Ok, it is 98 degrees in California so I realize Christmas isn’t top of mind right now for most people. It is already September though and Christmas is less than four months away. When my husband and I decided to get serious about becoming debt free last year, one item that was slashed off our annual budget was gifts. We used to spend a significant amount every year on holidays, birthdays, weddings- the list goes on and on. One of my biggest challenges was to continue to be generous with gifts on a frugalista’s budget. Last year we spent less than $100 total on Christmas yet we still had an abundance of thoughtful gifts under the tree.
.
One way I manage to stick to such a small budget is by planning ahead. Seriously ahead. I typically make a list in January by month of events (such as birthdays) and I also make a complete Christmas list of all the family members we exchange gifts with. Then as I find deals throughout the year at incredibly low prices I tuck them away. I am not a spectacularly organized person but this method works for me not only to stay on budget, but also so I can avoid horrific holiday crowds.
.
Believe it or not I have almost all of our Christmas shopping already done! I would encourage you to start thinking about the holiday season and take advantage of the incredible sales we are seeing to start planning ahead.
.
If you need inspiration here are the types of things I already have set aside:
::ELF Cosmetics– (I got this today!) $13 for $75 in products- I will divide this up as gifts for my girlfriends.
::Stainless Steel Coffeepot and Gourmet Coffee– (My Mother in Law mentioned needing a new coffee pot and when this one came along at $14 I jumped!) The 3 bags of gourmet coffee or teas for $3 would also make a great gift along with homemade biscotti.
::Toy Sales and Clearance finds HERE and HERE
.
And all the great freebies that come along throughout the year like the Glade Candles and the Aveda body product -all of these make great additions to gift baskets. Just like the relief you get when opening a well stocked pantry on a night you are too busy to plan dinner, having a gift closet can be such an easy way to eliminate the stress of racing out for a last minute gift. I have forgotten my share of events in the past (like last week) and being able to put together a lovely gift in just a few minutes is such a relief.
I to love doing this! It's so nice when the little guy gets an invite for a party and I can go to the closet and find a great gift! I am not as good or organized at it as you but working on that! I love love love buying ahead, especially after Christmas when all the toys are so cheap. We spend entirely to much at Christmas, and this year having 2 kiddos now I really have to plan ahead! I love using the freebie candles and little samples and stuff for gift baskets fillers, I think that's a Great Idea!!
My boyfriend laughs at me, but I too am always on the lookout year round for good deals for holiday gifting. It is a great way to save money and it helps me to avoid overspending by getting swept up in the holiday retail madness. During the year, I'm careful to only purchase the deal items that I know I will gift. Just yesterday, I was at my local Macy's store and found some excellent clearance options. I found the Rabbit insulated wine coolers for $3-4 ea after clearance sales and coupons, and I will be giving these to my brother and his girlfriend, along with some local wines. They also had an excellent selection of Martha Stewart pan sets and melamine bowl sets marked WAY down (~10 or less!).
-Kate, Seacoast NH
(PS- I know you are on the west coast, but I still read your blog all the time. Thanks for all the great tips!)