Decorating for the holidays can be a whole lot of fun for the entire family. Whether you’re working on the interior, exterior or both, holiday decorating is a tradition for most homes that like to celebrate the holidays. However, decorating doesn’t always come with a cheap price tag. Some decorations can cost a small fortune which definitely takes away from the holiday budget. You don’t have to stress over spending a lot of money on your decorations though. With these decorating tips you should be able to find a happy balance that allows you to show off your holiday spirit without stretching your budget too far. So, put on your coat, head outside and let the world know just how much you and your family love decorating for this season’s biggest holidays!
1. Hand-Me-Downs
If you’re just starting out then hand-me-downs are probably the easiest way to find decorations without having to spend your entire holiday budget on them. Chances are, someone you know has a lot of decorations they don’t use or are just willing to giveaway. A lot of people tend to buy holiday decorations every year, which means they’ve accumulated quite a few over time. So, don’t be afraid to ask around when you know someone is planning to get rid of some of their decorations. You may be asked to pay a small fee, but a lot of people are just happy to get them out of their storage area. A lot of people begin with their family though, particularly their parents. A lot of the time parents will offer their children decorations they grew up with, which will make the tradition even better. If you already have decorations but are getting tired of them then you may want to see if someone you know wants to swap with you. This will help you freshen up your collection without spending a penny!
2. Make Your Own
The best thing about the holidays is it’s the season to channel your inner DIY guru. Rather than going out and buying a lot of decorations you can spend a fraction of the price and make your own. This works for interior and exterior decorations too, so you can make your entire house look amazing with your fine expertise. One of the easiest things to do is turn your holiday cards into a special display. This will let the love from your friends and family shine. You can also make crafts with items you already have, such as, candy canes, wrapping paper, bows and ribbons. This will really cut down on the cost of crafting supplies while making sure the holiday vibe is apparent in the home. If you’re not sure what to make then look online for ideas. You can spend hours doing this if you’re not careful as there are so many ideas for holiday decorations. You could also watch a show or podcast, which are on frequently during this time of the year. Of course, your imagination may prove to be the best thing to channel when it comes to creating your decor!
3. Price Match
One of the biggest downers during the holidays is falling in love with a decoration and its price then finding out it’s totally sold out. You don’t have to despair on this for long though as many stores now offer price matching. This will allow you to take a sales ad, from a print ad or from the internet, and show it to a store to get the same exact price for the item that was sold out elsewhere. Of course, if you don’t like going from place to place shopping then price match will be your new best friend as you shop for decorations this year. If you find something you like simply do a quick search online to find the best deal. Then, when you check out you can do a price match for the item rather than paying more for it or wasting gas to go to the store with the cheapest price. Make sure the store you’re in does price matching though. Usually a sales clerk or customer service official will let you know, or you can look online before you even go shopping!
4. Go Natural
Instead of spending a lot of money on decor, try to give your home a more natural look for the holidays. One great way to do this is to use pine cones. Usually you can find lots of these outside, so have the kids do a scavenger hunt and bring in their favorites. Of course, you can also buy them cheaply in stores if you don’t have the right kind of trees in your area. With pinecones you can easily make a holiday wreath as well as centerpieces or scented pinecones to make the home smell great while guests are in town. Seasonal fruits also make great decorations for the mantle, or can be turned into a wreath. You may also want to consider bringing in a few thin branches from outside. With a little white glitter, fake snow and some pinecones you’ll have a piece that makes your mantle look outstanding. If you tend to live in an area with lots of snow then a snowman can be the perfect form of decor for outside. Of course, adding a Happy Holidays sign in front of it will make it seem even more festive. However, one of the easiest and most fun ways to use nature as your decor is to decorate an outdoor tree just as you would your Christmas tree! This is perfect for families and will give kids something to look forward to each year.
