How to Enjoy the Festive Season on a Tight Budget
For many, the festive season is a fascinating and loving time as it can be an opportunity for families and friends to unite. This is especially true for those who wouldn’t have seen their loved ones for around a year and want to make the best of it. However, for those on a tight budget, the reality is entirely different, as they might feel pressured to spend money they either do not have or cannot afford to pay. The following are some tips about how to enjoy the festive season on a tight budget:
Refrain from buying decorations.
Although a place can look much better when decorated, decorations can exceed our budget. Usually, the best time to buy decorations would be following the festivities, and if you don’t manage, you might be disappointed. However, even if on a tight budget, decorations are still possible. You might consider creating your festive decorations using inexpensive materials like recycled items, paper, and ribbons. You can easily do some research about this on the internet, so you get more ideas. This dot helps you save money and gets the whole family involved in decorating your home uniquely. You can even consider recycling and reusing Christmas decorative lighting and decorations and reducing the use of electrical decorations to save energy.
Gift from the heart
Rather than heading to the shops and buying gifts for the sake of buying them, you can get creative and make personalised gifts that can be handmade and environmentally friendly at the same time. Such gifts may include homemade food, candles, or crafts, which add a personal touch while saving you money. Moreover, they will give you more pleasure in giving someone you care about a gift from your heart instead of a shelf. Secret Santa is another way to exchange gifts without purchasing one for everyone. Consider suggesting to your family and friends to limit gift spending.
Dining
Dining out, especially during the holiday season, is costly. If you are hosting dinner or lunch, consider cooking a meal at home during the holidays, possibly even with the help of your family and friends. Another option is shared dinner parties, whereby you save money while making the dinner party diverse and interesting as everyone brings something different.
Keep in mind other holiday expenses.
Apart from gifts, there are other seasonal expenses that you need to look out for. During this season, tour packages, air tickets, and hotel rooms are the most expensive. If you would like to travel during this period, consider booking well in advance or watch for any deals or sales. You can consider a staycation instead of a holiday, such as going on a picnic, camping, hiking, or cycling.
All the above shows that it is still possible to enjoy the season on a tight budget, which naturally instils hope. We can do it with excellent planning and determination and by ignoring the constant societal pressure surrounding us!
References
Fourie, B. (2023). 7 Ways to Have a Jolly Festive Season on a Tight Budget. Retrieved from https://www.iol.co.za/business/7-ways-to-have-a-jolly-festive-season-on-a-tight-budget-2db4da95-c527-451f-acdf-d21dcc1bf792
