One of the biggest parts of the Christmas tradition is picking out a tree to suit the family and decorating it together. There are so many different trees and decorations to choose from that you might end up feeling overwhelmed when you go to choose yours. This can be a major problem when it comes to budgeting for your tree and holiday decorations. There are many ways that you can actually save a whole lot of money on your Christmas Tree while still getting the items you want to make it suit your family’s needs and personality. With a few simple tips to keep you on task you’ll find you have the ability to make the best financial decisions when it comes to your tree without having to lose out on the quality or design that you’ve always wanted.
1. Go Plastic
It might not be the ideal holiday tree, but some of the artificial tress you find in stores might actually make you believe you have a real tree. Artificial trees are one of the easiest ways to cut back on spending during the holiday season. Although you might end up spending up to $100 on one of these tress you will still be able to save money as the tree will stick with your family for years to come. There are numerous artificial trees to choose from, but one of the best ways to get your money’s worth out of a tree is to avoid making trendy decisions on the tree. You should always choose a tree that you’re going to use year after year, rather than one that will just be thrown out next season. Typically it is safer to go with the classic tree look rather than trees that have the illusion of snow or are brightly colored. When you choose a tree you might also want to pick one that already has lights on it, which cut down on lighting cost. If you’re still longing for the real tree smell then pick up some pine scented sticks and your home will be ready for the season.
2. Know Your Trees
If you do actually decide to buy a real tree this year then you may want to do a little research before you go out and pick one. There are a number of different holiday trees on the market, so knowing what you’re getting will help you get the most out of your money and your tree. When you visit the tree market make sure you already have a budget firmly set so you’ll know how much you can spend. It might also be wise to only bring cash so you can’t go over the initial cost. This is largely due to sales people talking many customers into buying higher priced trees. By knowing the different names for the trees you’ll be able to understand the trees worth based on your knowledge rather than how the tree looks. You might also want to take into consideration some of your household’s needs when shopping. For instance, if you’re buying a tree early then you may not want to buy trees that get dried out fast. Some trees actually have extra strong branches which is perfect for those large ornaments. While other trees have sharper needles which could help keep the household’s pets from climbing the tree!
3. Cut Your Own
For many families part of the holiday magic is to actually go out and cut down your own tree. This might not just be a great bonding experience, but could also help your family save a whole lot of money on the holiday tree. If you do plan on going for a real tree this year then this should be one of the options. Typically a permit to cut down a Christmas Tree usually runs around $10. So, if you have your own tools and form of transportation for the tree then you’re looking to get a tree at a very low price. You should always make sure to check the rules about cutting down trees before you go to do so as they are different for every given area. You may end up paying more in some areas if you choose a larger tree. Of course, you should also always keep in mind the measurements of your home as you won’t want to cut down a tree that is too large.
4. Be Patient
Sure, after Thanksgiving when the holiday buzz is in the air, it might be a bit too tempting to go out and buy a tree just so you can have your home ready for the holiday. This can be a horrible thing if you’re planning on buying a real tree though. You should always until, at least, the middle of December before purchasing a tree because real trees begin to lose moisture after they are cut down. This means your tree’s needle are going to dry up, fall out and end up in someone’s foot even if you vacuum every single day. There are ways to keep a tree alive longer, but you won’t be able to do it for a full month so try to refrain from tree shopping until the date is a little bit closer. Another bad aspect about older trees is the branches become very brittle which could cause them to break under the pressure of some ornaments. This won’t just make the tree look bad, but it will also cause your ornaments to fall down and break. So, do yourself a favor and don’t waste money on a tree you’ll have to replace before the holiday because it might end up costing you a lot more than you bargained.
5. Homemade Ornaments
When it comes to ornaments it might be hard to refrain from spending a bundle. There are so many beautiful items on the market that we tend to want to follow trends and buy new things each year. Buying one or two new things tend not to hurt the budget too much, but there are many ways to actually cut down on ornament cost almost complety. Homemade ornaments are a great way to bring the family together for the season. You can easily string together homemade popcorn for a beautiful garland that you’d never be able to buy in a store. Another great way to make the tree personal is to add photos into the tree. If you don’t want to use prints from a photographer then print the photo out, cover it in mod podge for durability and add a ribbon to help keep it on the tree. You might also want to buy some empty ornaments, which are usually very cheap, and add pictures to those for a yearly ornament everyone will love. Another way to make it person is to find some of the kid’s old toys. As long as they are small they should make a great decoration that will allow your children to look back on their childhood.
6. Big Items
If you tend to fill your tree up with smaller items then you might notice you have to keep buying to make sure there are no sparce areas. Of course, a lot of the time this could also mean that your tree is going to look cluttered because of the items you put on it. One of the easiest ways to remedy this situation is to use larger items to decorate. Sure, these items can be more expensive at times, but a lot of them can easily be made by hand. For instance, a large ribbon or a cute banner is simple to make and will take up a lot of room on the tree without it seeming cluttered and unorganized. This can help you cut down on themed trees as well which is one of the best choices you can make financially.
7. Space Out Purchases
It might be hard to do, but you should avoid buying ornaments in bulk as much as possible. A good tree is easy to add onto each year so you don’t have spend hundreds of dollars on ornaments that you’ll probably be tired of before the year is over. Instead try picking out an ornament to represent the year that can be reused holiday after holiday. This will allow you to spend no more than $20 a year on ornaments and if you do end up buying something you can’t stand next season you won’t be out a whole lot of money. You might even find that you love looking back at the ornaments you chose throughout the years when you put up your tree each year.
8. Alternatives
Not everyone has enough space for a Christmas Tree. Sure, cramming the smallest tree in the lot into your living area might be your way of remedying the problem, but you might find there are a few alternatives that don’t leaving you feeling as cramped and save you some money. Anyone who lives in an apartment, especially on the higher floors may want to try drawing their own tree. To to get some butcher paper and marker and draw out the tree of your dreams. This will make a great bonding experience for your family and you can hold on to the trees throughout the year to see how they change as the family grows. You might also want to consider using a plant as a tree. There are many plants that actually look seasonal and will help bring the holiday environment without stealing yoru space. You might even want to grab a few ornaments for your plant, but make sure to go easy as you may end up with a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree if you aren’t careful.
9. Inspect Well
One of the biggest ways to save money on a holiday tree is to do a simple inspection. A lot of trees on the market might end up looking pretty rough before you actually get it to your home. Make sure you shake the tree a bit to check out the needles and walk around it to make sure there aren’t huge bare spots. If you do notice these things and there’s some time before Christmas then you may want to move on to another tree. Of course, the closer to Christmas it gets the more you’ll be able to haggle the price down if you notice these things. Most people don’t want to end up with a surplus of trees before the season is over so they may be willing to cut the price down substantially if they notice anything major is wrong with the tree. With a few days until Christmas your new tree should last long enough for the festivities.
10. After Holiday Sales
Of course, many people just can’t resist the temptations of buying a whole new set of ornaments. For this situation it might be best just to wait until the holiday are over. Generally as soon as Boxing Day is upon us all of these items will go in the clearance bin and you’ll reap some pretty amazing savings. It might also help you feel confident about next years decorating as you’ll have a bran new look to start the season off with. This can also take a huge burden off the holiday budget as next year you’ll have a new set so you won’t have to spend the budget on ornaments until the season is over and you’ve already bought all of your presents!
Christmas Trees provide a magical experience for the family, so don’t let the price tag make the fun go away. With these simple tricks you’ll be on your way to an award winning tree in no time at all. You might even find that this year’s holiday tree seems to have brought you and your loved ones closer together as you created decorations for its beauty.
