I know what you are thinking, “Is it really possible to pull off Christmas on a zero budget?” Yes, you can–if you are willing to put in some hard work and be very creative. You also have to be willing to keep Christmas simple.
Our Christmas On A Zero Budget
Many Christmases ago, I pulled off Christmas for almost nothing. Our family had made a big move that summer, and it resulted in several expenses. Plus, my husband was starting a new job as a registered nurse and was earning an entry-level wage. I was a stay-at-home mom of three little ones. We had some unexpected bills that after praying over it, I knew God wanted me to pay them with what little I had saved for Christmas. There I was in mid-November with not a nickel saved for Christmas.
Yet, come Christmas day, each of our three children had a gift from us, a gift from Santa, and a stocking. My husband got a small gift from me, and he gave me a few pieces of a Dollar Tree Christmas Village I had been eying. We had a very simple Christmas meal. The highlight of the day was the beautiful Christmas tree we got just in time for the big day for free.
How did I do it? I got very creative and thought outside the box, and at the very last minute, my husband got called in for an afternoon of overtime work and that paycheck arrived the day before Christmas. It helped pay for a few items I had not yet gotten, which is why I said I pulled it off for almost nothing.
If you don’t have the hope of overtime filling in the gaps for you, you can still pull off a great Christmas on a zero budget, especially since 12 years later, you have more possibilities available to you than I did, thanks to the growing internet.
What I Would Do Now If I Had No Money For Christmas
I originally wrote this post nine years ago, meaning our zero Christmas was 21 years ago now. The post went viral days after I wrote it and gets decent traffic year after year. Every fall, I make sure all the companies I list are still valid, as well as add replacements or new companies as needed. I want to make sure that it truly does help those who read the post.
This year, for several reasons, I think it needs an entire overhaul. One, the economy has gone crazy and there are more financially strapped families out there than ever. Two, I am older and wiser and I have more tips to share. Three, when I originally wrote this, I focused on the most expensive part of Christmas: the gifts, but Christmas has so many more expenses than gifts.
How To Prepare For An Enjoyable No-Cash Christmas
1. Change Your Attitude
If you clicked on this article feeling defeated by your lack of funds available to create a magical Christmas for your loved ones, it is time to give up the poverty mentality of “I can’t afford” and replace it with a creative, can-do attitude.
You need to believe that you can indeed have an awesome Christmas without spending a dime–because you can.
2. Remember What Christmas Is All About
In order to believe in a no money Christmas, you need to remember that Christmas isn’t about the gifts. Yes, if you follow my plan, there will be gifts for the kids–but those are not the focus.
Think back to your fond childhood memories of Christmas. If they are like mine, you remember perhaps only a gift or two. What you remember more are the moments of magic, the moments of feeling so loved, so blessed, the moments when you felt like you truly belonged and your family, despite all its cracks, was pretty great.
For those of us, including me, who believe in Jesus, remember that this day is all about Him–not us. Remember his second commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Showing love takes time always, but money…not so often. There are a million ways to show love without spending money.
3. Make That List
I want you to sit down and create a list of all the things you think you need to make the magic of Christmas come alive in your home this holiday season.
Write it all down, even if you think you don’t have the money to do it all.
I want you to NOT put a price tag by each person’s name. Nor do I want you to write down that you want to give Bubba a TV and Baby Doll an iPad. Instead, just write a list of everyone you want to give a gift to. Emphasis on want to, giving should never feel obligated. If it does, it is time to check that attitude.
I also want your list to include more than gifts. What experiences do you want to share with your loved ones? What foods do you want to indulge in? Do you want to do Christmas photos? Do you want to send Christmas cards?
I am going to share with you ONE HUNDRED PERCENT FREE ways to do all of these things. But remember, you need to have a creative, can-do attitude.
4. Talk To Family Members
You can leave young children out of this because they are not going to notice that Christmas changed this year, but include everyone else, including extended family whom you normally exchange gifts with.
