Christmas on a Dime

This the season to be jolly, except if you are unemployment or are just short on cash.. Even if you are employed the cost of living is rising and you can see it at the grocery stores, gas stations and almost everywhere you look. But Christmas is a special time when we all want to decorate and give what we can, it’s just human nature. Here are some of the ways you can enjoy this beautiful tradition and still do Christmas on a dime.

Buying a trees can be one place to save money, instead of purchasing the tallest most perfect tree on the lot, consider a smaller more imperfect one, if you are like most of us, you can hide the imperfection by putting that big hole towards the corner of the room. Most grocery stores sell a variety of trees ranging anywhere from $19.00, and once it’s decorated, it will bring joy to your family, despite its flaws.

If you don’t have decorations left over from last year, try the old fashion way of making decorations. Get the kids together and string popcorn and cranberries; it will be fun for the whole family. Home made bows are also a nice way of adding color to your tree, as are candy canes and chocolate Santas, and they are edible! The Dollar store ( I’m sure there is one near you where everything is a dollar) is my favorite place to shop. They have everything you need for the holidays from decorations to tablecloths to stocking stuffers, and YES, it’s all just One dollar.

This may sound corny to some, but baking Christmas Cookies and putting them in one of those dollar tins you got from the Dollar Store makes the perfect gift for your neighbors and friends, especially if you have a good recipe,

Here is a quick recipe from Good Housekeeping:

Ingredients:

1 cup butter no substitutes

½ cup sugar

1 lg egg

1 tbsp vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

½ tsp baking powder

Assorted colored decorating granules

Click on the Good Housekeeping link above for directions.

Shopping on a dime is pretty difficult especially if you have children who have their mind set on high dollar items like an XBox or PS4. I don’t have a good substitute for any of that, but there are ways of finding great deals, try local pawn shops.

My son once said that “it’s not the gift that counts, it’s that you put thought into what I may like.” Think of something personal when searching for a gift for a loved one. This year we drew names, each member of our family buys one gift for the person they drew. There is a reasonable price limit, and this way everyone is sure to get one of the three items on their list. Of course the babies are going to get toys and clothes, but again the second hand stores like Goodwill are great for these items.

Do not be distraught, put on some Christmas music, light some scented candles and get into the mood. Put a pot of water on the stove and throw in some apples and cinnamon let it simmer to make your house smell like the holidays. Invite family and friends and give thanks for the little things in your life.

The Christmas season, even in hard times, can be a joyous occasion if you shop on a dime, and you don’t max yourself out financially. Merry Christmas!