As the Christmas season approaches many parents may find themselves starting to grind their teeth and ask themselves how they are possibly going to afford it all this year. Between paying for your own family members there are also cousins and aunts and uncles to pay for, not to mention friends and coworkers.
Before you know it you can look at your expenses and start to wonder how you will pull it off. However, there are ways to get around the Christmas season without going crazy trying to figure out how to pay for it. Here are some of the best tips for making sure that you stretch your dollar and still have a joyous Christmas season with the ones that you love.
Buy Online
When you buy toys online you can not only avoid the rush of the Christmas madness in the streets trapped in your car for hours on end, but you can also avoid having to bump shoulders with all of the other shoppers in the aisles and go to multiple stores for all of the different items.
Online shopping is convenient, saves you time and allows you to search the sales from the comfort of your own home. Additionally, many toys are considerably cheaper online than in the stores, thus saving you up to hundreds a month if you know where to look. Not to mention, whether you decide to buy socks online to get into the christmas spirit or purchase the hot new toy for your oldest child, you can typically qualify for free shipping if you know where to look, which is, of course, always a perk.
Gift Exchange / Secret Santa
When you have a large family and a large office of co-workers it can be all too much to imagine buying everyone an individual gift without having to take out a second mortgage. On top of that, you might also need to find Christmas Party venues in Edinburgh (or on other places based on your teammate’s requirements) for throwing your office Christmas party or might need to find a holiday destination for your family. Therefore, one of the most economical options is to have a gift exchange. This way you can ensure that everyone gets a gift, but not everyone has to buy a gift for everyone.
Usually, these are done by everyone drawing a name from a hat and having an assigned secret Santa. It becomes a game trying to guess who your Santa is based on what kind of a gift they gave you. This extra twist makes it a game of sorts which makes it all the more fun.
Do Your Shopping Early
Many people don’t sweat the holidays because they got their Christmas shopping months ago. When you start your shopping during unconventional times of the year when prices aren’t built around Christmas shopping, you can save as much as 70% on your overall cost.
By looking for sales which can often be in the summer or spring, you can get your Christmas shopping done earlier and cheaper ultimately leading to much less overall stress and hassle. This is the ultimate way to do your Christmas shopping if you want to give to multiple people.