First, hold an immediate family-only meeting with your significant other and older children. Brainstorm ways that you can make the holidays special without spending money.
Tell the kids there will be a gift for them, but not several and with teenagers, be realistic about the monetary value that gift will have. You don’t want them expecting an iPhone when your budget covers a $20 gift card to their favorite streaming service.
Children might complain now, but they won’t hate you for life because that one year money was so tight all they got for Christmas was a $20 gift card.
As for extended family and other loved ones, honesty shared with love is always the best policy. Hard, but best. Those who love you would rather you skip the gifts than go into credit card debt.
Now, let’s get on to the fun stuff and start brainstorming ways to spend zero dollars on Christmas without stripping it of all that makes it the most magical time of the year.
The ORIGINAL Christmas On A Zero Budget Plan
These next 10 points are the bulk of the original post that will help you raise money to buy the Christmas things that really do cost money. After sharing them, I share a few free gift ideas as well as free alternatives for all the other holiday expenses, including Christmas decor, Christmas wrap, holiday activities, Christmas cards, holiday photos, etc. Finally, I will wrap the post up with ways to save money on all those Christmas yummies.
(Links in this post are affiliate links. I will be compensated when you make a purchase by clicking those links. See my disclosure page for more information)
1. Go through your home from top to bottom
Christmas for zero requires you to do some inventory. What do you have that you no longer use that can be sold? Could you sell clothing you or your kids no longer fit in for enough money to fill the Christmas stockings?
What items do you have around the home that could become gifts? Could that tablecloth you never use become doll clothes?
Do you have new or like new items that could make excellent gifts for others? Regifting isn’t tacky when done right!
Go from room to room, looking through every nook and cranny, taking stock of everything you already own and try to see it with new, creative eyes.
2. Find A Local Facebook Buy And Sell Group
In most areas, November is a little late to have a yard sale, but nowadays you can have a yard sale any day you want with a Facebook Buy and Sell group. You can sell items big and small in these groups.
3. Start Working Point Reward Programs And Using Apps That Have Low Payout Minimums
These sorts of programs are going to pay you cash back for something you already buy, like gas and groceries, or pay you a little something for taking the time to answer a few questions or completing a short task online.
Various Money Or Gift Card Earning Apps With Low Cash Out Thresholds
Fetch Rewards
Upload your receipts for grocery, fast food, gas, and more and earn points. Points needed for various cards differ; for instance, an Amazon gift card starts at 5,000 points for $3, whereas T.J. Maxx gift cards start at 5750 points for a $5 card.
Use my referral code RE9FU at sign-up and receive bonus points after uploading your first receipt.
GetUpside
GetUpside is an app that gives you cash back when you get gas. In our area, my family is able to use this app at several different gas stations to earn cash back on our gas purchases.
The GetUpside app is simple to use; it takes less than a minute to find a gas station, claim the offer, and then enter the information needed to start processing the cash back. Generally, it takes less than 24 hours to receive your cash back in the “Cash Out” area of the app. You can opt to receive your cash out through PayPal, a mailed check, or a gift card (starting at $10).
Use my referral code YG5ZB during sign-up and you will receive a one-time 15¢/gal bonus. Go here to sign up for GetUpside.
Point Programs With Low Cash Out Levels
Now is not the time to spend hours on surveys for a company that doesn’t pay out until you reach $30. Instead, work at programs like Swagbucks, where gift cards, in general, start at 500 Swagbucks for a $5 card. Visit my post on 10 simple ways to earn gift cards using Swagbucks to get started.
InstaGC offers instant gift cards and super low cash out values. For 100 points, you can get a $1 Amazon gift card. Go here to sign up and start earning.
480 MyPoints will get you a $3 Amazon gift card and there are numerous ways to earn points. Go here to become a member of MyPoints.
A Point Program That Offers Free Books
If you want to surprise a book lover (young or old) with a new book, then join My Reader Rewards Club. Books do take a few weeks to be delivered; plan accordingly.
