Surviving the Holidays During the Recession

Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas can be costly holidays. With the economy in a recession and the prices of products constantly going up it can put a drain on our wallets and finances. Surviving the holidays while in a recession can be done with a few helpful tips.

Surviving Halloween During the Recession-

Costumes and candy are the main ingredients for a Halloween celebration. To survive this holiday without putting a strain on your wallet consider exchanging costumes with other parents. A general meeting place for parents is the bus stop. Ask other moms or dads what their child wants to be for Halloween then see if someone already had that costume from the year before. Most costumes run in a 4 size span so costumes from last year will still fit the next year. Not only does this save money on buying a Halloween costume but it can also help some parents clean out their closets.

Save money on Halloween candy by buying in bulk. Small bags of candy can run from $1.99 to $4 and buying several small bags to fill up the Halloween candy bowl can cost a pretty penny. Large and extra large bulk bags of mixed candy can cost between $5 and $7 and are the equivalent of 4 small bags of candy. Buying a large bag can save you money when the trick or treater's show up at your door.

Surviving Thanksgiving During the Recession-

A time for food and thanks, Thanksgiving draws family and friends together in a way like no other holiday. The main cost of Thanksgiving is food. To save money on Thanksgiving consider shopping early. Planning your food list early and shopping while products are on sale is a good way to save money when Thanksgiving rolls around. Another idea to consider is to have everyone bring a dish for a pot luck Thanksgiving. Ask each family member to bring a casserole, bread or biscuits, pie or side dish so that all you will be responsible for is the turkey or other main dish.

Check to see if your local grocery store has a dinner special going on too. Many stores will have specials such as buy a turkey get the fixin's for free. A local grocery store in Blakelee, PA, AHART's often does this for weekly specials but also for holidays. When you buy a turkey you could get a bag of potatoes, a side of biscuits and a vegetable side or another combination that the grocery store comes up with.

Surviving Christmas During the Recession-

Christmas is one of the biggest commercialized holidays in the world. To save money this Christmas season start shopping early and look in the places you would least expect to find deals. Shop on eBay for new products to get Christmas presents at auction prices. Consider finding books on sale for family and friends through Amazon and other book discount stores like abebooks.com and alibris.com.

Another way to save money during the Christmas season during the recession is to craft your own presents for your family and make your own holiday decorations with stuff you already have. String popcorn for your Christmas tree garnish and use paper plates and aluminum foil to make angel decorations for the tree or get creative with empty soda cans and other recyclable materials.

You can survive the holidays during the recession and the tips are easy to do so you will save money every holiday season not just the one during recession years.