If you’re anything like me, you probably haven’t started shopping for your loved ones’ holiday gifts. You also probably don’t have a lot of money to spend on your friends and family this year (but who really does, anyway?). Holiday shopping can add up extremely quickly, and before you know it, you’ve spent way more than you intended. Here are some tips on how to stay on budget this holiday season:
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Opt for “Secret Santa” or “White Elephant”
If you have a group of friends interested in exchanging gifts for the holidays, throw out the idea of getting each of them their own gift. By opting for Secret Santa or White Elephant, you only have to buy one gift, but everyone still gets something special. For Secret Santa, you would randomly draw a friend’s name, and buy a gift for that person. For White Elephant, everyone brings a wrapped gift to the gathering, and you randomly draw numbers for who goes first. Presents remain wrapped until everyone has one, and all trading is complete. Both of these are great ideas to stay on budget, get creative, and have fun with your friends.
Bonus tip: Set a price limit on the gifts in exchange games
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DIY
Are you crafty? Try customizing home-made gifts for your friends this year! Canvases and paint are cheap (especially using those Hobby Lobby and Michaels coupons), so you could make all of your friends a personalized gift. You could paint their monogram, a quote from their favorite song, or a simple print you know they’ll love. Pinterest has tons of DIY ideas for [cheap] DIY gifts – so get online, get ideas, and take breaks studying for finals with some crafting.
Bonus tip: Don’t be afraid to re-gift a canvas or craft that you already have
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Make goody bags
Everyone is bound to love a goody bag. Bake your favorite treats, buy some festive dollar-store goody bags, and voilà! the perfect gift to give to everyone in your life. Besides, it’s about time you actually tried making a Pinterest recipe, right? If baking isn’t your thing, try decorating a mason jar and filling it with candy, soup mix, or hot cocoa mix. All you’ll need is a few ingredients, some ribbon, and a handwritten note to the recipient.
Bonus tip: Buy extra for yourself, but don’t eat what you intend to give away
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Dollar-store Bag of Fun
If you plan on exchanging gifts with your friends before you head home for winter break, take a visit to the dollar store and make them a “finals survival kit!” Include crayons, coloring books, kids’ toys, tissues (for the inevitable tears that come with finals week), puzzles, games, candy – whatever you can find at the dollar store that you think might be a fun way to escape finals. Trust me, nothing helps you relax and de-stress better than coloring and playing with cheap toys.
Bonus tip: Make each bag different
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Alcohol
Okay, alcohol isn’t necessarily cheap, but it can be! Buy a mini-bottle (or two or three) for each of your friends, tie some ribbon around the top and make a cute label with their name on it. This gift is fun and simple, but is sure to be a great hit. Want to go a little bigger? Some brands of wine or sparkling wine can be as low as $5 per bottle. They may not be the best tasting, but this gift is more about the decoration. Get creative with paint, ribbons, and glitter and see what you can come up with!
Bonus tip: Some mini-bottles come in packs