By a show of hands, who actually likes sending Christmas cards? Okay, so a few of you might have your hand raised (I admire your enthusiasm), but if you’re like me, you still have to buy them and then scramble to get them in the mail a week before Christmas. If that’s you (or something similar), here are four ways to save a little money on cards this year.
1. Send e-Cards – Christmas cards via e-mail? Do I dare? I’ve considered this option in the past, but the darn tradition is so rooted in sending and receiving actual paper cards that I quickly reconsidered. If you don’t mind bucking tradition and saving a lot of money (e-cards are free!), the answer to your Christmas card woes is just a click away.
2. Trim Your List – Your list has probably grown over the years, but you can cut your card budget in half by putting that bloated list on a diet. If they’re not a close friend or family member, or they didn’t send you a card last year, you should consider removing them from your list.
View the Christmas card selection at Amazon
3. Shop After Christmas – This tip won’t help you save money on cards this year, but it will help you save 50 to 75 percent on next year’s cards! Stores slash their prices dramatically on the day after Christmas. Stock up then, but don’t wait too long to get out there and shop because there won’t be much left on December 27.
4. Send a Letter – The easiest way to save on cards is to not buy cards! Instead, send a holiday letter. It can be a hand-written letter – if you’ve got a short list and a lot of time to write – or a printed letter with a short personal note written at the end.
5. Shop at the Dollar Store – Yes, we have high expectations for our Christmas cards, but the dollar store has some nice options at very nice prices. Check out the variety here. Is that $4 box of cards as nice as that $20 box of cards you saw at the mall? Maybe, maybe not, but the $16 you’ll save (or $32 if you have to buy two boxes) is pretty darn nice!
Related: Ways to Earn Extra Cash and Rewards for the Holidays