An App That Pays You To Walk In A Store
Shopkick is an app that pays you points for a few different simple activities, one being checking into the app while walking into select stores. You can also earn points from watching videos, uploading receipts, and scanning items in-store.
A $2 Target gift card is 500 points. Use the code CARD147023 during sign-up and earn a bonus when you earn at least 10 kicks in the first 14 days (videos excluded).
4. Trade Books, Clothing, & Toys For Store Credit
Books I no longer needed were something I found on my inventory walk through all those Christmases ago. I took them to a local secondhand bookstore and got a credit that I used to pick out like new board books for my toddler to put in his stocking. You could also try children’s consignment stores that pay cash upfront (they often give you more if you take store credit), and usually, they have like new toys you could give as gifts to your youngsters.
5. Hold An “Eat What You Have” Week–Or Longer
For one week or longer, skip the grocery store and get really creative, making meals out of food already in your cupboards. Use the savings to buy gifts. I used mine to buy the ingredients needed for Christmas baking and Christmas dinner during that tight financial year.
6. Wait Until The Last Minute For Amazing Deals
That Christmas 21 years ago was the first time I have waited to finish my shopping until Christmas Eve. When I knew we had no money saved for Christmas, I had made a list and prioritized it and was doing well at getting the most important items. The two things I was missing, though, were a tree and Santa gifts.
We were making do with a 2-foot artificial tree I found in the attic. The previous owner of our home had left it and it was very Charlie Brown-like, but it worked. I was racking my brain for free Santa gift materials around our home when my husband got the overtime hours and we figured out that money would arrive Christmas Eve.
With the money from the overtime in our account early that morning, I sent my husband out with a list and told him, “Santa gifts first, and if there’s money leftover, buy a tree.” He got the gifts and thought we had enough leftover for a small, real tree. When he got to the tree seller’s place, the guy was shocked we didn’t have a tree yet and pointed out that he had already gotten his ready for trash pick-up, but he allowed my husband to pick one out for free.
You can imagine my face when he came home with a huge tree, and if I remember right, he spent the money we saved on some 50% off tree decorations to decorate it.
7. Sign Up For Samples As Soon As You Can
Right around Thanksgiving, it seems like companies go crazy with free sample sign-ups. Money Saving Mom is my favorite place to find out about them. Free samples can make great stocking stuffers or gift basket fillers.
8. Search Pinterest For Ideas
- Presents you can make out of old jeans
- Presents you can make out of t-shirts
- Presents you can make out of old sweaters
If Pinterest had been available the year I created Christmas out of next to nothing, my brain would have hurt less. Use the Pinterest search bar to enter whatever materials you seem to have in surplus and watch amazing remake and repurpose ideas come up.
9. Watch Out For Coupons That Lead To Free Items
For several years in a row, I bought my children chocolate for their stockings for pennies by using the Hallmark $5 Off a $5 Purchase coupons that were available to print online and also found in free magazines I enjoy.
CVS and Walgreens Black Friday sales are also great places to get free items by stacking deals with coupons.
The Ibotta cashback app offers full cashback on an item or two from time to time. If you are not a member already, use the code pgoydhr during sign-up and get a bonus after you successfully claim your first offer.
10. Give Coupons
If you want to include friends in your giving, but all nine ideas above leave you too short to make it to them, here is an idea: give out handmade coupons.
- Give babysitting to the couple you know never gets out.
- Give a coupon of “I will help you plant your flower garden this spring” to the brown thumb friend who needs someone to be there to guide them in purchasing the right plants and getting them in the ground in the place they will grow.
- Give your hubby a few coupons, too, for back rubs and…(be creative 🙂 ).
Oh, and if you think handmade coupons are a little tacky, here is a great free alternative.
New Additions To Zero Cash Christmas Budget Plan
Host One Of These Swap Parties
Spend some quality time with your friends over the holidays and stretch your tight budget with one of these seven Christmas-themed swap parties.
