The Christmas season is the most beloved time of the year but also the most financially straining. Decorating your house, getting presents for your loved ones, buying a new outfit, booking a dinner at a restaurant, or travelling to see your family – all these want money and more money. Still, enjoying Christmas while not spending a fortune is possible! Read on for some useful recommendations on how to save money at Christmas.
Early start
Start giving your holiday arrangements some thought as early on as possible. Two best Christmas shopping tips: before purchasing anything, make a list of people you intend to give presents to and define your budget. These would ultimately be your guide on how to save money for Christmas and protect you from overspending just because something is on sale. However, even if you get overwhelmed and forget to get a gift for a loved one, there is a life-saving solution: you can send them an instant money transfer, be they in Uzbekistan or in Brazil. More on this later!
Creative decorating
To keep the festive spirits high, embellishing your place for the season is a must! But who says you need to buy a new, ‘fashionable’ set of decorations every year? You don’t! Arrange the baubles on your Christmas tree in an original way. Use translucent paper tissue to change the colour of your Christmas lights. Make paper chains for garlands. In other words, being creative will help you to save money on Christmas decorations!
Choosing presents
Getting gifts for your friends and family can be a serious blow to your finances. However, there are some simple ways to save money on Christmas presents. If you have free time, you can make the presents yourself. It can be anything you’re good at: write a poem, make a painting, sew a toy, knit a scarf – you name it. Also, have a look at what you already have, which can be regifted. And no, today, regifting is not a bad thing anymore!
On the contrary, by giving unused items a new life, you’re contributing to global environmental efforts (and saving money at Christmas). You bought a sweater two years ago and never worn it? Give it to your little sister. That bottle of fancy wine your friends brought over once? Your parents would appreciate it. And so on – you get the gist.
But what if your dearest ones are far away, say, you work in Germany while your family is in India? If you are sending something by post, do it in advance if you don’t want to pay extra for guaranteed delivery. Here, a certificate for an online service or a subscription may be a great alternative. But if you want to be really sure you are giving the ‘right’ present, then be practical: send money and let them get whatever it is they desire, especially since it is so easy to do with online money transfer services such as Profee. You only need a smartphone and a European bank card to sign up, either on the Profee website or in the app, and send your first transfer! Be it to India, Ukraine or any of the 60+ destinations covered by Profee, the money will arrive really fast! Moreover, Profee offers the most competitive currency exchange rates on the market and is fully transparent about its fees (if there are any), which makes it indispensable if you want to save money at Christmas.
Celebrate!
Christmas doesn’t need to be ostentatious to be fun! Instead of boringly eating an overpriced ‘festive’ dinner at a restaurant, join the crowds at a Christmas market, explore the craft stalls, and enjoy street food with a cup or two of mulled wine. Gather some friends and set off fireworks (if it is legal in your country, of course), or just have a blast singing timeless Christmas hits together. All that would make much better material for your reels while helping you save money at Christmas!
Get company
Speaking of friends, it is definitely the more the merrier, regardless of how you celebrate Christmas this year. It is also the more, the cheaper. If you go out, you can split the expense (and use Profee to manage the money conveniently: one pays, others transfer their shares). If you’re having a house party, ask each of your guests to bring food or drinks instead of Christmas presents. In any case, celebrating with good company is a great way to save money for Christmas and create a festive mood and unforgettable memories!
Happy holidays!
