The holiday seasons can be difficult to afford, with the average amount spent during the holidays being just over $800. It can be especially hard with pressures to get the best gifts or spend certain amounts of money. Some of the best gifts are ones that simply show effort and have time put into them to let the person being gifted know they are cared about. Buying for the holidays can be overbearing; however, it is possible to still give good gifts on a budget.
A good way to spend less money during the holiday season is by focusing more on the presentation of gifts rather than the cost. This is possible through making things like gift baskets filled with items that can range in price.
Gift baskets can be filled with useful items while still being cheaper. A good idea for someone who likes beauty products could be to use something like a new pair of slippers and fill them with spa day products such as face masks. For a cooking friend, using something like an oven mitt or mixing bowl as the basket and filling it with kitchen utensils or baked goods can be a good idea. Easy gift baskets can be found on sites such as Pinterest.
Another easy way to find cheaper presents is through thrift stores, yard sales and deals, around Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Whether making the trek to a mall for these deals or shopping online, almost every business includes deals for these days. Wrapping presents nicely and putting effort into the overall presentation of a gift can elevate it to something very thoughtful and more organized.
Another way to give a meaningful gift on a budget is by making baked goods. Baked goods are a great way to shop on a budget as they take time and effort but can be cheap if making small batches for family, friends, teachers, or anyone being gifted throughout the holidays. Easy goods to make can be cookies, brownies, trail mixes, bread, muffins and more. There are endless ways to personalize baked gifts to fit the person that is getting the surprise.
Alongside baked goods, DIY gifts are also a great way to gift on a budget, some even costing nothing depending on available materials. Easy ideas include homemade ornaments, a crocheted blanket, Christmas art and more. It is easy to find DIY gifts online to start coming up with ideas. There are a multitude of sites offering simple ideas that can be done with supplies that are common around households.
Rather than gifting for individuals, try gifting entire families or couples. An easy way to give a gift to a family can be by giving things like board games that they can all do together. Another easy way to buy for a family is by giving a basket that they can all use, such as a movie night gift box.
Couples as well can be given something that both people can use together. A good idea for couples gifts could be an experience gift; it is easy to find gifts like this through sites like Giftory. These experiences range greatly in price with a multitude of ideas that are pre-planned.
Finally, a common and fun way to spend less money overall during the holiday months is through gift exchanges rather than gifting to a specific person. There are many different ways people go about this, the most common being “secret Santa” and “white elephant” gift exchanges.
A secret Santa is the simplest, just requiring the family or friends to draw names and get a gift for the person drawn. A white elephant gift exchange is when each member gets a gift without knowing who will end up with it. Both of these exchange options can have spending limits applied to become very budget friendly.
With all of these different ways of gift giving, it makes it very possible to show gratitude through gifting to loved ones during the holiday season, even on a budget. Outside of just these ideas, it is important to know that giving a gift to everyone is not always necessary. Rather than spending more money, try showing appreciation through gestures such as a holiday card. The holiday season can be expensive, but there are ways to plan around it without spending more than needed.
