Give Yourself the Gift of Savings

Posted on November 18th, 2024

The holiday season is here, and it’s not unlikely that you’ve already started thinking about the gifts that you want to give to your parents, kids, friends, and maybe even a few additional on your list. However, as much as you might want to give gifts to all these people, it can be costly. 

Luckily, there are a few ways that you can give gifts to your loved ones, without having to put too big of a breaking your budget 

Cut the Christmas List

While it’s understandable you want to give gifts to as many people as you can for the holidays, that’s not always feasible or responsible. There’s no shame in cutting down on the list, to make it more affordable for you. It’s okay to send a card or give a plate of treats to those that might not be as close to you, so you can save a bit of money while still spreading some joy to others. 

It’s easy to feel the pressure to give gifts to more people than is probably necessary, especially when it comes to White Elephant parties and Secret Santas. While it’s okay to participate in your company’s Secret Santa, or your book club’s White Elephant, don’t feel like you have to say “yes” to every single one you’re invited. 

Befriend Holiday Deals & Gift Cards

Something that not everyone thinks about doing is searching for coupon codes to get some extra deals. There are a variety of websites that provide coupon codes for a wide variety of stores, as well as fun activities like cooking or yoga classes – some of which you can do with the person you’re giving to as a fun treat! 

Another thing to remember are those gift cards that have probably piled up over the years, especially since physical gift cards are used less these days. It’s easy to use a gift card on one or two items and forget about it entirely. While the gift cards you’ve amassed over the years might not pay for the whole cost, it’ll at least take off a bit of extra cash from the total, especially if you’re shopping sales and got it at a discount already. 

It’s What’s Inside That Counts

One other aspect of gift giving that adds onto your bill that you might not think about is the price of what you’re wrapping the gifts in. It’s true that those rolls at your local craft store might look nice and feel sturdy, but let’s be honest, the paper’s going to get ripped up and thrown in the trash anyways, so are they really worth the money? Instead, check out local dollar stores for cheaper rolls of wrapping paper, gift bags, bows and more for a lot more economical, and still good quality. 

You can also take the reduce, reuse, recycle path and wrap your gifts in something other than fancy wrapping paper. Wrap your gifts in old newspaper and decorate it with stickers, drawings, or fun messages on it, like inside jokes between you and your gift recipient, which makes it even more personal. You can even keep the bows on gifts you receive, or the gift bags they come in, to reuse for the next holiday season as an eco- and wallet-friendly option.

Festive Final Thoughts

Whether it’s giving or receiving, gifts are a big part of the holiday season, and for many people their favorite part. While there can be a lot of pressure around who you’re giving gifts to this season, remember that it’s not an obligation and it’s okay to say “no” to certain things. 

There are plenty of ways to save a little extra cash this year when you’re shopping for your loved ones. Whether it’s going for an eco-friendlier route with your wrapping, gathering up those old gift cards for a bit of money off, or even opting to give holiday card to those you’re less close to, giving gifts doesn’t have to be the financial stress it might have been for you in the past. 

At NuMark, we’re always happy to help ease some of that burden so you can stress less about the holidays and focus more on enjoying the season with those who matter most to you. That’s why we have several savings account options that you can take advantage of to start saving up for next year, so that when the holidays come around again, you know that you’ve got some cash to get you started on the right foot.