5 Easy Tips to Save Money During the Holidays
Saving money is not easy especially during the Holidays when gift giving is amplified. I totally understand the stress that comes with planning gifts, budgeting, and using Venmo to split gifts with family or friends. As merry and jolly as the Holidays are, this season can be overwhelming for many of those who do not have the same expendable income (aka me, recent college grad living in my parent's house). That is why I have rounded up my top 5 tips to saving money this Holiday season!
Take advantage of sales! I know you’re still spending money but this is a great time to take advantage of sales BUT I am not talking about 20% off or even 30% off. I am talking about stores that are having 50%-80% off! Here are some stores that are having 50% OFF that I would actually shop from
Nordstrom 50% OFF
PrettyLittleThing 50% OFF
Missguided 50% OFF CODE: “USEME”
BooHoo 60% OFF
Victoria’s Secret 40% OFF ALL BRAS (I know it’s not 60% but I only got 30% as a part time associate so this was better than my discount!)
Secret Santa or White Elephant!
Secret Santa: I don’t know about your family but I have 5 other people excluding myself that I think about buying gifts for. 5 people x $30 = $150 that I don’t have haha. This year, I am going to propose Secret Santa for our gift giving this year. That means, each sibling will pick another sibling to give a gift to, instead of one to each person. You can even extend this to your cousins if you want! Put all the names into a hat and go around and pick someone’s name! It’s super easy and takes the stress away from buying for the whole family. As for the parents, you can all gather your coin to buy them a special gift or they can get involved too!
White Elephant: Traditionally, people will bring a “gag gift” or Snuggie but when you actually bring meaningful gifts with a price limit such as $20, you’d be surprised as to how people will spend it! With Amazon, finding a valuable $20 gift is super easy! Here are some $20 and under gift ideas!
Host a potluck brunch or dinner! Potlucks are the best way to bring friends and family together without breaking the bank! Every year, my friends and I have a form of a potluck one way or another. We will each bring or chip in for a dinner that we can all share and enjoy! If you can’t cook, order from restaurant chains like Panera or buy a bag of chips and guac as your portion! If you can cook, here are some quick and easy recipes that will yield a lot!
Mango Guacamole (my personal favorite!)
Visit places that are already decorated and open to the public! If you’re looking for a place to take your loved one on a date without spending $100 on a gift or a meal or even the whole family, here are a list of places in LA that are either free or very affordable that will instantly put you in the Christmas spirit!
The Grove LA
189 The Grove Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Open 11/18-1/6
Los Angeles Zoo
Perfect for the whole family!
5. Dinner & Movie Night at Home! Nothing will beat watching Love Actually or Elf with a big box of pizza and wine. The Holidays can be a chaotic time for everyone but slowing down and spending the night watching Christmas movies with family and friends is not only the most cost effective way to enjoy a night in but also a great time to get to know each other, play board games or have a romantic evening with a significant other.
I found this picture on Google and it was too perfect!
Reality
Here’s what my dinner & a movie date will actually look like!
Thank you for reading if you have managed to make it this far! I have to finish off the post with a cheesy ending and say that Holidays are more important than gifts and shopping. It is about spending time with the ones you love and being selfless with your money, time and energy. Happy Holidays everyone!