Join Your Neighborhood Buy Nothing Group
I joined my area’s Buy Nothing group recently and noticed that like new toys are often listed. These would make great Christmas presents for young children who really don’t care if toys are new and in the original box.
To clean and disinfect, most plastic toys can be safely run through the dishwasher or use soap and water with a few drops of bleach.
Another place to look for lightly used items with free gift potential is freecycle.org.
More Free Gift Ideas
For Friends And Siblings
- Gifts that use your talents and surplus—Are you a plant expert with a living room full of plants that are always having babies? Save your yogurt containers and decorate them. Fill them with the soil you have on hand and place the plant babies in them. Care for them until you know they are well established and give them to your siblings as gifts.
- Follow the blog Money Saving Mom and when she shares a free magazine offer that you know your bestie will love, take the time to sign her up. When the first issue comes and she is confused as to where it came from, say, “Merry Christmas.”
For The Grandparents
- Make them a slideshow of their grandkids using photos from your phone and a free app.
- If you have flour, salt, and water, you can make salt dough ornaments for the tree using your child’s handprints. There are recipes all over the internet for this.
White Elephant Gift Exchange
- Give a pet rock, complete with a decorated box home and caring instructions.
For Toddlers & Preschoolers
- The internet is full of recipes for homemade playdough and it is a gift that gets hours and hours of use.
- Homemade bubble solution is another easy DIY gift idea for this age group.
I haven’t included ideas for free gifts for older children and teens because they are the hardest to find free gifts for. This is the age group where you spend the extra money you earn through selling unwanted items. Or you give them the gift cards you earned through point reward programs. Here are a few ways to give a digital gift card creatively.
Free Christmas Decor Ideas
Unless this is your first Christmas away from your parents’ home, chances are you already have at least a few Christmas decorations. Use these! After being a parent for 27 years, I know that the decorations my kids cherish are the ones I have had around the longest.
That said, there is usually always a garland that gets a little sad looking after years of use or a Christmas light strand that burns out.
This year, make do without replacing Christmas lights. As for the garland, pop that popcorn that has been sitting in the back of your cupboard for years and string it on that thread your mom gave you that you aren’t using. Get the kids involved, and you will have a garland with memories created in its creation.
To add more to your decor, go through your house and gather everything you have in red, white, and green, plus any candles. Red pillowcases can be thrown over throw pillows. A green sheet can add a dash of Christmas as a tablecloth. Red and green construction paper can be used to make a chain to hang over an archway. White paper from the printer can become snowflakes that you hang from the ceiling using scrap yarn and string. All costing you zero.
Free Christmas Wrapping Ideas
Those same red pillowcases could act as gift bags on Christmas morning. Chip bags turned inside out and wiped free of the grease and crumbs the chips left behind can become festive-looking wrapping for smaller gifts.
Brown paper bags can be cut up and used as wrapping, too. Use markers to draw festive patterns on them.
And take it from a person who has never bought a gift tag–there is no need for them. Simply use a Sharpie to write the name of the gift recipient on the gift. If you are using those red pillowcases, write the name on a piece of paper and pin it to the gift.
Free Christmas Activity Ideas
My list of 25 Christmas Traditions For Families On A Tight Budget contains several free ideas, including making an advent out of paper rings and borrowing free Christmas movies from your local library.
Free Ways To Give Back To Your Community
No matter how little we have, we can always give back to our community through volunteering. Sign the whole family up to volunteer as bell ringers for the Salvation Army or to serve a meal at the soup kitchen.
Free Christmas Card & Photo Ideas
Go digital! Take a family selfie or have a friend take your family photo using your phone. Edit with a free app. Write a group email that includes the picture and a holiday sentiment. You have spent zero while still keeping a classic family tradition alive and well.
How To Keep Holiday Meals And Treats Low Cost
I don’t know about your kids, but mine never begged for a turkey dinner with all the trimmings. I am sure if I had served them a dinner of pancakes with festive sprinkles, they would have been just as happy–probably happier.
