Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase .

I’m Dreaming of a (White) Debt Free Christmas. (LOL)

Anyone else sitting here in October and thinking about Christmas?

My kids are putting up our Halloween decorations and I’m making our Christmas budget. This is because when we went shopping yesterday our local Walmart was taking down the Halloween display and putting in the Christmas goods (It’s not even Mid October at this point). Which Is RIDICULOUS!! 

So – Just me then, sitting here and planning Christmas, sipping on my coffee?

Yeah! I don’t think so (especially if you’re a parent of small kids). I’ll wager most of you are starting to sweat!

Let me tell ya…Debt and Christmas DON’T NEED to go hand in hand but for many (North Americans), based on this survey, 52 percent of those already in debt whipped out a credit card to finance their Christmas in 2014, and holiday-induced debt is a growing problem.

 

As of November 2017 many where STILL paying off their debt from Christmas 2016 (CNBC) and I can’t help wondering where they are today and if this year those same people will just make their lives more miserable this year by saddling themselves with even more debt.

Now, you know how I feel about the use of credit but, If you have the money in the bank to back up those purchases you make, then that’s a different story.

The thing is though, that if you get prepared in advance, Christmas becomes a breeze. I am no worse off in January than I am in December because I plot and plan, months in advance. Then, when December rolls around I’m fully prepared for the festive season and can enjoy everything it has to offer.

Right now, Christmas might be the very last thing you want to think about. But appreciate that the sooner you start planning for Christmas, the more time you’ll have and so the better the end result will be.

Don’t worry – it won’t take too much effort – but if you want your best Christmas ever this year it pays to start today.

So, for those of you who don’t want to pay for Christmas well after the holidays are over, this post is for you. I’m sharing 15 ways you can have a debt free Christmas this year.

How to make Enjoying the season a li’l easier on the pocket book.

1) Set a budget now.

The first key to having a successful debt free Christmas is to create a holiday budget. You’ve got a few months left before Christmas so think of the amount you’ll need or a spending limit for each gift and work your way backward.

If you have 7 remaining paychecks before Christmas and a $700 goal, you’ll need $100 per paycheck. Get it?

Once you have a budget in hand, commit to a maximum gift amount per person and get shopping.

If you need to make more money for Christmas, check out how you can start a Side hustle in 20 minutes per day.

2) Avoid the biggest sale of the year gimmicks.

{why isn’t there an eye roll emoji yet?} The “biggest sale of the year” is not the biggest all it purports to be. There is something way bigger than the “biggest sale” and that’s scoping out those clearance racks for Christmas gifts and toys. I personally shop the clearance rack before I look anywhere else. I have a whole TOTES filled with neat items for birthday’s /Christmas /Valentines stuffies, etc for my kids. These items I’ve picked up for 75% to 90% off regular price.

Bonus Tip: Also, check clearance sections for nice candles and mugs. These make great gifts for teachers and friends!

3) Shop using Ebates to have a debt-free Christmas.

If you shop online and you don’t use Ebates, it’s like saying, “I’ll pay extra for this just because!” Seriously, check out Ebates. Heck, they even give you a free $10 gift card to a retailer of your choice just for signing up and making a purchase (plus – if you use my affiliate link they give me a gift card too)!

If I have to purchase anything, and this year it’s a gaming system that my two WILL SHARE, then purchasing through Ebates from Amazon or Best Buy or Walmart will give me between 2% and 6% discount. On a $500 gaming system? I’ll take that thanks.

4) Check online before shopping in-store.

It’s nice to do a little comparison to see who’s going to give you the best bang for your buck. If you know one retailer will give you something for a certain price, you can check with your local competing retailer to see if you can get a better price.

For instance, at Home Depot, if you find a better price on an identical item at a local store, they will match their price and then give you an extra 10 percent off. All you have to do is bring in an ad!

If you do want to take advantage of Black Friday prices (November 23^rd 2018 for my fellow Canadians) then I would suggest you sign up for online alerts and comparisons done by the likes of Gordon Kelly for Forbes.com (Link)

Additional reading:  Black Friday- A Debt Fueled Buying binge

DON’T FORGET AMAZON PRIME DAYS!!

5) Host a Holiday Potluck.

Just because Christmas dinner is at your home doesn’t mean you have to do all the cooking. I mean, not unless you want too. If someone asks to bring something, politely thank them and tell them what to bring!

A favorite way for my (extremely weird) family is to each bring 3 favorites to the table. They can be appies, entrees, deserts, sides… it doesn’t matter. We then fest on a smorgasbord. Not your traditional turkey dinner but it’s super fun. Last year we had a Charcuterie Board, Lasagna, cream puffs, Steak in Madeira sauce, stuffed Yorkshire puddings, Belgian waffles.. you get the picture? Now, there are only four of us and even so – 12 dishes was waaay too much food so think about that if you have 12 people over.

