on a tight budget....

[TnTWalter]

we did many years of the something U want, need, wear and read. Plus xmas eve pajamas. And stockings [small fun treats]. Maybe also a family game for all....beyond that the traditions are awesome. Making cookies and treats to enjoy and/or share, driving to look at christmas lights [we look up several of the ones timed to music around us], advent calendars. You could do a spa day at home [manis pedis face masks, etc. make home made bath bombs, etc.]. Enjoy.

 

[stsomewhere]

Drive around and look at Christmas lights. Bring some post cards and write a few out to your favorite houses and drop them in the mail.

 

[CouponGirl]

Others mentioned it, but I am also leaning more and more towards experiences over presents... there are some rewards type programs that can help make “experience” gifts more affordable... Coke rewards has been fairly regularly doing free AMC movie tickets, large drinks and/or large popcorn codes. If you were able to get those you could put together a movie night date or just give the ticket/drink/popcorn coupon to the person to use when they want. They also recently did a promo where you could get a free ticket to go to the world of coke and an instant win game for some various amusement park tickets.

ETA - and check out couponing sites - they can keep you updated on the best deals. You just have to be strong enough to resist the great “deals” that you don’t actually need!

 

[sunflowerfields]

My husband and I did something different a couple yrs. ago that I would love to do with our family. I am older so have older kids and grandkids to get for. Anyway, we stayed just overnight at a really nice hotel about an hour and 1/2 from home. To us it was fancy, like a lodge. It had indoor pool and the whole place was decorated for the holidays. Because of the time of yr. the room was not expensive. They had a meeting room you could use for a family gathering. The room was decorated for Christmas. We have talked about going with the family and taking cards and board games, and not doing gifts. It is what our kids like to do. The grands like being able to swim. Also the town offered trolley rides at night around town to see the homes decorated for the holidays, and there was a park across the street that you could sled at if there was snow. It snowed while we were there and was so festive. Another idea is to maybe go out to eat one night and then to a music concert or something special like that your community might have going on. Many of those events are free or very low cost in my area. Maybe then just a few gifts.

 

[potterfanatic]

My husband and I did something different a couple yrs. ago that I would love to do with our family. I am older so have older kids and grandkids to get for. Anyway, we stayed just overnight at a really nice hotel about an hour and 1/2 from home. To us it was fancy, like a lodge. It had indoor pool and the whole place was decorated for the holidays. Because of the time of yr. the room was not expensive. They had a meeting room you could use for a family gathering. The room was decorated for Christmas. We have talked about going with the family and taking cards and board games, and not doing gifts. It is what our kids like to do. The grands like being able to swim. Also the town offered trolley rides at night around town to see the homes decorated for the holidays, and there was a park across the street that you could sled at if there was snow. It snowed while we were there and was so festive. Another idea is to maybe go out to eat one night and then to a music concert or something special like that your community might have going on. Many of those events are free or very low cost in my area. Maybe then just a few gifts.

We actually do this every year, my kids are still little-ish 8, 11, and 14. Every year we ask them what they want for Christmas and they want to go to the hotel as their Christmas gift. The room rates are low for Christmas, and they have an indoor pool. We love to watch people outside the window in their coats in the snow while they swim around. They get a small gift of pajamas from us that they get to open and wear on Christmas Eve, and we get a new board game to play that night.

 

[kymom99]

Drive around and look at Christmas lights. Bring some post cards and write a few out to your favorite houses and drop them in the mail.

I love this idea!

 

[kymom99]

My husband and I did something different a couple yrs. ago that I would love to do with our family. I am older so have older kids and grandkids to get for. Anyway, we stayed just overnight at a really nice hotel about an hour and 1/2 from home. To us it was fancy, like a lodge. It had indoor pool and the whole place was decorated for the holidays. Because of the time of yr. the room was not expensive. They had a meeting room you could use for a family gathering. The room was decorated for Christmas. We have talked about going with the family and taking cards and board games, and not doing gifts. It is what our kids like to do. The grands like being able to swim. Also the town offered trolley rides at night around town to see the homes decorated for the holidays, and there was a park across the street that you could sled at if there was snow. It snowed while we were there and was so festive. Another idea is to maybe go out to eat one night and then to a music concert or something special like that your community might have going on. Many of those events are free or very low cost in my area. Maybe then just a few gifts.

That's sounds amazing! Where are you located?

Last year we went to Lexington with my step daughter and her family to an embassy suites. The kids loved the pool and although we booked 2 rooms ours was big enough for all of us to get together for bingo and snacks at night.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

Drive around and look at Christmas lights. Bring some post cards and write a few out to your favorite houses and drop them in the mail.

That's such a nice idea!

 

[neatokimmo]

For the ten year old, michaels will start doing big coupon sales soon. My daughter likes the bead kits where you stick beads to a preprinted piece of fabric. With sales and coupons we’ve paid as little as $11. And it’s a craft that takes hours to do.

