14 Ways to Save on Holiday Gifts

Well, it's about that time (believe it or not) -- the holiday season is just around the corner. So I thought I'd get a jump on the "how to save on gifts" posts I'm sure you'll see for the next few months. Here's a list of 14 ways to save on holiday gifts (including my four at the end):

1. Family photo
2. Family cookbook
3. Garden gifts
4. Schedule December
5. Learn a craft
6. Favorite things baskets
7. Give away treasures
8. Tie up memories
9. Give an experience
10. Back-to school sales

Love to see the Costco photo idea mentioned. We'll be sure to use that one again this year. ;-)

And here are a few suggestions from me:

1. Convert people from "gifts" to "letter." In recent years, we've cut back on the number of people we've purchased gifts for, but we've increased the number of people we send our Christmas letter too (the letter tells what we've been up to the past year.) And we've made the letter even cheaper by moving from an actual letter to an email "newsletter."

2. Give baked goods. My wife makes delicious homemade bread and we give loaves to many of our friends. It always gets us rave reviews.

3. Regift. We give both gifts we've received throughout the year as well as items people/companies send me for review/comment on Free Money Finance.

4. Agree to downsize. Years ago, we agreed with my parents to cut down on the number and size of the gifts we gave each other. This has saved us about $100 a year. Now we focus more on simply being together for the holidays, which is the best part of the season anyway.

How about you? What's your best tip for saving on gifts during the holiday season? 

Comments

[KF]

This year we are asking friends and family not to get us gifts, but to donate their time or money to a needy family or organization in their local area instead.

[Walden]

I give baked goods to most of the people we want to give an actual "thing" to. Usually a couple types of cookie, one year I did homemade marshmallows. I put them together in little bundles, and I love finding pretty ways to dress them up. Every year, I feel like, "Who's going to want cookies, there are TONS of cookies and stuff around at this time of year" but every mid-November, i start getting people asking me and making sure I'm doing my usual!

I save money by buying the wrapping stuff at Costco...

[Jo]

I shop all year for christmas, especially on gifts for my nieces and nephews. The only problem is that I need to remember that I have the gifts. Last year I gave each of my nephews a flannel bag of toys and candy. I made the bags myself from fabric I already had and got most of the items from the dollar store or Target's dollar section.

Usaully for coworkers I bake cookies and/or fudge and give each a little decorative box or tin (dollar store)or a small ornament. Last year I made a trail mix and gave each a little bag of that or a piece of fruit (one couldn't have the trailmix).

My bestfriend and I try to get together and do a service/charity project. It's not always at Christmas but sometime during the year. It's nice because we get to spend time together and make a difference in someone(s) life.

[Janie]

Not the 'letter'!
I hate, hate getting that letter from my family or friends! Clearly we're not close at all if they have to catch me up on an entire year. In a cheesy letter that goes on and on.... Reading that Carson is doing well in the 5th grade and loves soccer while Molly is learning to share is not a gift - it's torture! Just send a card and a photo - leave the letter out, please!

[Hank]

My wife and I use our credit card bonus points to "buy" gift cards for people on our holidays list saving us a few hundred dollars a year.