How much do we spend every year on Christmas!?
In 2019, Brits spent over £26.9 billion on Christmas gifts! Whilst in the US we’re looking at approximately $465 billion! Now that’s a lot of money – and for the most part, it’s to fill our friend’s and family’s homes with bits and bobs they probably don’t need and may end up sitting around gathering dust for years to come! Christmas on a budget is the answer!
This year, things are set to be very different to our previous spending habits around the Christmas period – and understandably so! Amidst a global pandemic, with jobs at risk and wages cut, it’s more important than ever to have a frugal mindset when thinking about gifts for our loved ones and just how much money we are willing to part with. At End-Rich, we like to take this a step further! It’s not just about saving money once a year, but about changing our mindset to be more frugal and put things in motion to save and invest for our future all year.
So, I wanted to share some ideas of how you can still spread holiday cheer with some creative and meaningful Christmas gifts which won’t break your bank.
The gift of books
Regardless of whether your friends and family enjoy the act of reading, ‘Audible‘ is a growing audiobook and podcast account which EVERYONE I know loves! This works out far cheaper than buying physical books and is much better for the environment too! Why not gift your special people with 3 months membership to Audible – the first month is totally free! Bargain!
Get creative this Christmas on a budget!
Why not opt for a hand-made gift made with love for your special ones? This is an absolute winner in the End-Rich home – creating memorable gifts which can be treasured by the recipient for years to come!
Often hand-made gifts take far longer to make than simply clicking on amazon, however it will save you a heap of money and will add a very special personal touch to your gift giving this year…
Here are some of our most loved ideas:
- Framed photos with sweet messages
- Photo albums
- Cookbook of family favourites
- Personalised calendars
- Homemade jewellery
- Homemade bath bombs
Give the gift of time this Christmas
Money really isn’t everything when it comes to gift giving! Often your loved ones will cherish something much more dear to them than physical gifts – your time!
Here are some of our ideas:
- Create a little personalised booklet of favours you will offer over the next year – could be things like cooking them their favourite meal, walking their dog, taking the kids off their hands for an evening or two etc
- Massage therapy
- Clear out their garden / help them with something they are struggling with
- Offer to teach them a skill you have – playing a musical instrument for example
Bake your way to their hearts this Christmas
Christmas on a budget doesn’t have to be boring! Why not show off your culinary skills and share your baked goods with loved ones? After all, nobody can resist the power of baked treats – especially at Christmas! Why not check out a few recipes from ‘Pinch of Yum‘.
Spend some time, a little money on ingredients (which you probably have at home anyway) and package up your gift nicely ready to be presented at Christmas.
A few of our favourites:
- Chocolate brownies
- Cookies
- Gingerbread biscuits
- Chocolate truffles
- Savoury treats
- Home-baked bread
Hit the sales
If you’re running out of time and the idea of creating, baking or giving up your free time isn’t up your street, then you can always hit the sales! There are always bargains online if you know where to look, where you will potentially pick up some perfect bits for your loved ones.
On many websites you’ll find ‘sales’ sections buried in amongst all the full priced items and on amazon you’ll even see a dedicated tab just to last minute gift ideas!
Browse through these sections and you’ll often pick up a bargain or two that your loved ones will love! One top tip is to grab some bargains this year for Christmas next year!
Ultimately...
With all the uncertainty with jobs and where money is coming in this Christmas, it’s more important than ever to have a frugal mindset when thinking about gifts for our loved ones.
I hope you’ve found some of the ideas above useful and hopefully will save you some cash over the next few weeks. The goal? Share some Christmas cheer with some creative and meaningful Christmas gifts which won’t break your bank!
For more money saving tips and advice on frugal living check out the following posts…
