How to Save Money on Christmas Gifts

Whether the economy is good or bad, it is always wise to save money. If you have a lot of family & friends, the holidays can sometimes be overwhelming. Even though you might delight in giving freely, and unconditionally, trying budget your gift expenses can be a bad trip. One of my gifts to the universe is to share a few money saving gift ideas. I hope it helps, or sparks creative seeds to any one with money on their mind. Let's go over some ways on how to spend less money on Christmas gifts.

If you have family or friends over seas and you might not have enough money to ship them a gift. You can easily send them a video telegram. Visit YouTube.com; create an account so you can submit your own video. Get you and your family all dressed up, turn on the Christmas tree lights, and with a camcorder or web cam, and make a video for that special person, friend, or family. You can say how much you miss them and wish them a Merry Christmas and all that warm loving stuff. You are going to have to learn how to get that recording on your computer and convert it to the proper format file that is compatible with the video up loader on YouTube. If you feel that a video gram is not enough, send them a card first. For example, buy a Christmas card for your intended receiver. In the card write your usual greetings and whatever else you feel you have to say, and maybe on the bottom of the card or any were you want, add a URL link to the YouTube video. It might sound lame or cheesy, but I know my relatives in the Philippines would appreciate something like this, especially if your thousands of miles away.

Make your own Holiday grab bags. Go to Big Lot's or the 99 cents store and buy a bunch of those nice little gift bags. You can throw some candy in there, money, Chap Stick (cold weather), pair of warm gloves, movie tickets, cigarettes, pack of cheap lighters, a bottle of Summer's Eve, deodorant, pepper spray, and anything else your mind can possibly think of. Even throwing in a few $1 lottery scratchers can be exciting for the receiver, who knows, they might win a big prize.

Make your own chocolate gift basket. Go to an arts and crafts store and buy a gift basket, box, or bag. Make your own assortment of chocolate pretzels', chocolate on a stick, or any thing else you can make at home. All you have to do is melt chocolate, pour it in a mold that pertains to Christmas, for example, moldings of hearts, Christmas trees, stars, or boxes of presents. Then put it in the fridge to solidify. I believe you can buy home made chocolate kits at Wal-Mart, or any other store. You can also browse through the many ehow articles to learn how to make and create home made chocolate gift ideas.

Consider shopping at a thrift store for Christmas gifts. A lot of people don't realize the savings they can take advantage of when shopping at thrift stores. Thrift stores also have new home items and men's & women's clothing for less than half the original price. Sometimes you can find gifts for as cheap as a few bucks. It is always a good idea to do your research and try to find as many thrift stores around your area. Some thrift shops are cheaper than other's. The inventory also varies in different thrift stores too. Some may have mostly second hand items, while others seem to have more clothing, and some thrift shops have a wider selection of home items. Some home items you can find in thrift stores include dishes, silverware, Tupperware, cups, and decorations. A thrift shop called "Savers" have a huge clothing inventory which prices range from $2 to $10, depending on the condition and style. Goodwill also has thrift shops nationwide that carry home décor, books, and men's & women's clothing. If you have a bunch of items at home that is taking up space, try selling them by having a garage sale or donate them to thrift shops. Donating old clothes, toys, and home items will help a lot of people in need.