Frugal Living at Christmastime

When you are trying to save money and life a frugal lifestyle, whether by choice or necessity, Christmastime can add a lot of stress to your life. Here are a few ideas for celebrating the holidays without breaking the bank.

• Cut your own Christmas tree- If you usually purchase a live tree, add a new tradition to the holiday by heading to a tree farm rather than a lot of pre-cut trees. The kids will love helping you pick out the tree and the act of chopping it down feels so traditional it is bound to add some old-school fun to your holiday.

• Bake your gifts this year. No doubt about it- Christmas means food. We all love cookies, candies and special treats this time of year, but not everyone has the time or talent to make their own goodies. If the kitchen is your favorite place to be, you can bake up a bunch of treats and wrap them up as gifts. Jams, jellies, salsas and breads are also great gift choices for family and friends.

• Turn your holiday into a true giving event by offering to help out at a local shelter rather than spending the day giving gifts to each other at home. There is no time of year as difficult to be homeless or alone than Christmastime, so giving up your holiday to help make the day special for those less fortunate is a gift that gives true hope, love and caring to people who need it the most.

• Make your own wrapping paper. You can dress up your gifts with simple wraps like brown paper grocery bags, freezer paper or even newspaper that you decorate with paints, stamps and homemade decorations and create festive packages with a homemade charm. You can make your own bows by cutting up an old satin dress or blouse you no longer wear and using the strips of fabric to tie bows.

• Give gifts that help the recipient be more frugal. Reusable shopping bags, battery chargers and those funny looking florescent light bulbs are great gifts that truly help others live frugally all year long.

• Decorate your home for nothing. You can create beautiful decorations from nature for next to nothing. Pine cones, sumac, cranberries and evergreen branches are all easily found in many areas and can be combined to create centerpieces, wreaths and garlands to decorate your home with holiday sights and smells.

You can definitely have a special, memorable Christmas season while saving money and sharing love, kindness and caring this year. Try some or all of these ideas to have a very Merry FRUGAL Christmas.