Cheap Holiday Gifts that People Like!

Some Years it is Tough to Be Santa!

This will be a tough year for many families. As I am writing this, I am thinking about the stack of property tax bills on my counter, and also the holiday gifts that my kids want. This may seem like a bad time to think about being frugal, but it is probably one of the best times. So how can I cut some expenses, like holiday gift giving, while sticking to a budget.

A Holday Gift Budget is Important!

Before you buy anything, write down a realistic budget. If you can set aside $300 or $1,000, I would suggest taking that amount of money out in cash. It is a lot easier to stick to your budget if you have to spend real money instead of just swiping plastic at the register. If you cannot use cash, try to keep a register of your expenses. The act of keeping a tally and writing it down will help.

So Where Can We Find Cheap Gifts that are Still Nice?

I have written about this before, but thrift stores can be gold mines of inexpensive gifts. You will also be doing triple duty with your dollars by recycling items and helping a charity like the Salvation Army. Now doesn’t that make you feel good?

There are a couple of large thrift stores near me. They have everything from housewares to furniture. Your 3 year old won’t mind that the kitchen set was gently used by another toddler. Your Uncle Bob won’t know that the tie hung in another closet.  And sometimes you can find some really nice things, like china and candlesticks that deserve another chance at usefulness and beauty.

Gift Exchanges

At our big family holiday gift exchange, we each bring one wrapped gift. Everybody takes a number, picks a gift, and gets to exchange it with anybody who is willing. It is actually a lot of fun and works out ok. Sometimes we bring some special kid friendly gifts for children, so they go home happy. But the adults are usually very happy with whatever they end up, and they are also relieved to only bring one gift instead of dozens.

Homemade Gifts

Now I know you are groaning, but you really can make some things that will be better appreciated than some store bought gifts. Holiday cookies, arranged on a holiday plate, and covered with colored plastic wrap are always appropriate. With a mix, some toppings,  a trip to the dollar store, and a little creativity, you can make up dozens of these for the price of one gift in a department store. You won’t have to apoligize for it either!

Stopping Materialism at Home

This does not work so well with younger children, but I find that adolescents tend to want a lot of expensive things, without really realizing how much they cost. I try to find some average amount of the valud of the things they want and give them cash instead of a gift. What I find is that they tend to purchase a lot less than they wanted me to buy them, and they save some of the money for something they might want later.

So if one of my kids wants a $200 mp3 gadget or a $150 digital camera, I give them the money. It is interesting to see if they still want the item enough to part with their riches. Sometimes they still buy it, but sometimes they delay the purchase.

This is not a bad exercise for people of any age.

• Unwanted Gift Cards, and How To Make Good Use of Them!
• What To Do With...
• Frugal Holiday Shopping — Survive the Holidays Without Debt
• Ok, here we are...
• Surviving Holiday Gift Giving Without Going Broke
• It Isn't Your...