5. Use What You Have
A lot of the time we have plenty of holiday decor to go around, but often just want to keep up with fashions or the children’s interests. This can be a waste of money and hurts your holiday budget substantially. Instead of going out and buying new stuff you should stick to what you already have. Sure, sometimes you can get sick of the same look over and over, but it’s not a reason to go out and buy an entirely new set of decorations. Instead, try to give the stuff you have a little makeover. You can repaint a lot of your decor to give it new life. Also, adding glitter and other unique things to a piece can transform it entirely. So, get crafty with the items you already have instead of replacing them. After all, you’ve already made lots of memories with the decor you have, so why let it go to waste in your storage area?
6. Skip the Electric Stuff
Sure, we all want to light up the neighbor and have the best decorations, but when you’re on a budget this isn’t always an option. Even if you already own a wide selection of lights, inflatables and other decor that requires electricity these items can really blow your power bill through the roof. Rather than using these try to keep it light when it comes to exterior designs. Signs, wreaths and figures that don’t light up are always a safe bet. You don’t have to have electrical pieces to make your home stand out. In fact these items are beloved in the day, which is when most people will see your house anyway! If you absolutely don’t want to skip out on your bright exhibit then look for solar powered items to help cut down on the bill. These items can be found at a fair price and won’t cost you anything once you walk out of the store with them!
7. Hold Onto the Packaging
When the holidays are over and it’s time to pack up the decor you’ll be glad you saved the original packaging. However, your joy will only magnify when you pull out your holiday ornaments next year and don’t have to spend hours untangling them! Keeping the original packaging can be amazing for preserving your items so you can use them year after year. This alone will save you a whole lot of money during the holidays, which will make your budget flourish. When it comes to stringed lighting, which easily can short out if not stored properly, the original box will help keep the lights working years longer! You also won’t have to see the kids upset that their favorite ornament didn’t make it through the off season due to insecure storage. Saving the packaging also prevents you from having to buy holiday packaging boxes which can be pretty expensive!
8. Shop Thrift/Dollar Stores
If you love adding a new decor item to your collection every year then you may want to shop at thrift stores. These stores will sell you a second hand item that could make your collection even more amazing. Better yet, a lot of thrift stores will also have vintage items that can transform your holiday experience. Dollar stores are also a great option, especially when it comes to interior decorations. You can often get window cling ons at a great price as well as small figurines or wall art! With the prices so low you can afford to go all out on your decor without feeling guilty!
9. Use Coupons
Of course, when it comes to holiday shopping for decorations, nothing will help you out quite like shopping with a coupon. Luckily, there’s a lot of coupons for these items that can be found on the internet as well as sales ads. You may also have some luck finding decor items when there’s a store wide sale, or an open sales code for online purchases. These are usually very easy to find when it comes to crafting stores so you may want to try your luck here first. You may also want to subscribe to your favorite stores email lists in order to receive special member codes that can help you save a whole lot more on your purchases without forcing you to wait for a coupon or sales ad to be released!
10. Clearance
The clearance bin is probably one of the best places to start your holiday decor shopping. A lot of the items that make the bin tend to be from the previous holiday which means they’re not entirely out of fashion or may be from a movie or cartoon that your child still loves. Some of the items that make it into the bin are slightly damaged, but with a little TLC you can have an even better masterpiece at a price you won’t want to cry over. Of course, when it comes to clearance shopping, one of the best things you can do is wait until the holiday is over. This won’t help you for this holiday season; however, the day after the holiday has passed you can easily pick up everything you had your eye on for a mere fraction of the price. If you wait a few weeks the prices may get lower and lower, especially if you’re shopping online. You can wait and shop in the months of August through October to check out some of the clearance holiday buys as they will still be a low price and you’ll have them in time for the holiday season!
Decorating for the holidays should be an entirely merry experience, so don’t let finances change your mind about this bonding experience. With these ten simple steps to back you up during your holiday shopping and decorating you should be able to have lots of fun with your home without sending your budget into the red zone. So, stop stressing about the money aspect of the holidays and enjoy spending the time decorating with the family thanks to your frugal budgeting skills!