What I am saying is in order to keep food costs low at Christmas, you might have to give up some of the more traditional foods we associate with celebrating Christmas this year. Who knows, perhaps pancakes for Christmas dinner will become a new tradition your family loves.
There are plenty of ways to reduce food costs beyond swapping expensive meals for cheaper ones and for my best ones, I suggest you read 27 Simple Methods For Saving Money On Groceries.
When These Tips Are Not Enough
If the creditors are calling you on a regular basis and you have already sold everything you could to pay the rent, then these tips are probably not enough—but things are still going to be okay. There is plenty of help out there for you, and you should not feel ashamed about using it.
Seek out local food banks for help with providing your family with a holiday meal, and see what local churches offer a Christmas gift program for children in need.
We wish you a Merry, frugal Christmas with more time spent with loved ones and less time spent worrying about how to pay for it all!
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While your list can seem overwhelming, I know if I put one strategy in place a week or a month at a time, it really works.
YES even doing just a few steps will make a difference. I wanted to make a complete list though, of all the ways I can think of so that people can pick and choose what would work for them. I also wanted to make sure I gave enough ways for the person who really does have nothing saved and sees no stream of money magically appearing before Christmas to have HOPE, I want them to see they could still provide gifts for their Children with a bit of work and creative thinking.
I love using Swagbucks and Bing (to cash in for SBs) to earn Amazon cards for Christmas gifts. I even took a bunch of change to Coinstar and got an Amazon gift card. If you do a gift card, there isn’t a fee.
I love the idea of samples for stocking stuffers! So great!
(Visiting from the Frugal Friday link up.)
Change is another excellent tip, most households often have more change around their house than they think, by the time they check vehicles, laundry area, dresser tops, and of course the cracks of the couch.
Great ideas! Thanks for posting early, so many ideas and selling stuff can take time but could be well worth the effort.
Yes, selling stuff does take a bit of effort and time but not much as it use to. With Facebook buy and sell groups it is possible to list, sell and get your money all in one afternoon. I know because I have done it. Depends on what you have to sell though, other times it does take much longer. The earlier you start the better.
Those same buy/sell/swap groups are also a great place to pick up gifts at great prices. Our local page has stuff that is new with tags all the time for a small fraction of the original prices. I always find there is a lot in the way of kid stuff right before the holidays as a lot of parents buy too much or accidentally end up with double of gifts.
Thanks for leaving these great tips!
These are some great ideas. I am a big fan of making gifts, and have done that many years when my budget was tight. Homemade chocolates or caramels in cute little boxes, homemade canned soups or applesauce– these gifts people usually really go crazy for anyway!
Great ideas!
I remember those days when my kids were little. I have 4
That year my husband was laid off. We had no money for Christmas
Since he was home I took a job during holidays they hire temporary
Holiday employees. That helped with food bills but nothing extra for Christmas
But did shopping Christmas Eve found lots of stuff marked down. Also as I was driving home late that night the Tree Lots had thrown out their left over on the curb so I grabbed one. I had left over decorations and we used homemade ones and strung popcorn
But one thing that I will never forget was the kindness of my coworkers that nominated my family for their Santa Gift giving family. It was the best Christmas because it meant so much more than ever. And food was plentiful the next day. I loved those buy $20.00 get a free turkey.
God has always provided in his own mysterious ways.
Awesome story of provision and yes God does provide in mysterious ways.
That is so awesome. I remember, back in the day, when I was a lot younger my Mom would give us kids $5 to spend on each of us. There were 4 of us, so we would get about $20 to pick out gifts. Then we would get two gifts from my parents and a candy/stocking stuffers. Christmas Meal after Church was always planned ahead. I was very lucky to have been able to grow up in that type of atmosphere because I have realized that not having much means so much more. I pray for Everyone a Very Happy Holiday Season.
We do something similar with our kids, the amount has grown a bit as they have aged. We started out with the Dollar Tree and now to Target, and the pool their money together so my middle son and daughter by for my oldest son etc… It is a fun outing. And yes the memories of being together are so much more important than any gifts.
