In the current financial climate many families are going to be finding that they have less money to spend on those little "extras" that make Christmas time so special. However, with a little advance thought and planning it is possible to cut the cost of the festive season without having to reduce the pleasure factor.
These days' people tend to spend a considerable amount of money decorating both the inside and the outside of their houses. It is a good idea if you check the decorations you already have to see what if anything that you will need for next Christmas. It is surprising how many people buy new decorations every year when there is really no need. Additionally one of the best places to look for Christmas decorations at a ridiculously cheap price is your local flea market, yard or car boot sale. You can get some remarkable bargains especially artificial trees, lights and decorations if you look around at these events during the summer.
One of the biggest costs associated with Christmas are the presents that we buy for friends and family. Obviously only you know how much you are prepared to budget for presents for your close family but by planning ahead there is a way to save money on some presents. Have you noticed how at Christmas time many shop offer boxed gift sets. There are sets for golfers, wine lovers, gardeners and a whole host of other subjects. There are also perfume sets, boxed after shave , toiletries and game sets.
I have not got any statistics but it would be interesting to know how many of these presents ever actually get used. The reason for asking this is the number of unopened gift sets I see for sale at flea markets. Many are in boxed mint condition and can easily be recycled as gifts for friends or family.
At one time Christmas shopping involved going from shop to shop and fighting the crowds but not anymore. By doing much of your Christmas shopping on the Internet you can save time and money and avoid a lot of frustration.
To really save money there is no reason why you should not make your own Christmas decorations and Crackers. This can be a project that you can involve younger children and there are plenty of online videos on You Tube that will show you how to start.
It may be too late for this year but if you and your family can open their presents carefully you can save the wrapping paper for next Christmas. It is also easy to convert this years Christmas cards into next years gift tags.
Remember, with a little planning it is possible to cut the cost of Christmas without cutting the pleasure.