 

[sunflowerfields]

That's sounds amazing! Where are you located?

Last year we went to Lexington with my step daughter and her family to an embassy suites. The kids loved the pool and although we booked 2 rooms ours was big enough for all of us to get together for bingo and snacks at night.

I am in Kansas but we went to Nebraska. Same with our grandkids. They like to go to an indoor pool more than anything!

 

[LovesTimone]

There alot of ways to stretch the Christmas budget. If you can start now, you have like 8 weeks or so till Christmas.

Are you and BF planning on exchanging gifts? I might suggest, just going the card route, and a date day - movie and lunch out - or whatever you like to do together.

All the Holiday extra's are where it really gets you in the budget... parties, luncheons bring a dish, gift exchanges, secret Santa, hostess gift, donations to charities in the past, gifts for each of your families, or friends.

Are you buying gift for family members, now would be a good time to explain, maybe suggest a name exchange, and a limit on the gifts amount

Check out the black friday ads on line...look for coupon codes, free shipping and such to help with cost.

I have been racking up the stocking stuffer's, the last couple of weeks.

Load the target cartwheel app. - you can use the cartwheel and manufacturers coupons together.

Start buying for holiday baking now. Check out Aldi... I was there this week and picked up so much stuff for my Holiday baking, I got brown sugar and powder sugar for .95 cents for a decent size bag.. Vanilla, cooking and baking sprays, other seasoning, flour, sugar, marshmallows, and rice cereal.

Teacher's gifts, keep it simple - Starbucks Dunkin Donuts or a gift card anywhere like Target or even the dollar tree is appreciated. You can give a 5 or 10 dollars GC and have the 10 year old make her a card... and your all done. My friend when she was teaching got tons of stuff she really could not use while she appreciated it most got put away and not used.... she said that GC were nice, and they got used. Also over the years, she received new crayons, colored pencil, cases of Kleenex and paper towel, colored paper, and glue which was really well used.

Will the 10 year old want to exchange gift with some friends? Hit the dollar store, target dollar zone, Michael's also has a dollar zone. One year picked up a package of small stockings I think there were like 8 or 10 in the package for around 3.00 at hobby lobby, then I got candy canes, nail polish, clippers, and nail polish remover wipes, and emery boards and made stocking with this stuff and all the girls loved them. One year I found ornament kits in a clearance bin for like .50 each... I saved them and DD used them for Christmas gift for her friends.

Will you be going to family for any holiday meals, and you need to bring a dish... meatless side dishes.. pasta, rice dishes are normally less a lot less expensive.

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

I need frugal ideas! This year Christmas will be very small, the family knows that. But I still want it to be a special Christmas....

Any ideas on how to make Christmas special on a small budget?

Buy a couple betty Crocker sugar cookie mixes and some frosting/ sprinkles and bake and decorate cookies while playing Christmas music. Borrow cookie cutters if you need some. Of course, then eat!

 

[HopperFan]

For several years we had Sunday Fundays between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Stuff that would spark the holiday spirit, something we would go out and do together with one being getting our live Christmas Tree and decorating it ... but of course it could be just decorating a fake one.

Not everything has to be a gift on day of, sometimes it's just nice to celebrate the season over several weeks.

Things you can do that might be free or inexpensive:
* House decorating day, including baking cookies, breads or treats .... complete with holiday music.
* Some theaters run holiday movies cheap.
We just did Beetlejuice & Hocus Pocus for Halloween at $5 each.
We are booked for the original White Christmas on one Sunday in Dec.
* Any town squares having tree lightings and free activities.
* Drive to any highly decorated neighborhoods taking along popcorn & drinks.
* We have a State park that has great light show and it's only $10 to drive in.
* Any groups or churches having concerts that are free or inexpensive.
* Any town squares or locations that are highly decorated to wander.
* Bonfire outside with some holiday music playing and toast marshmallows or something.


DOLLAR STORE!!!!
* So many ideas from socks to beauty supplies to journals and pens, puzzle books, calendars, candy ... so much there.

GOODWILL or THRIFT
* You'd be surprised all the good or NEW stuff you will find. I picked up a brand new Christmas Trivia game a couple weeks ago. And a pair of holiday light up glasses still in the wrapper new for a stocking. Gotten games and puzzles still sealed - and for $1-2. Actually just picked up an entire huge Diner for the dolls like American Doll with a ton of food, plates etc .... for $4.00. The set sells for $150 used even. Perfect condition. You can get some nice items, lots with tags still on them.

GROUPON
* Sometimes can get good deals on some experiences like a zoo or escape room etc you can do as family or as gift to older one to go with her friends.

SHUTTERFLY
* Hunt coupons for FREE photo books, then make one for each of them. Usually only pay for shipping and it's a great gift.

