The holidays can mean overindulging, but you can enter the new year without a bloated credit card statement if you go on a “wallet diet.” Being frugal doesn’t mean deprivation. You can have plenty of fun and give generously. Here are ideas for free and low cost gift giving and entertainment during this indulgent and potentially expensive time of year.
Get creative:
For gift wrap:
• Create your own wrapping paper and bows for gift-wrapping
• Make your own holiday cards
For decorations:
• Decorate the tree with a garland you make out of popcorn
• Create paper snowflakes to decorate with
For gift giving:
• Create a coupon book full of nice deeds
• Write a poem, song or letter
• Use your artistic side to create a drawing or painting
• Make a necklace
• Make an ornament
• Create a video expressing how you feel
Head to the kitchen:
• Compile a recipe book to give as a gift
• Bake cookies or make holiday candy and give it as a gift
• Invite friends and family to a potluck meal instead of dining out or buying all the food when you host
Be generous with your time:
• Take time to spend together: schedule this and give it as your gift
• Bring out the holiday spirit by getting together to volunteer or donate items
Be resourceful:
• Have a re-gifting swap: Invite other who have items they want to re-gift and see if you can switch
• Use up your gift cards to buy presents
• Use your expertise to help in your gift giving: Offer to update their software, balance their finances, organize their closet or cut their hair
By Jon Lal, founder of coupons and cash back website BeFrugal.com (http://www.befrugal.com). For the gifts you need to buy, shop online through Jon’s site and you’ll get a $10 credit to your account balance if you sign-up for Cash Back (http://www.befrugal.com/cashback/) by December 31, 2011 (http://www.befrugal.com/cashback/?show=signup).
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