Enjoying holiday cheer and time spent with loved ones can sometimes come with an expensive price tag. Earlier, we asked you to share your money saving tips for the holidays. Here are some of the tips you shared with us on how to enjoy the holiday season without breaking the bank.
Tips to help you save money this holiday season
- Set a budget and stick to it! A good way to avoid overspending is to set a realistic budget. The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) has a great budget planning tool to help you keep track of how much you spend this holiday season.
- Decorate wisely. Avoid buying brand-new decorations. Instead, explore thrift shops or try making your own homemade decorations with friends or family.
- Plan your meals. Plan your meals ahead of time and try to build your meals around what’s on sale. Consider a non-traditional holiday meal so you can make the most of what’s in your fridge or what’s on sale.
- Pick quality over quantity. Consider giving one thoughtful gift instead of multiple small knickknacks.
- Make, don’t buy. Knitting and other homemade crafts are a thoughtful way to give your loved ones something unique.
- Skip the gifts. Some people prefer to skip gifts altogether and focus on spending time with loved ones. Here are some alternatives to gift giving that can save you money and stress.
- Holiday potluck. Make a meal where everyone contributes a dish.
- Holiday activities. Plan events like snowshoeing, board game nights, movie nights, or other activities with your loved ones.
- Thrift store gifts. Pick a fun item from a thrift store and give a fun backstory for why you chose it. This way you can save money and still get the joy of gift giving. The money you spend goes towards a good cause and you can donate the items back to the thrift store if you don’t keep them.
- Nostalgic gift giving. Give someone something meaningful from your past
- Get resourceful and reuse. Use old gift wraps, newspapers, or reusable boxes for wrapping gifts. Think about if the gifts you’re giving can be used multiple times or a single use item that will be thrown away. Reusing decorations and wrap can be good for the environment and your wallet.
Where to go for more information
While not focused the holidays, the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada’s website has great tips, resources, and tools to help you save money.
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About Consumer Protection BC
We are responsible for regulating specific sectors and certain consumer transactions in British Columbia. If your concern is captured under the laws we enforce, we will use the tools at our disposal to assist you. If we can’t help you directly, we will be happy to provide you with as much information as possible. Depending on your concern, another organization may be the ones to speak to; other times, court or legal assistance may be the best option. Explore our website at www.consumerprotectionbc.ca.