With the holidays right around the corner, saving money can seem like an impossible task, especially with all of the Christmas gifts you have to buy. With endless holiday parties and gift-exchanges, the season can quickly drain your bank account. It really is amazing how much money you can spend this time of year, especially if you have a big family. Luckily, there are many ways you can save money this time of year as well as during the rest of the year. To help you keep your money (and cheer) this holiday season, here are four DIY projects that can help.
Make your own wrapping paper.
Buying, storing, and keeping up with wrapping paper every year can get expensive. Making your own wrapping paper is a fun, thrifty way to personalize your presents. Also, everyone will be super-impressed by how skilled and crafty you are! Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Snowflake wrapping paper: Use a piece of construction paper to layer snowflake patterns around a gift.
- Stamped wrapping paper: After wrapping a gift in a paper grocery bag, use household items to create stamp patterns. Consider using a pencil eraser to create a polka dot pattern on the gift. If you would like larger dots, carve your stamp into a potato and press it against the ink pad.
- Dotted wrapping paper: Wrap your gift in plain white paper. Place round, self-adhesive, color-coded labels all over the gift.
Use an online card maker.
Your card should be as unique as you are. With the right technology and an online card maker, you can easily make customized greeting cards from the comfort of your own home. With endless design options, programs like Adobe Spark allow users to make personalized cards in just minutes.
Make your own gifts.
Creating your own gifts is easier than you think. From a snow globe cookie jar for Dad to DIY bath bombs for Mom, the web is full of creative, inexpensive ideas for holiday gifts. All it takes is a little patience and a lot of creativity to bring these ideas to life.
Get creative with holiday decorations.
It does not take a fortune to go all-out on holiday decorations. Here are a few fun, cost-effective ideas to bring holiday cheer into your home:
- DIY Christmas tree: Whether you are missing a tree or just need to fill an empty wall, this simple craft will do just the trick. Use long strands of yarn to create a mini version of a tree on an empty wall. If you have children, enlist their help dressing the tree with paper-circle ornament cutouts.
- Make your own Advent calendar. This is a fun way to get your kids excited about the holidays. Start by drawing or painting numbers on small muslin craft bags. Fill each bag with goodies or notes and use festive ribbons to hang them on a wall or small ladder. Each day leading up to Christmas, allow the children to open a bag that corresponds with that day of the month.
- Deck out the entryway. If you have too many ornaments for your tree, consider putting the extras to work. After draping the entryway with green garland, use surplus ornaments to add bursts of color.
- Create a quick, easy centerpiece. Take your candy dish to the next level with this creative idea. Layer green, red, and white wrapped candies in a tall glass jar for a beautiful centerpiece.
Saving money during the holidays is easier than you think. These four simple projects can help your money go a little farther this season.
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