Bonus Tip: Another thing we do is use Paper plates for the day. No-one wants to do all of that washing up.

6) Sell stuff you no longer need on eBay or Craigslist.

Check each area of your home for things you no longer use and list them on places like Ebay, Craigslist, or Facebook.

Not only will you be cleaning house, you’ll also be helping others stick to their budget when they purchase your gently used items. It’s really a win-win for all parties involved.

This year I am selling my unused Cricut, unopened toolkit and weed mat and unopened font cartridge for $250. I will put this towards the $500 gaming console (along with my Amazon.ca 6% cashback through Ebates = $30). Now I only need to find $220 to fulfill my kids Gift list.

7) Save gift bags!

I never throw away gift bags unless they are damaged. You probably won’t believe me but just last year I got rid of the last Valentines gift bag that I first purchased over six years ago.

I have all the gift bags! Weddings, baby showers, birthdays, Christmas, Valentine’s Day — all of them. If the gift tag has been written on, just rip it off and stash them in a bin until you’re ready to use them.

8) Ditch greeting cards.

It seems like every other year the cost of stamps (and cards) are going up and needless to say, not many really care if they get a greeting card or not. I know I don’t. I used to do this every year, sending “Across the Miles” cards back home to family in England but once everyone started sending Christmas texts and emails, I ditched the effort and joined the digital movement.

Bonus Tip: Another Super Cheapskate thing we do in my house is Reuse old cards. I don’t need a new Mother’s Day, birthday, Valentines card each year. I keep a small box with an assortment of cards from each of our holidays and birthdays and we just display them each time. No one seems to mind and at $5.99 for a Hallmark card (OK – I only buy dollar store cards IF I have to but, whateva!) I’ll put two of those towards a $10 store card for Christmas Goodies instead thanks.

9) Avoid Buy Now, Pay later like your life depends on it!

You may have (almost) grown up kids like I do and what they want for Christmas might be well outside of your budget but please Do NOT sign up for this kind of promo. Seriously, when that interest kicks in you’ll be hating yourself. If you don’t pay off that balance before the promotional period ends on these types of deals, you’ll owe interest on the original plus any interest that you would have accrued during the promotional period. I speak from PERSONAL experience. What I purchased (and didn’t pay off in time) cost me more than double by the time I had it figured out. That’s right – if I’d saved and followed my own advice written down for you here today), I could have bought TWO!!!!

10) Give homemade gifts instead of expensive gifts.

So – here’s my Go To:-

Cranberry, Blueberry, Cabernet Sauce – for Turkey or Brie. It can’t be beat. Great for foodies, Friends, Co-workers. I put a Silver label on the lid and it’s good to go!

Download Recipe Card HERE

 

Try baking a few batches of cookies for your co-workers. Have the kids make some candy for their teachers. If fruit is on sale, create a gift basket for your pastor and his wife. Look for tin cans, disposable containers, and baskets at your dollar store and get creative. To get your juices flowing, here are a few examples below.

• 26 Freezable Christmas Cookie Recipes by Noshing With The Nolands
• Christmas Delights by The Pioneer Woman

 

No Good in the kitchen? I makes these pretty bath salts for my Girlfriends, sisters, Mom – you name it.

Super simple to make and you can find most of the “ingredients” at Walmart (I purchased the “tubes” online and they cost about $1 each.  

3 Tbls Epsom Salts

2 Tbls Dead Sea Salts

4 tsp Pink Himalayan Salt

1/4 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp dried flowers (Rose for Sensual, Lavender for Relax)

Essential oils

(Relaxing = 4 drops Lavender; 4 drops Bergamot. Sensual = Ylang Ylang; Bergamot; Rose)

Throw all ingredients EXCEPT dried flowers into a Mixing bowl and combine well. Fill the Chosen container with mix and top with 1/2 inch of dried flowers.

11) Use any unused gift card balances or sell them.

If you have any unused gift cards that you can’t use to purchase any gifts on your gift list, consider selling them! I recommend Card Swap . Ca because you can buy, sell, or trade gift cards.

You can sell them for up to 92 percent cash back or buy gift cards 35 percent off. You also can get 6 percent more for your gift card if you receive payment in the form of an Amazon gift card.

12) Give framed photo gifts.

Take a family photo and go to the dollar store and buy some frames. Grab some pretty ribbon at Michael’s and use it to tie around your frame.

These were the gifts we gave last year and it saved us a ton of money since we didn’t feel like buying a bunch of different gifts.

13) Give practical gifts to kids and adults.

Instead of expensive Sephora Gift baskets (MY Favorite), give your loved ones (especially struggling college students) a toiletries basket with things they would use every day. Put items in a basket and tie it off with a nice bow.

