The Season on a Shoestring - Big Y® World Class Market®

Great Gift Ideas

Teachers, hostess gifts, Secret Santas...sometimes it’s the last-minute, almost-forgot-them presents that can really strain your gift-giving budget. It makes sense to have a few go-to gifts on hand so that you’re never caught empty-handed! Scour sales and look for good deals on sweet-and-simple items like scented candles, coffee mugs, soaps and lotions, etc., then stock up when you find one that fits in with your budget. Some merchants will even
give you an extra discount for buying in bulk.

If you have children, you probably also have many, many examples of their artistic handiwork. What grandparent, aunt or uncle wouldn’t love one of your little one’s masterpieces as a holiday gift? Just find a few inexpensive, attractive picture frames and you’ll have personalized, meaningful and not very costly presents in a snap.

Consider giving the gift of time. Most people are so busy these days that they would appreciate a free day of babysitting, dog walking, housecleaning or errand-running more than another necktie or sweater. Put your printer to good use — print up an I.O.U., put it in a little gift box and wrap it up like any other present. Then make sure to make good on your promise!

Travel Tips

Will you be arriving at your holiday destination with many presents? Consider shipping them separately. Many airlines are charging an extra fee for every checked piece of luggage — it may very well be cheaper, and it will most definitely be easier, to send your gifts to your final destination rather than carrying them with you.

If you have a bit of flexibility in your travel times, you may be able to save up to 50 percent of your traveling cost. For example, it is usually less expensive to travel on Tuesday or Wednesday rather than on Friday; mid-afternoon flights are usually cheaper than morning or evening flights. If you’re willing to travel on the holidays themselves, you’ll likely save a bundle on your tickets and you’ll miss the majority of the crowds as well.

Renting a car? Don’t forget to return it with a full gas tank. Rental car companies will charge you their own per-gallon price to refill a returned car, and it’s almost always considerably more expensive than the going rate at local gas stations.

If you have decided to stay at a hotel this year instead of crashing on the floor at Aunt Edna’s house, look for a hotel plus flight package deal. These can often save you hundreds of dollars off the cost of a hotel and flight booked separately.

Delightful Decorating

You can make an elegant holiday centerpiece with little to no effort or cost when you look to nature for inspiration. Chances are you already have a clear glass vase or bowl. Fill it with pinecones you’ve picked up in your yard or around the neighborhood for instant seasonal flair. Christmas tree bulbs and in-season fruits can also make attractive decor when arranged artfully, especially colorful citrus like lemons and limes.

Get the kids involved and make some homemade decorations out of flour, salt and a bit of food coloring. To make the dough, mix together 2 cups each of flour and salt with 1 cup of water. It should form a moist, smooth dough. You can then either add food coloring to it for color, or you can paint your finished, dried creations. Roll the dough into a thin sheet and cut it with holiday-themed cookie cutters to make ornaments for the tree, create your own sculptures, add beads, buttons, glitter…wherever your imagination takes you! Salt dough ornaments will take a day or two to air dry (recommended if you’re using beads or other items in your decorating), or you can bake them, undecorated, on a cookie sheet in the oven at 200°F until they harden.

Plan ahead for next year! Immediately after the holidays you’ll find decorations being sold at a deep discount — often up to 75 percent off. Set aside some storage space and shop the sales for great decorating deals.

Holiday Entertaining

What about a movie night? Everyone loves those holiday classics — Miracle on 34th Street, It’s a Wonderful Life - so invite the family over for a viewing party. Serve up some homemade popcorn with salt and butter, make sure everyone has a cup of hot cocoa with marshmallows, provide plenty of blankets and pillows for snuggling and you’re all set.

Consider co-hosting. You can save time, space and money by sharing planning, cooking and hosting duties with a friend or relative. Or plan a potluck and ask everyone to bring a dish to pass, which will significantly lighten your load while letting everyone else get in on the holiday sharing spirit!

Have a post-holiday bash. Everyone’s schedules, yours included, are packed during the holiday season. Why not plan your get-together for early January, when the whole world has settled into after-holidays doldrums? Your budget is likely to be less stretched, and your friends and family will almost certainly appreciate a break from their winter routine during a normally dull time.

If you’re planning a get-together and find yourself short on certain items (plates, linens, serving pieces), don’t buy, borrow. Rather than spending money on things you may only use once a year (or once at all!), ask your friends and family to lend a hand. Chances are they’ll be more than happy to help out.

Our Favorite Budget-Wise Holiday Tips

Keeping your holiday spirit alive can be a challenge when you’re worried
about stretching your budget to fit in all of the extras that suddenly become essential this time of year: gifts, decorating, entertaining, travel. This magical season doesn’t always feel so magical when you’re stressing out about everything you have to do. Fortunately, with a few simple suggestions, you can plan your entire holiday while keeping your sanity and your bank account intact - without losing any of the spirit that makes this a special time of year. Then you can do what you really want to do. Relax and enjoy the spoils of the season.