Some people are looking for ways to spend less money this Christmas, and some others who are not, should. Thanks to the internet and the circulars in the Sunday paper it’s a no brainer to shop for the best deals on the gifts you have in mind for your close friends and loved ones.
But there are other areas where unexpected expenses can sabotage your budget, such as gifts for co-workers, neighbors, your child’s teacher, babysitter, mail carrier, etc. These are people you do want to acknowledge in some way, after all, its the thought that counts.
And those acquaintance gift costs will add up fast. You may have spent $10 to $20 per person in the past without realizing it, and with 10 to 20 people it will amount to $100 to $ 400, and in this economy, that money is better saved than spent. The good news is that cutting back on your spending doesn’t mean you have to look like Scrooge.
Home made gifts add your personal touch and can stretch a tight budget. But before you bake your favorite cookie or brownie recipe, consider how much money those ingredients are going to cost you. How many gifts can you produce from the recipe and how many treats will have mysteriously vanished by the time you go to wrap them? Is it worth the cost and your time? If yes, get the Sunday paper for the discount coupons; and remember to visit the brands’ websites for coupons you can print.
What if baking isn’t your forte? With some imagination, you can repurpose items you have around the house into clever, practical gifts that cost little to make.
If you have house plants and a green thumb, look for those that can be divided into several pots. Aloe Vera and Spider plants are good candidates. Use clay pots you have on hand or purchase them from discount stores. Reuse holiday ribbon from years past to tie around the pot. Even if you give a plant to someone with a brown thumb, they can pass the gift along to someone on their list.
Do you have candles that you haven’t burned? Take a cutting from an evergreen in your yard, or from your own Christmas tree, and wrap it around the base of the candle. Tie with a ribbon.
If you don’t have access to fresh greens, go to a Christmas tree lot and ask if you can have the broken branch pieces on the ground.
Buy items in bulk and repackage them into several presents. A box of 12 taper candles can be divided into 6 gifts. Add a sprig of evergreen and tie with a ribbon.
A box of Fatwood firestarter at Walmart costs $10. Divide into bundles and tie with a ribbon and a sprig of evergreen. Make a tag from last year’s Christmas cards and write “Wishing you warm thoughts for a Merry Christmas” and include instructions for burning copied from the box. If the recipient doesn’t have a fireplace, they can re-gift it to someone on their list who does.
Think along these lines and you’ll be amazed by what you can come up with!
By Laura Bailey of DecoratorsGarden.com.
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Photo Credits: Aaron Jacobs
