Money Saving Tips for the Holidays

Team Up:

This concept is simple- if someone on your list wants or needs something too large for one person to handle, team up with others. Items like a new TV, video game consult, a trip, or amusement park passes can run up a hefty bill. But if you split the cost between three, four, or five people it

becomes far more manageable. This money saving tip for the holiday is the easiest one because all you have to do is talk to your family and friends who will, most likely, want to hop on board with you, especially if it’s something that a loved one really wants or needs.

Pull Names:

Anyone from a large family knows that gift giving can get pricey just based on the sheer number of items you have to buy, even if you do put a thirty dollar per person limit out there. Thirty dollars times ten gifts is still three hundred dollars, which is over the recommended budget if you make $30,000 a year. Pulling names cuts down on your costs, and gives you the opportunity to get a gift you know they’ll love, not just a gift that meets your cost requirements. So whatever your income is, make sure to make your budget before anything else!

Shop Online:

This may seem like a not so smart idea if you are trying to stay on budget because it is easy to lose track of your spending when you’re clicking away. Online shopping does require some personal governing; however, it can make your budget go much further than the mall can! With penny auctions and other bid sites shopping has never been cheaper. Of course watching your item and staying on top of the bid regardless of your site can be time consuming. So there are other sites who sell at discounted or wholesale prices such as Amazon. Or look to your favorite department store like Sears or the Bay to see if they have online only sales! If you do employ online shopping as a way of making your money go further from the comfort of your own home, remember that there are a limited number of days left until Christmas , so make sure to check out the delivery date before committing to the purchase.

Gift cards:

With so many gift options out there and people, kids especially, changing their mind everyday about what they like gift cards are no longer considered insensitive, or not thoughtful. Instead of getting them something you think they might like and having the recipient return it in secret or keeping it and never using it, as to not hurt your feelings, give them something you know they’ll enjoy – picking their own gift! You can get gift cards for anywhere now-a-days, restaurants, online gaming sites, clothing or electronic stores, even to buy music and movies online! Places like cardswap.ca are great for getting brand name gift cards at discounted price. You can even sell your own, old and unused cards on the site and use that money to buy another one! Best part is cardswap.ca has charity in mind: if you have balances left on your gift cards which as too small to sell for another gift card you can donate that money to a Canadian charity.