Christmas Deocrating: How to Decorate Without Breaking the Bank

Everyone loves a nicely decorated house at Christmastime, whether it is your own or one you go visit. However decorating can get expensive, especially in the economy that we currently have so you may be unsure of whether or not you really want to decorate. Never fear!! Here are a couple of handy and budget friendly tips to help decorate for the Christmas season.

1. Make Your Decorations-this is always a good idea; not only does it save you some money in the long run but also if you have children it is also a fun way to spend some time together by making these crafts together. There are many things you can make, such as Styrofoam ball snowmen or a Popsicle stick star. Whatever you decide this is helpful because you can usually buy these crafts in bulk so they will last you long past Christmas.

2. Buy in Bulk-speaking of bulk buying, you may want to consider this for some of your ornaments. While it is nice to buy the Hallmark Keepsake ornaments keep in mind that this can get very pricey very quickly. Whereas if you go to Hobby Lobby or some other craft store you can buy decent sized box of ornaments that will not only make your tree look beautiful but will save you some money in the long run.

3. Invest in Reusable Decorations-yes you may love the smell of a real pine tree. But think about all the work and money that goes into having a real one every year. You have to buy one, transport it to your house, and keep it watered so it doesn't dry out before the actual day of Christmas comes. Whereas if you by an artificial tree you can reuse it year after year and never have to pay more than the upfront price. Continuing that line of thought you may want to buy ornaments and decorations that can stand the test of time (icicles for example would not be on this list). That way you're not spending more and more money each year.

4. Go Easy on the Lights-everyone loves a nicely lit tree and house. However that money can add up when you look at your electric bill. So maybe put one strand on light on your porch or only two on your tree. That way you still have the lights you want but you don't have a large amount of strands all over your house burning up electricity.

5. Don't Let Lights Stay On-keeping in the vein of lights, don't let them burn all the time. Turn them on at dusk just to have them on for a while, whether it is the tree or outside and then turn them off before bed. I would recommend letting them stay on all night for the first few days before and after Christmas to get more into the spirit. That is another way of helping to conserve your electricity so you don't have a large electricity bill waiting for you at the end of season.

6. Less is More-you may be thinking that you only have to worry about lights and electricity bill stacking up. But if you're one of those people whose dream it is to have a small tree in every room with a different theme, as well as special placemats, couch slip covers, toilet covers....well you can see how that would eventually add up, right? When you get so into decorating that you go crazy that kind of thinking can really hit you hard in the pocket. Remember that in most places a little goes a long way so only worry about decorating your living room and possibly a few in your bathroom; those are the only two places people are going to be if you're entertaining for the holiday anyways.

7. Invest in Votive Candles-those little bit tea candles can go a long way in making your house look like Christmas. You can buy a large bag of these for not that much and set them in red and green candleholders to add to the colors of Christmas. That way you can still have the soft lights that one might associate with Christmas lights but don't have to worry about a large electricity bill.

8. Make Christmas out of the Everyday-do you collect an item that could be used as Christmas decorations such as angels or bells? If so you can set these out on mantels and shelves with a little bit of red and green colors around it to make them even more suitable for Christmas. Plus you're not spending any more money because you already have them.

9. Check out Dollar Stores-if you simply must have a large amount of decorations then try going to a dollar or discount store to get some of the decorations. If you're patient and you think ahead you can even wait for the after Christmas sales on decorations to get some really good deals. That way you can go crazy when it comes to decorating but not spend a lot of money.

10. Use Common Sense-only you really know how much you can or can't spend for Christmas just as well as only you know how much is too much for you and your budget. So use common sense about what decorations are necessary and what aren't. Is a life size snow globe absolutely necessary for your front yard? No, not really; if you want you could always put smaller and cheaper snow globes in your windowsill so people can still see them. You don't always have to go big when it comes to decorations remember that; anything you put up or show to celebrate Christmas will be appreciated by your, your family, and those who see them.

Hopefully this helps you when it comes to decorating budget smart for Christmas.