The Frugal Free Gal

Christmas isn’t on the mind for many families until towards the end of November. Many families wait until Black Friday or Cyber Monday to complete their shopping. Some may complete it all at once and some may complete it throughout the end of November and during the month of December. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars all at once to complete your Christmas shopping, why not shop throughout the year?

First, you’ll want to make sure you have your list ready of people that you need to buy for throughout the year. Then, create a budget of how much you’ll be spending for each person, and what he/she may like or want.

How to Shop for Christmas Presents Throughout the Year (Instead of All At Once) AND Save Money, Too!

1. Shop for 1-2 People Each Month

If you set aside money each month for 1-2 people on your list, chances are, you won’t go into a huge amount of debt by getting all of your shopping completed month by month. Budget for about $50-$100 a month for 1-2 people and do this each month until you are finished shopping.

2. Shop the Clearance Section Online or in Stores

Just about every store has a clearance aisle. You can score some pretty great items at a low price on the clearance racks. If you see items on the shelves that you think your recipient will like, purchase the items and put them in the gift closet and save them for Christmas. You can also find great clearance items online.

3. Use Rewards Points or Rebates

If you have any accounts earning rewards points, use your rewards points for Christmas presents! This includes any credit or debit card rewards from Swagbucks or Ibotta, etc. If you are like me and you have joined several different rewards programs, I encourage you to keep an excel sheet with your programs and amount earning listed so that you don’t forget about your extra cash! Every bit of cash adds up.

4. Re-Gift

If you have new items sitting around your home unopened, consider putting them away for someone that may need or want it. Just make sure you don’t give it back to the same person that gave it to you! Re-gifting is not a bad idea if you know you don’t love the item or if you know you’ll never use it.

5. Shop for Brand New Items at Thrift Stores

You can find brand new items at thrift stores at a low price. You’ll be able to tell since the items usually still have the tag hanging on them or the item is still in the box. You’ll pay way less for the item at a thrift store than you would at a retail store.

6. Shop the Deals at Amazon

I check the Deals at Amazon throughout the year to see if there’s anything that would make a great Christmas gift. Amazon is my favorite go-to place for most of my holiday shopping needs!

Remember, you don’t have to go into debt in December because of Christmas gifts. If you plan your shopping ahead of time and complete your shopping throughout the year, you’ll save money and have all of your shopping done early. Then, you can enjoy a less stressful holiday season!

When you really think about it, Christmas is a holiday jam packed with strange traditions. A jolly, fat man who comes down the chimney in the dead of night to deliver gifts? Hanging old socks from the fireplace mantle in hopes that they’ll be filled with trinkets in the morning? Both are odd, that’s for sure, but no tradition is stranger than chopping down a tree, dragging it into the house, and decorating it with hundreds of colored ornaments and lights.

But as odd as it may seem, the Christmas tree is still my favorite part of the holiday. And with trees ranging in price from $25 (for the sickly little real ones) all the way up to $500 (for the spectacular fake ones), it can also be pretty costly.

1. Buy A Fake Tree 

I’m a real tree kind of gal (always have been, always will be), but the easiest way to eliminate the annual $50 to $75 cost of buying a real tree is buy buying an artificial one. Sure, there’s the initial cost of the tree, but after that, it’s paid for. You just have to drag it out of the attic and set it up. And the best part? No pine needles on the carpet.

Even though a good artificial Christmas tree will cost anywhere from $100 to $300, you can cut that cost in half by buying your tree in the days after Christmas when stores slash prices on their holiday stuff. You can also shop your local thrift stores to find great deals on fake trees. While you’re at it, feel free to stock up on wrapping paper and decorations for next year!

2. Buy A Real Tree

If you’re buying a real tree, you’ve got two options: The tree lot at the mall (or dozens of other places in your area) or a cut-it-down-yourself tree farm. Prices vary widely at both places, so be sure to shop around to find the best deals. Expect to pay anywhere from $5 to $10 per foot, depending upon the type of tree and where you live (you don’t even want to know what people pay for real trees in Hawaii!).

3. Cut One Down In Your Backyard

If you have a backyard or some woodland with a selection in it, you might consider finding and cutting down your own tree. Total cost: Absolutely nothing! Of course, that’s assuming you can find a suitable tree. You might have to make some compromises when it comes to finding the “perfect” tree, but you can’t beat the price, right?

If you do decide to chop from your own stock, be sure to plant another tree it its place. In two or three years, it should be ready for its Christmas debut!

Do you have any tips on saving money on a Christmas tree?