Holiday Shopping on a Budget

Thanksgiving has come and gone, Black Friday is over, and Christmas lights are being hung all around the country. The holiday season is officially upon us. It is time for Christmas music, good food, decorations, and giving and receiving presents. One of the most fun, and most stressful parts, of the holiday season is buying presents for family friends. We all have long lists of people that we want to give gifts to, but it can be hard to afford all those presents as a college student. Here are a few tips on how to give the best presents, without breaking the bank.

Utilize coupons, sales, and discounts

If you want to save money this holiday season make a promise to yourself that you will not pay full price for anything. This can be hard, and it takes patience to find deals, but it is always worth it at the end of the day. Subscribe to your favorite stores’ daily emails to find discount codes. Also, check out the local newspaper for coupons and announcements on sales. Many stores have “buy two and get one free” deals as well. Use them to save some cash.

Make a homemade gift

Painted canvases are a popular gift among college students, and for good reason. Canvases and paint are relatively cheap items. Paint your family or friends’ favorite quotes on canvases for a gift they can hang in their house or dorm room. If you’re not super crafty, use stencils to ensure the lettering is even. Other ideas for homemade gifts are ornaments, blankets or quilts, and painted drinking glasses.

Bake

Everyone loves food and will not complain if they receive cookies, cake, or any other sweet as a gift. If you have access to a kitchen, you can bake several batches of dessert to give to all your friends. Wrap the sweets in bags with Christmas colored ribbon to give the gifts that extra touch.

Handwrite a card

If you don’t have the money to buy a gift that will show how much you care about someone, write it down instead. There is no better feeling than hearing someone say how much they love you. That feeling is better than any material object you can buy this season. Buy a set of holiday cards, and write down appreciative words for your loved ones to read. 

No matter what you buy this holiday season, remember that it isn’t about the gifts, but about spending the holidays with those you love.