Going to read through this
I hope you enjoy it when you do.
Also talk with the school counselor for assistance. They often know of organizations that help families during the holidays. Two years ago we received a ham dinner and gifts for our then 7 year old. Without their help, Bing and Swagbucks and mycokerewards.com, Christmas never would have happened that year. Also, years ago I put a tree on layaway to help keep that expense down for future holidays.
I buy all of my wrapping paper after Christmas when it’s at least 75% off. I pay $.25/roll at the dollar store. Last year I got a new 7′ artificial tree for less than $10.
Awesome finds! and great tips.
These are great tips and as MSM said inspiring! I really appreciate it. I hope you and your have a wonderful holiday season!
Thank you and I hope you have a great holiday season as well.
This is a super list!
Thanks! 🙂
We too bought an artificial tree after Christmas on clearance and pack the ornaments and lights away each year; the expense of a tree is alraedy taken care of – and one less then to worry about. We also have special stockings we reuse year to year as well as our other decorations. We typically buy or make one decoration to add to the decorating each year – purchasing after the holiday to keep costs down if necessary. Our children each get one tree ornament a year in their stockings – usually something to do with what they learned/did new/grew into this past year. It’s a great way to have plenty of decorations for very little money out of pocket!
Something else to think about: We as a society have gotten so wrapped up in having a huge Christmas with all the “to dos” and the “trimmings” we forget what the holiday is really about. Some good (not fancy) food and worship to celebrate Christ’s birth and/or fellowship with friends (depending on your religious affiliation) is all we really need. There are a ton of free things to do during the holidays – music concerts, outdoor activities (lighted hiking, skiing, sktaing, etc), get-togethers with friends, free days at museums/parks/historic locations that can take the place of presents if need be too. It’s nice to have gifts, a fancy tree, new clothes and fancy food but in the end, we really forget they’re actually extras!
Great post, Victoria! Thanks for sharing such good ideas for adding those nice extras to our holiday.
Lea
I love the idea of a ornament each year that represents something they did or learned that year. And yes you are right often the more we get caught up in the “stuff” the less time we take to reflect on the real reason of the season Christ.
I also recommend checking out freecycle if you have a local group. See what people post to give away or ask for things that you might be in search of. Also try bartering on craigslist.
Great tips! I didn’t think of these as we live in a smaller area but for those that live in a larger area freecycle can be amazing. I have seen what people have gotten from freecycle on other blogs before, from bikes to crafting supplies to clothes all for free. And I didn’t know you could barter on Craigslist.
Yes time does fly, and thanks for the good ideas.
Thanks for sharing your tips.
This won’t help the right before Christmas but for future years, shop yard sales. I have found many like new (and even new in box) items for very little money. Kids don’t care if something is new unless they’ve been taught that new is better. Most of these sales in my area are in the spring and summer but if I think an item might work for someone, I buy it figuring if it doesn’t, I can always donate it to our thrift store or bless someone else with it.
Yes! Great tip. I don’t do this as much as I use to but when my children were toddlers and preschoolers I often did this. Especially with toys that were sets, like Lego, or Duplo, Playmobile and such. My kids loved it because often this way I could afford to give them more pieces than I could new.
We had a Christmas with a $30 budget to cover a household of three and 4 in-laws. In-laws got a plate of cookies or something nice from a thrift store. Our son got a book and card game. Hubby found me a beautiful petestal cake plate at an auction and I got him something he needed…can’t remember what now. I didn’t feel robbed of a merry time.
Great finds.
I have just started selling items on facebook through B/S/T groups in my area. I have been going through all of the items that we have in our house that we just do not use or need. Old baby clothes, old toys, books, etc. I have made over $241 so far! I have also found some fantastic deals for gifts that cost a fraction of what I would buy it for in the store. Plus people in my area have amazing items that make some really neat gifts!
