This Holiday Season focus on the Things that Matter Most

Reader Sarah left this wonderful comment in reply to my post on 10 Ways to Save Money Right Now! I’ll let her do most of the talking, so read on and take advantage of these great tips for your holiday this year!

Sarah wrote:

Remember that less is more.

Hanging one gorgeous wreath on your front door is just as merry and bright as a wreath hanging from all windows and doors. Much less work and less chance of damage to your home as well.

Light one beautiful tree on your lot rather than lighting all the bushes, the lamp post, the house, the mailbox…

Agree to a spending limit with your immediate and extended families. The limit can apply to each person or the family as a whole. Or agree to choose a charity to donate to every year. If you have adult children to buy for, don’t go overboard. Stockings of goodies are cute to look at and fun to open, but my guess is that it costs between $10 and $30 to fill one! Instead of treating your adult children like small children again, help them make Christmas magical for the small children in your families. Or use the stocking creativity – rather than fill with trinkets, give your gift inside!

Also, children don’t need a lot to be happy. Focus on spending your time and energy with them rather than in the stores or online buying for them. A few gifts under the tree Christmas morning will bring just as many squeals as fifty gifts. Begin new traditions this year! A few ideas are: Picking out then decorating a tree, listening to holiday music, watching age appropriate holiday specials, making cookies, reading special stories, and helping wrap gifts or even decorating the wrapping paper or box with their own artwork. Children naturally want to help – let them! They adore attention, especially from a parent.

Cut out some food extras this season and help your wallet and your waistline! Offer one or two desserts after your holiday dinner rather than an entire table. Bake one or two kinds of cookies. Or host a cookie swap with friends and family. Arrive with a few dozen of one kind of cookie and come home with cookies of all kinds!

If you have stockings and ornaments for your tree, you have enough. Avoid the temptation to walk through the holiday decoration aisles at the stores. This is the hardest one for me! I love ornaments! Don’t even bother going down that aisle after Christmas day either. Sure they are on sale, it’s a good deal, but you don’t need it. On the other hand, if you are just starting off on your own and only have a few ornaments to your name, set a spending limit and purchase ornaments after the holidays. The best part is that you probably won’t remember them all when you unpack them the following year. It’s a wonderful surprise gift to yourself and the perfect way to decorate for less.

I could go on and on…

Wow! Please do! Keep those great comments coming guys!

photo credit: kimberlyfaye