10 Holiday Money-saving Tips for Work at Home Moms
Money is often an issue during the holiday season and if you are a work at home mom just getting started in your business, things might be a little tight this month. That doesn´t mean you can´t have tons of Christmas fun, though. Here are 10 tips to help you save money this holiday season.
1. Make a Christmas budget. Decide how much you can afford to spend on gifts and food, etc. Divide it up according to priority and then take the money out and put it into designated envelope. You will also want to divide the gift money into envelopes for each person you plan to give something to. This is a good way to make sure you don´t spend too much on any one person.
2. Have a Christmas decorating party. Send out invitations asking each guest to bring a specific craft item, such as glitter, wired ribbon or paint. Have a variety of craft ideas ready and everyone can work together to produce three or four Christmas decorations. It´s a lot of fun to work together and with everyone chipping in, the ornaments will end up costing less for everyone. You could go with specific decorations if you like, such as a wreath-making party, or a window decor party.
3. Go old-fashioned this Christmas. Get the kids to help you make popcorn strings, paper chains and salt dough ornaments. They cost next to nothing, but are a great way to bond with your kids and get into the Christmas spirit.
4. Limit your decorating to one room. If your living room is the most occupied room in the house, why not limit Christmas to that room and the entry? It saves a lot in decoration costs and you will be able to go all out for that one space.
5. Freeze cookies. If you like to make Christmas cookies, but just don´t have time, so you usually buy them, there is an easy solution. Set aside an afternoon or two for baking and make up three or four batches of each cookie. Then freeze all but a dozen or so. Most cookies keep very well in the freezer and can be thawed in the microwave. This lets you have yummy Christmas cookies all throughout December, without baking every few days.
6. Turn the heat down and put on more clothes. Here in Guatemala, it´s getting a bit chilly, but we don´t have a heater. So we simply put on sweaters and socks. You can do the same thing to save on the heating bill, just turn the heat down to something bearable, like 18º and then have everyone wear a sweater. It may take some getting used to, but you´ll be surprised at how much you can save.
7. Make edible gift baskets. These can be a very elegant gift without costing too much. I find that I give out quite a few edible gift baskets each Christmas to in-laws and friends. You can fill your basket with a variety of tasty homemade goodies, like Christmas cookies, truffles, fudge, hot chocolate mix, etc. Lay some green or red tissue paper inside a cheap straw basket and arrange your goodies in it. Sprinkle with red and white mints or add a few ribbon curls for decoration. Then just wrap in dollar store cellophane for an elegant look, tied with ribbon.
8. Give away some product. Why not use your product as a Christmas gift? You get it wholesale, so it will cost less than a regular product. For example, if you make soaps, why not do up a batch of Christmas tree soaps and give them away as gifts. Include your business tag like normal and you may even get some extra orders when the soaps are used up!
9. Send out Christmas emails instead of cards. You might want to still send out some special cards to family members, but by emailing everyone else on your list you will save up to $5 per person, between postage and the card! An email can include your Christmas photo and a nice letter, but it´s free.
10. Make your own wrapping paper. Kids can help with this. Make potato stamps or buy a few Christmas stamps and stamp out your own designs on butcher paper or newsprint. You can add handwritten greetings if you like, as well. This could save a fortune on wrapping paper! Another option is to use cheap aluminum foil, which looks bright and shiny under the tree, especially with a red ribbon tied around it.
What are your frugal tips for Christmas?
I really like your idea of sending out my product as a gift. Have you found at all that people are offended when you do this?
Since I´m a writer, my product doesn´t make a very good gift.
But if you make soaps or candles or something similar, I see no reason why anyone would be offended.
Hi Genesis,
Great to meet you at the Writers Cafe! See? I stop lurking and I am here to tell you how much I enjoyed reading your blog. Excellent list, great tips – keep them coming!
Mig
Thanks, Mig! Starting your delurking rather early, aren´t you?
These are absolutely great ideas. I especially loved the two about decorating. To go cheap and old fashion and have it be a fun activity to do with my kids, but also the one about having a decorating party with friends. Then everyone only has to purchase one item, but gets to make such great things.
Great ideas and post!!
Cheers.