I have also found some items that we can donate to those who are in need and have less than we do. It has been an amazing and fun experience thus far. I highly encourage the Buy/Sell/Trade groups on facebook.
Great job! $241 is great.
Wonderful ideas and tips! I really enjoyed reading it! I think that having an extremely frugal Christmas has so much more ‘soul’, as you have to be more creative and to really make an effort for people.
I remember a woman at a church group telling us about her best Christmas.
They picked up free bicycles the autumn before out of the towns heavy trash pick up knowing they could not afford new. Between all the broken bikes they managed to sand, paint, and repair to make them new for her 3 children. The kids loved them and years later still talked about the year of the bikes.
Another helpful idea for gifts for friends and family who you may not see until the week after Christmas, CVS, Walgreens and Riteaid all put their stuff on clearance the week after Christmas and you can pick up GOOD deals. In addition, after Christmas, all the tissue paper is on clearance for pennies and guess what colors they are discounting? (Red, green, and white) Guess what the next 2 holidays after Christmas are? Valentines and St. Patrick’s day! You can use those colors ALL year in birthday and other holiday bags. I buy all my tissue paper for the year during the week after Christmas. Especially WHITE! 🙂
Yes, I love buying tissue paper after Christmas for gift bags and stuff. Great tips!
This reminds me of a Christmas when our son was about 14 and we had about $100 for the three of us. We decided to do Christmas Eve at church and a traditional Christmas Day dinner as usual. The day after Christmas we went to the mall together to each pick out and purchase our own present. We had the best two days ever.
Simple really does make for great memories doesn’t it?
Every year I tell my kids the same thing- I want them to write me a letter for Christmas (they all still live at home). Every year I get the same reaction- blank stares. So, this year, with my zero budget, I am going to write them each a letter, put it in a decorated envelope and add their favorite candy. It may not make for spectacular Christmas morning photos, but years from now, that will be the gift they remember.
Great idea, it’s the toughest years that are remembered the most!
Yes they are aren’t they.
This is a great list! I’m always looking for ways to save money. You gave me new ideas. One of my goals for 2015 is to have a $0 Christmas. Your tips will certainly help.
WOW! You are an inspiration! This year my husband and I have almost nothing to spend for Christmas because we are saving for IVF. I’m not going to lie, it’s stressful to think about not being able to gift and decorate the way we’re used to, but your story has given me hope! Thanks so much for sharing!
I get grief from friends and family cause I buy a lot of thing after xmas and gifts as well I have son and his wife 2 grandsons and a daughter her boyfriend and I also have 3 nephew living with us and a niece my husband and in order to make sure I am not pulling hair out in December I buy all the gifts I keep my ears open to what they want or need and I make it or wait till it is on a very good sale I do make a lot of my gifts for the kids. got a tree at walmart a 7 foot tree for 9.94 and made most of the decoration and I also get a turkey from my point from qf and when the veggies are on sale I buy them and freeze them . So that is my story MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!
Nicely written article, from the heart. Love your reader’s comments too… Gives me hope… Thank you so much. And I luv Swagbucks! lol…
Swagbucks rocks…doesn’t it. Such a simple way to earn gift cards and it really is up to you how much effort you want to put into it. For years all I did was make it my search engine and I still earned $5 to $10 a month in gift cards just by doing just that one thing. Last time I counted it up there are 20 different ways to earn SB points through Swagbucks so really what you earn is up to you.
Victoria, I couldn’t be happier when I visit your blog. I wait for your emails every week because I know it will be filled with great tips on being more frugal and also enjoying and soaking in the small things in life that will soon pass by. Thank you for your thoughtful and thought provoking blog and all of your encouragement! Please keep it coming!
Thanks for your kind words they mean so much to me. I should tell you that this Friday I will be including the links to the PDF’s for the Christmas on a Budget mini eBook and Printable pack to those that are already subscribers will get it as well.
I came across a link to your blog on pintrest. Thank you so much for posting, my husband lost his job a week ago and we honestly didnt know how we would be able to do Christmas at all for our 1 year old. It brought tears to my eyes as I barely make enough for bills, food, and daycare. Thank you Thank you thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Your welcome.