PINTEREST
* I remember the days when my Mom had to make most of our gifts because there was no money. They are some of the most memorable ones. I still have a Barbie wedding dress she made in the 60's. If you surf Pinterest you can usually find things you can make with stuff you already have so it will cost very little.

 

[kymom99]

Last year my step daughter and her family who live outside our area met us at a hotel in a city in between. Of course paying for a hotel isn't budget but you could do this at home. We did this a couple weeks before Christmas. The kids swam in the pool and we played Christmas bingo in our room. We had little silly prizes from dollar tree mostly. I had a gift voucher for a cupcake bakery and bought a dozen mini Christmas cupcakes. We were planning to drive through a light display but there ended up being freezing rain so we didn't do that part. It was just a fun way to get into the spirit. It doesn't have to be expensive.

 

[1st*toright]

For several years we had Sunday Fundays between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Stuff that would spark the holiday spirit, something we would go out and do together with one being getting our live Christmas Tree and decorating it ... but of course it could be just decorating a fake one.

Not everything has to be a gift on day of, sometimes it's just nice to celebrate the season over several weeks.

Things you can do that might be free or inexpensive:
* House decorating day, including baking cookies, breads or treats .... complete with holiday music.
* Some theaters run holiday movies cheap.
We just did Beetlejuice & Hocus Pocus for Halloween at $5 each.
We are booked for the original White Christmas on one Sunday in Dec.
* Any town squares having tree lightings and free activities.
* Drive to any highly decorated neighborhoods taking along popcorn & drinks.
* We have a State park that has great light show and it's only $10 to drive in.
* Any groups or churches having concerts that are free or inexpensive.
* Any town squares or locations that are highly decorated to wander.
* Bonfire outside with some holiday music playing and toast marshmallows or something.


DOLLAR STORE!!!!
* So many ideas from socks to beauty supplies to journals and pens, puzzle books, calendars, candy ... so much there.

GOODWILL or THRIFT
* You'd be surprised all the good or NEW stuff you will find. I picked up a brand new Christmas Trivia game a couple weeks ago. And a pair of holiday light up glasses still in the wrapper new for a stocking. Gotten games and puzzles still sealed - and for $1-2. Actually just picked up an entire huge Diner for the dolls like American Doll with a ton of food, plates etc .... for $4.00. The set sells for $150 used even. Perfect condition. You can get some nice items, lots with tags still on them.

GROUPON
* Sometimes can get good deals on some experiences like a zoo or escape room etc you can do as family or as gift to older one to go with her friends.

SHUTTERFLY
* Hunt coupons for FREE photo books, then make one for each of them. Usually only pay for shipping and it's a great gift.

PINTEREST
* I remember the days when my Mom had to make most of our gifts because there was no money. They are some of the most memorable ones. I still have a Barbie wedding dress she made in the 60's. If you surf Pinterest you can usually find things you can make with stuff you already have so it will cost very little.

Love the idea of doing fun Christmas things leading up to the holiday. We get really into Advent stuff - I have a wooden advent house with doors that I put little gifts in. We also have a mini Christmas tree that we decorate one mini ornament at a time from Dec 1 to 24th (I wrap each ornament and number the presents - one kid gets to open the ornament for the day, the other opens the advent house). The ornaments are pretty much the same from year to year, I might add one new one and we have more than 24 at this point, so they rotate some from year to year. The kids love opening them and putting them on the little tree.

Music is big thing for us, so we always go to the Lessons and Carols concert at our church - nothing like hearing/singing Christmas Carols to get in the spirit. And it only costs what you choose to put in the collection!

We try to focus on the season and spending time with friends and family so that the holiday isn't all about the presents!

 

[verleniahall]

For scrubs - dollar general has Epsom salts b1g1 free pretty regularly and you can find really unique jars at thrift stores or antique shops

I love the ornaments idea - what if instead of buying them this year you got a box of plastic ones and some .50 cent craft paint and everyone decorate an ornament for ANOTHER family member? We did this at a holiday party for my husbands army unit one year - we decorated one for each other and they are the first ornaments we put on our tree each year now - they are so special to us.

I agree with the ‘want, need, wear, read’ idea - keeps it simple and the wear can be something as simple as new gloves - maybe find the off brand isotopes for being able to type while wearing gloves or a cute pair of earrings, etc...

With the ‘read’ you can get either iTunes or google play gift cards - u can usually get multi packs at a discount on thanksgiving or Black Friday - make sure to start looking at ads since they are already out

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

Go to your nearest library and get Christmas book, movies and music for free!

 

[Hiitsme]

Love, Love, Love all these ideas. I'm always on the lookout for fun inexpensive gifts.

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

Call schools near you, even colleges. Ask when their holiday concerts are. So many are free.