If you are struggling and barely eeking by this Christmas, I highly encourage you to go read Victoria’s post on Having Christmas on a Zero Budget. I think it will inspire you!
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One thing I do is buy the candy for stockings right after Halloween. There are also other great things to buy after Halloween. Watch for things to be 90% off and use your imagination.
I love this post so much! I am going to attempt a “$1 Tree Christmas” this year getting/making creative gifts with items from $1 Tree. I will post about it if I can actually make it happen! lol
We have a no gift christmas. We all cook something and bring it to our parents house and spend the day talking about old times.
My children are grown but the best Christmas we ever had was one where we agreed ahead of time to only shop at thrift stores. Iand with a 5-10 dollar limit! It was so much fun! Some presents were funny , some useful and all showed how much we knew the person we were giving to. I highly recommend this approach for big families where gift giving costs are just prohibitive.
I make homemade items like soap, applesauce and jellys. Virtually no cost. I buy baskets on clearance and give the items in the practically free baskets. The family loves the soap and look forward to it every year.
I have had people be offended if they don’t get a bar or two.
Lisa, I liked your comment. I am interested in how you make your soap. Do you have a recipe you can share? Thank you!! Linda
Lisa how do you make your soap? I have always wanted to try it, and have quit a lot of people to buy for.
With 7 children, our Christmas is usually pretty creative, even with 2 incomes. This year, I’ve been unable to work since June, so it’s nearly suffocating. I’ve turned to eBay for most of the “can’t be made from what we have” items. I got my older I spent $.12 on 12 carbiner clips for my son. He wanted some for Scouts. I spent $.55 on a waterproof watch for him. I spent $.11 on a cute pair of earrings for one of my daughters. It takes a little time to find the lower prices, some time monitoring the bidding, and control to not go over a certain price point, but I’ve already saved $50 on what I’ve bought by getting them this WAY. I wouldn’t have been able to buy what I have anywhere else. Our bills have our budget at -$37 right now, and we have pennies and other change we’ve found and put in some penny banks that we are now using to fund Christmas. I have made a sort of game out of it. I want to see how much I can get for $.01. The highest I will bid is dependent on if it’s something they need, like the watch. So far I have 14 gift items for $.77!
start jan 1st.thats what I do.
We go to an annual warehouse book sale once a year. Everthing is a dollar get great books lots of children’s books and books on tape , cookbooks make great gifts. Even got children’s sticker books,and books with Olaf doll.
A few of the things listed we do every year here. During the summer I will buy Christmas gifts at yard sales and also second hand stores. I trade in any old books to a used book store for new used books. I will go crazy making swagbucks to get a few $5 amazon gift cards to buy a nicer gift. Also shopping on craigslist. A few years ago my girls were 2 and 4 and I wanted to get them a play kitchen. We found nice one for $20 with a ton of play food and little plastic dishes. Another years I saw a strawberry shortcake cd/radio on freecycle. We were able to get that for free. I tested it out and the radio and cd player worked. We used that as a birthday gift for my daughter who’s birthday is a few days before Christmas.
One of my favorite gifts from my husband came the Christmas after our first baby. He went to the library shortly before Christmas (so they wouldn’t be due until the new year at least). He checked out 3 or 4 books that he knew I would enjoy, a couple of fiction books and a cookbook. He wrapped them and put them under the tree. When I opened them he also let me know, that along with the books, he was guaranteeing me uninterrupted reading time while he cared for the baby. Love that man!
That’s a great idea!
Awesome! This is such a creative idea.
I’m giving coupon books to my grandchildren. Coupons will be for spending time with me and reading, going for a walk, taking a ride, sleeping over.
I am sure your grandchildren will love them. It is like a gift that gives all year long.
Definitely some great ideas. As encouragement to those that are doing these things just to pay bills and get by, always remember that Christmas is not about the gifts you give. Christmas is a celebration of Christ and His birth. It’s a great time to be as family and to make memories that will last a life time as gifts quickly are forgotten or broken. Use the Christmas season to cherish your family and serve each other, play games, and laugh together. That is a Christmas your kids won’t forget. I know a family that does acts of service as gifts cause they haven’t had money and there kids love it. Merry Christmas all and God Bless!!!
Wonderful ideas ,just what I need !
Thank you for sharing. You have lots of great ideas here, and I plan on implementing a few of them. Have a wonderful Christmas, and God Bless you.