I have a tin can Christmas. When our kids were small and I save up food tins and bought them at garage sales. After washing them out and drying them. I decided that whatever would fit in them the kids would get. Our daughter is in her 30’s now and when she was small I took a big old popcorn tin and made hand knit barbie doll clothes and just stuffed it full. Our older daughter got scarf and finger-less mitts, guess you get the idea. only need tape to hold the lid down around the rim. made chocolate chip cookies for my husband. We may not had a lot of money back in the day but we became very creative. We receive a coupon book from the kids for the chores they would be willing to do. a wonderful Christmas. Blessings.
Thanks for leaving this tip. Very environmentally friendly as well as inexpensive as you wouldn’t be throwing out wrapping paper year after year. I might just look of Popcorn tins for my three next yard sale season and try this.
I might also add having a party, whether it be in home or Facebook, for a local direct sales consultant. By doing this, you can earn a lot of FREE products to give as gifts to your family and friends. And at the same time you are helping that local family put food on their table and pay their bills. I am a Perfectly Posh consultant and give out samples of my products that make great stocking stuffers or when paired with a few $1 items from the local dollar store, make great teacher, mail person, babysitter, or other special people gifts!
I have been “guilty” of “over giving.” (Especially with the grands). I have a room full of fabric. Next Christmas, our 4 granddaughters will get a twin size rag quilt in a Big Lots laundry basket. Monogrammed personally & age appropriate fabric prints. I got beautiful solid colored sheets @ thrift shop for $2.00 each. The project will be a “stash buster.” Hub helps with the cutting.
That is an awesome gift! My mother in law made each of our children a quilt when they moved from their crib to a “big” bed and even though they are now all 13 years and up they still have those quilts and wouldn’t give them up for the world-even though they are very tattered now and are made of prints that are no longer age appropriate.
Great post! We have 5 kids, and one income. Christmas is a hard time for our family (financially). Here are some of the things we do each year to help cover Christmas. Each month I make meager deposits into my Christmas Club account. Our credit union allows us to have a Christmas Club account with zero fees and it draws interest. This year I was able to save $240. I buy brand new items from GoodWill throughout the year and I hide them in my closet until Christmas. These are toys that my kids love. We have taught our kids that Christmas isn’t about receiving new gifts. In fact our kids insists that we help others, even though we have very little.
We also have traditions that make our Christmas more fun. Hot chocolate bar and Christmas videos on Christmas Eve. I buy videos from thrift stores throughout the year for less then a dollar. The hot cocoa stuff cost less then $10. We have cookie making day, everyone gets involved. We have a big meal, because I use tons of coupons and I get creative with the meal. We might not always have a ham but we are happy!
I have also noticed that even though we can’t provide them with much, grandparents still spoil them with an over abundance of wrapped goodies.
Thanks for adding these great tips. I love the sound of the hot chocolate bar and movie night!
Great ideas. what I do is take a lot of my unopened purchases or gifts from previous years and try to get a store credit. Walmart, ToysRUs, Winners…they’re all pretty good providing credits.
Great ideas, Victoria! I wouldn’t have thought of finding a facebook buy/sell group, but I may have to go find one now! I like your last idea too, sometimes giving something personal like that is more meaningful than an expensive gift!
Thanks for the inspiration1
When I first moved out on my own I made all but a few of my Christmas ornaments. I went to Church one morning and noticed that the evergreens at the college across the street had lost lots of cones. I wished I had a bag, but I didn’t and went in to the service. When I left to go home, as luck would have it a garbage bag blew down the street right at me. I caught it and filled it with pine cones. I glued tinsle garland and a hanging ribbon on them and either painted or put glue and glitter on the ends. I still have a few of these but, alas, they don’t last forever and I have largely replaced them with ornaments bought on clearance after Christmas.
Such a neat story! Thanks for sharing.