The holiday season has arrived, which means it’s time to start decorating your gingerbread house. Although gingerbread houses aren’t the most expensive decoration during this season, it never hurts to save wherever you can as budgeting is more strained during this year. These ten tips will help you to create the gingerbread house of your dreams while keeping the price tag low. Some of the tips may even help you to earn a little back from all of your hard work. So, get ready to have a blast decorating after checking out these frugal tips.

1. Make Your Own Gingerbread
One of the easiest ways to save money on your gingerbread house is to make your own gingerbread. Although purchasing dough isn’t expensive, you can make large batches for less when you create the cookie at home. Plus, this will allow you to cater the flavor to your own taste buds. If you tend to bake a lot, you will probably already have a lot of the ingredients on hand, which is great for saving money. There are lots of recipes online if you don’t already have one you love, which can help you explore different options to choose what works best for you.

2. Utilize the Glue Gun
Let’s face it, the icing you make probably isn’t going to do the job when it comes to securing your gingerbread house. A glue gun can work wonders on the gingerbread house. You should definitely use it to secure the sides and the roof of the house. Of course, the areas that you glue are not edible, so you’ll have to cut out the pieces that are edible when it is time to eat the house. However, this is especially helpful for competition pieces. If you’re just creating the house for décor then you might consider gluing on the candies and other décor to ensure your piece stands up throughout the entire season.

3. Get Fancy with the Icing
If you’re hoping to make your gingerbread house really pop without spending a fortune, then one of the best things you can do is focus on your icing. You can make the concrete icing you need at home with the countless recipes that can be found online. One of the first things to consider when working with your icing is the colors you will use. Of course, white tends to be the most common option because it looks like snow. However, you can do multiple colors to really make the house pop. This can represent grass, stained glass windows, light coming from classic windows, and so much more. You can also go all out by adding glitter to the icing, which will really make the snow on your gingerbread house glisten. There is edible glitter on the market, so make sure to invest in this if your house will be eaten.

4. Use Old Candy
If you still have Halloween candy laying around or even treats that were gifted to you and left uneaten, then you should always go with these options before buying new candy. Not only will this prevent waste but it will save you money on the supplies you need for your house. You can even plan around the candy you can make sure your design flows perfectly. If you do end up purchasing candy, then you can always save the leftovers for the following year. Most hard candies have a long shelf life and if you don’t plan on eating the gingerbread house, then having them on hand will definitely prove to be beneficial.

5. Embrace Cardboard
If gingerbread is a little too much to handle, then you can always change things up by using cardboard instead. This is a little easier to work with and will give you more freedom to show off your creativity. You can approach a gingerbread house made of cardboard in a variety of different ways, which will allow you to utilize materials you have at home including paint, markers, pipe cleaners, and so much more. Of course, you can still utilize candy if you choose. If you don’t want to use the cardboard for the actual design then you can still create cardboard characters, which will add to the fun. You can even use these characters to create a theme, which will make children feel pleased.

6. Use Free Printouts
If you’re planning on working on your gingerbread from scratch, then it might be comforting to know there are templates you can print out to help you form the gingerbread house that you desire. You’ll find a wide assortment of templates to choose from, so you’ll definitely want to browse around before you get started. Having a template ready to go will allow you to work with ease, which can save on the stress. This is especially great when it comes to the main walls and roof of the home, as you’ll want to make sure these items stick together.

7. Alternative Foods
There is no rule that you have to stick with gingerbread for this craft. In fact, if you don’t like gingerbread or you don’t want to spend a lot of money on the craft, then you can definitely use items you already have lying around the home. For instance, you can make a really cute log cabin using pretzel sticks. You can also use graham crackers to create a basic house, which is a great craft for kids. Other than that, you can use items like ice cream cones, rice crispies, and so on to create more shapely houses that will inspire your imagination.

8. Bring in the Toys
Your gingerbread house can be themed however you desire it to be, which is why bringing in toys to help you out is always a great idea. Your children’s toys can be set up to create a theme that will make them love their home all the more. If you don’t want to use toys, then purchasing birthday cake toppers can also help create the magic that you’re after. You can also use the toys for your children after you take your gingerbread house down for the year.

9. Watch Sales
It isn’t always the most frugal option to make your gingerbread house from scratch. There are some great kits that can help you get everything you need while saving you money. However, if you really want to cut back on the costs then you might consider waiting until closer to the holidays. This will allow you to pick up a kit at a reduced price, as retailers will want to sell as many as possible. With all of the savings on your kit, you may even be able to purchase a few extra pieces so you can make your gingerbread house unique.

10. Enter Competitions
Of course, saving money on your gingerbread house is important, but you may also be able to earn a little money from it as well. If you are proud of your gingerbread house, then you might consider entering it into a competition. You’ll find that there are many levels of competition that you can try to win. There are local competitions, which you’ll have to learn about from community boards and other resources. There are statewide and nationwide competitions, as well as competitions hosted by shows and magazines. So, look around and find a competition that speaks to you. You may take home a prize this year.

Building a gingerbread house can be a great tradition to enjoy with the whole family. These tips will help you to save money as you create the perfect gingerbread house for your household. This will allow you to worry less about what you’re spending and enjoy the creative process of constructing a gingerbread house.