The holiday season is a time for joy and giving. This can be difficult for people living on a budget or living paycheck to paycheck. So, what are some ways you can save extra money for the holidays?
With a little effort and extra work, you can find extra money to help you get through the holiday season. From bartering for the things you need, picking up things for free, or even working a new job in your free time, having the best holiday is possible with some planning.
Frugal Grocery Shopping
Looking for items on sale or using coupons when grocery shopping may not seem like significant savings, but it can add up over time.
Clipping coupons and having a plan before you go to the grocery store can help you reduce your weekly food budget. Plan your meals and utilize the week’s current sales to stretch your grocery budget and keep more money in your pocket.
Reduce and Reuse
We tend to throw away a lot of items. If you are trying to save money, consider what you are throwing away and see if there are any items you can reuse. For example, it may seem frugal to reuse sandwich bags, but the cost savings, compared to buying new ones, may be worth the extra effort.
And Recycle
Saving your aluminum cans rather than throwing them away can net you a significant amount of money if you turn them into a scrap metal recycling facility yourself. This will not only put a few extra dollars in your pocket for the holiday season, but if you do not have a recycling program, it can also help the environment. That is a win-win situation.
Buy and Sell Used Goods
It would help if you also considered buying used when you are looking to purchase something. There are numerous online sites to buy, sell, and trade used goods.
Places like eBay, Mercari, and even Facebook will allow you to buy used goods, giving you significant savings over new items.
You can also use them to sell off any items you are not using. For example, old clothes, sporting equipment, and even furniture can be sold, providing you with extra holiday money.
This will also allow you to declutter your home before the holidays.
The Work at Home Woman has more great saving tips.
Reduce Your Spending
Saving for the holidays will allow you to look at your spending habits and reduce any frivolous or unneeded spending.
You can cancel any unused subscriptions or reduce or quit any expensive habits you may have that are putting a drain on your bank account. You can use this opportunity not only as a money-saving venture but also to improve yourself for the future.
Free Events
Saving money doesn’t mean staying at home and not enjoying yourself. Find free events in your area to attend to give yourself a night out without spending all the money you have saved during the week.
Many places have free concerts, outdoor movies, and nature walks. You can also visit your local library and attend parades, art shows, or even sporting events, all for free.
Check your local listings to see what events are available in your area and spend some time enjoying the effort you put into saving for the holidays.
Hobbies
Your hobbies during your downtime can also help you save money. For example, gardening activities will be enjoyable and help reduce your monthly grocery bill. On the other hand, camping and birdwatching may not save you significantly but can replace activities that would cost money, such as shopping or other events.
Learning a new skill, such as embroidery or painting, can also save you money or even become a source of income when you can produce goods and services from these hobbies in the future.
Cooking at Home
Eating takeout or sitting down at a restaurant can take up a significant portion of someone’s budget. However, reducing the times you order takeout and cook meals at home can add up to significant savings.
Planning and preparing extra food when cooking meals to take for lunch instead of purchasing food each day can save you a considerable amount of money and put you on the right track to saving the money you will need for the holidays.
Extra Income
If you do not have any money saved for the holidays, the best way to prepare is to earn extra income. There are many services you can provide during your free time to provide you with the extra money you need for the holiday season. In addition, taking an additional part-time job will provide you with the income you need to prepare for the holiday.
Delivering groceries, driving Uber or Lyft, or delivering takeout are all services you can do during your free time to increase your income before the holidays. They are easy to set up and start, and do not have set hours, so you can adjust them to fit your schedule.
Conclusion
By looking at your habits, you can reduce your spending to save for the holidays. Reducing things you need and reusing products can keep money in your pocket. Taking lunch to work and reducing your takeout orders will also keep your budget in check. Lastly, finding and attending free events in your town will ensure you can still have a social life while maintaining your budget.
The best way to increase your holiday savings is to earn more income. Working additional jobs such as Uber and Lyft and delivering food or groceries are easy to start up and provide flexible hours to work when you have free time. They can add a significant amount to your income and build your savings so you and your family can enjoy a happy holiday season.
Image Credit: [LawrenceSawyer]