Ten Ways to Save This Holiday Season

US News lists ten ways for retirees to downsize holiday spending, but most of these suggestions can be used by anyone (not just retirees). Here's their list:

• Frugal gifts.
• Hunt for deals.
• Fewer gifts.
• Travel digitally.
• Donate time.
• Regift.
• Downsize the party.
• Go gift free.
• Gifts for kids only.
• A gift pool.

There are some decent money saving suggestions here for those of you looking to save a bit this holiday season.

We're not really doing anything different from a spending standpoint this Christmas. Our budget has been about the same for the past four or five years, and we're sticking with it. Seems like we do always add one or two people to the list each year, but one or two drop off as well, so it's usually a wash.

How about you? Anyone cutting out gifts, making versus buying, limiting your list, or something similar?

Comments

[James]

My whole family seems to be in debt, but they love buying gifts for everyone at Christmas. My wife, sister, and I have been trying to politely suggest each year a different way to celebrate the holidays besides everyone getting in more debt by buying more gifts. We tried "no gifts", but that didn't fly. Then, we went for "just for kids", and it went over slightly better. Last year, we implemented a "really dirty santa" that seemed to make everyone happy. It is the traditional dirty santa with a twist. Instead of everyone buying gifts for the gift exchange, we all bring stuff we don't want anymore. Basically, we all agree to re-gift. It allows the family to still have things to open without having to go out and buy anything. It is funny to watch people see gifts that they have gotten people in the past. Maybe it will also help them realize how much money we have wasted in years past on crap nobody wanted :).

[Paulette @ Spend Tracker USA]

I would add one more to this list: house-hop. Instead of entertaining, we house-hop all Christmas. It can be kind of a drag, but it's cheap. It's partly required by social norms (grandparents live locally, must be visited, and sister-in-law has a lock on the Christmas Eve shindig). It's also become more desirable since we really don't have the budget to entertain. Now all we have to do is pitch in a dish or two.