If you start ahead you can use coupons along with drugstore deals and get toiletries like toothpaste, toothbrushes, soaps, lotions and such at rock bottom prices or free. What about a bucket, sponge, Chamois and Car Gleam for that Motor enthusiast or some nice Teas and cookies with home made preserves for Mom? This gift is only limited by your own imagination.

Bonus Tip: Baskets and Cello wrap can be found at the dollar store. I even found some Cellophane wrap with holly on it last year! $0.49 cents for the entire roll.

14) Get a part-time job (I know, I know — it’s just temporary).

Retailers are notorious for hiring folks just for the holidays. Think of stores in the mall, discount stores, and even toys stores. Warehouses and call-centers are busy this time of year too. Think outside of the box and remember, it’s only temporary to help you afford Christmas and not go into debt!

15) Keep Track of Your Gifts

To help you out, I’ve created this free holiday gift tracker. Write down each person you’re buying gifts for and set your budget. This will help keep you sane this season. Grab your free copy by clicking this link.  PS.  I made this when my site was known as Cents and Centsibilities!

 

Create Your Debt-Free Christmas Plan Now!

This could be considered 15+ ways to save at Christmas vs having a debt-free Christmas, but I think it’s important to point out that every little bit adds up. Once you begin spending and the money runs out, it’s easy to fall back on that credit card.

Relying on credit during Christmas time can put your finances in serious jeopardy. This doesn’t have to be the most expensive time of the year if you plan for your expenses and save ahead.

These are all easy and realistic things that you can actually do to achieve a debt-free Christmas this year. Call me Old Fashioned but, just implement some of them in your holiday spending plan and you’ll thank me later.

Get ahead for Next Year

If you want next Christmas to be your best ever (from a budget standpoint at least) here some of things you can start doing this year…

Shop In The January Sales

My Grandmother taught my Mother to do this and she taught me.

After Christmas everyone has a sale. That includes all the stores that were selling Christmas supplies; from boxes of biscuits to decorations. Now these shops just want rid of that stock as soon as possible to make way for the Easter display (yeah, I know, right?). But that means bargains galore!

Now is the time of year to stock up on wrapping paper, Christmas food (check dates carefully) and decorations for this coming Christmas. Keeping all these supplies for the next 12 months is a royal pain for the stores, but it’s simple enough to store it at home.

I maintain a big plastic Tote into which we place all these items. I have generally forgotten all about them by the time Fall comes around so it’s worth reviewing the contents BEFORE you make your Budget and List.

I won’t lie, it is tremendously satisfying to find all the Christmas supplies you’ve already gathered!

Start Earning Points

All sorts of companies will allow you to earn points as you go about your normal daily life. My local supermarket, for example, allows me to collect points every time I buy groceries or fuel from them.

You’ll end up with money off your grocery shopping (or even getting it for free, like we did last year!) plus all sorts of points that you can turn into cash or (my preference) Amazon gift cards. Done right, and started early, these reward points can really add up and save you hundreds of dollars by Christmas.

Save Early

Is your savings account is sacred? Mine is.

Money goes in, but it doesn’t come back out (except for a worthy and carefully planned investment). That means that attacking my savings at Christmas is a big no-no. Equally, its good to have some extra cash at Christmas so why not start deliberately saving especially for Christmas?

Whether you open up a new bank account or just withdraw a little cash each month and then pop it safely into an envelope stored at home, by Christmas you can have quite a healthy balance. The one drawback to this is an “Emergency”.

Now, one would hope you have a small emergency fund for this but, if you haven’t gotten there yet than there is a likelihood that you will use the Christmas Envelope money. Instead, what I do is purchase a $10 store card each time I grocery shop (which is usually weekly). Adding $10 to my grocery budget to have over $500 to spend in December is a total no brainer. My local Thrifty’s store uses Smile Cards and our Loblaws has Presidents Choice cards. I keep them in a Tin in my Pantry!

Shop During The Year

You don’t have to do all your Christmas shopping at Christmas. In fact, some might argue that was the *worst* time to do it.

Another strategy I like to use is to buy things as I see them during the year. If I’m on vacation and find something nice, I may well buy it as a gift for someone. Into the “Christmas box” it goes when we get home.

Even our grocery shopping we sometimes start in September or October, just buying non-perishable items as we see them. An extra few dollars on each food shop is barely noticeable but over a few months this really adds up.

Starting your shopping early also makes it easier to spot the bargains. In short, when you’re in no hurry to buy a product you can take your time and wait until its on promotion. By starting early we manage to get some kind of discount or promotion on virtually every item we purchase for Christmas.

These four steps really work like magic and have made Christmas so much more enjoyable. Not only do I not worry about money at Christmas but I don’t feel the same pressure that many people do when December rolls around.

 

XO

Anna