Save money this holiday season by following these festive and frugal tips!
Shop locally!
Save gas money this year by shopping right here in downtown Carrollton and save yourself the frustration of fighting crowds and waiting in long lines. Take your time and scour the shops downtown for one-of-a-kind items and extra special tokens for your special loved ones. Another reason to feel good about shopping locally? You’re helping the local economy! Even when you shop at a corporately-owned store, the sales tax from your purchases goes back into your community!
It’s all in the packaging!
Don’t underestimate the value of the wrapping! A $5.00 miniature frame looks more expensive when it’s wrapped in a pretty little gold box in a small red bow. This works particularly well with small children. Your five-year-old is not going to care on Christmas morning whether that “puppy that rolls over” is brand new, in the packaging, or looks brand new, wrapped in a little basket with a bow!
Skimp on the spouse!
Make it a rule, and follow it, that the two of you will stick to a less-than-normal pre-determined gift budget. Take advantage of specials from your local spas or salons...give each other a gift of something special for your home. Do both of you love to golf? Give yourselves a gift certificate to any of the great golf courses in Carrollton.
Allow Allowances!
Put a limit on each child and stick to it. Chances are if your children are young, you can probably afford to get one thing they are asking Santa for. Then, try to purchase gifts you know they will like, that don’t cost a lot! Check drug stores for deals like “Buy two toys at $9.99, get the third for free.”
If your kids are older, more than likely they are asking for pricier electronic items. If this is the case, then they are old enough for you to explain to them that the $200 Ipod they want is all they are going to get! However, if you have more than one child, $200 may be too much to spend on one. If this is the case, package up a pretty a $100 bill and tell them it is to go towards that $200 Ipod. An older child can understand the concept, “we just don’t have the money”, a lesson that can be enriched by giving a thoughtful gift like a handmade gift coupon.
Parents often feel pressure to provide a living room full of presents because it has been that way in past years and they don’t want to disappoint their kids. A change in outlook can turn that around -. look at downsizing a bit this year as an opportunity to share a lesson about spending and being thankful for what they do receive.
Focus on the Feast!
Finally, try to take the focus off of gifts and put it on other holiday activities. Keep your kids busy with activities they would find fun, such as picking out the holiday music or making festive place settings. Make baking Christmas cookies a holiday tradition. Let them decorate their own cookies and help with the clean up. Create memories and traditions your family will cherish that goes beyond Barbies and Transformers. Expecting less from Santa and more from the spirit of Christmas can go a long way toward creating holidays much less stressful and way more enjoyable!
Enjoy your holiday in Carrollton, Georgia!
