Gifts, Feasts, & Fun: A Parent’s Guide to Affordable Holiday Planning

Financial problems can negatively impact your mental health, creating stress that could potentially lead to anxiety, depression, or a variety of physical health issues. Take a deep breath and look at your budget, then take a look at your current expenses.

Your holiday budget might not change much from year to year, but the cost of things around you always will. If your income remains the same and you’re trying to figure out how to stretch your dollar a bit more this season, one of the ways to effectively manage your budget is to cut costs elsewhere.

Some of the easiest and most effective things to give up if you want to save money quickly include:

• Streaming services
• Delivery memberships
• Data storage
• Credit card interest payments
• Gym memberships

You might also consider changing your eating habits for a few weeks around the holiday season. Try eating out less often, and develop a strategy for budget grocery shopping, not only for normal family dinners, but for larger holiday meals. Yes, you can save money on food and still enjoy a traditional holiday feast with your family. Try tips like limiting processed and packaged foods, buying in bulk, embracing in-store deals and coupons, and getting creative in the kitchen to stretch what you have.

You can even cut costs on traveling if you’re not hosting holiday events yourself. Gas prices are high right now, but you can combat the pain at the pump by making sure your tire pressure is where it should be, driving slowly, keeping your car as light as possible, and trying to maintain a consistent speed on the road.

There’s no denying that the holidays are commercialized. Even Charlie Brown struggled with the idea. It can create a lot of pressure to buy expensive gifts, costly cuts of meat, and top-of-the-line decorations.

But if you’re trying to keep your holidays affordable, consider adopting new traditions that will save you money and can end up bringing everyone closer together.

When it comes to decorating, consider DIY ornaments for the tree. Let your kids get creative with their favorite craft supplies, or use modeling clay to let them make handprint ornaments that can be used as keepsakes for years. For outdoor decor, embrace what’s already around you. Utilize fragrant greenery, pine cones, and branches to create beautiful rustic displays for free.

When your kids are out of school, it can feel like the holiday season lasts for weeks. Thankfully, you can fill almost every day with something fun and magical, and you don’t have to dig into your wallet to do it. Some of the best low-cost activities to enjoy with your family include:

• Winter hikes
• Driving around the neighborhood to see lights
• Volunteering at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen
• Having a holiday movie night at home
• Making gingerbread houses

When you’re intentional with your time, you don’t have to worry about spending a lot of money. With the weight and stress off of your shoulders, you might even find that you enjoy these low-cost options more, and you and your kids will be able to stay more present in the memories you’re creating.

More from CafeMom: 20 Ways Moms Can Make the Holidays a Little More Magical

We all might want the Norman Rockwell holiday. But, at the end of the day, the beauty of those paintings is that they weren’t centered around expensive gifts, or even the lavishness of a meal. They were about people. This year, consider simplifying your holiday season by managing your expectations and keeping things realistic.

When you strip away tons of gifts and stop stressing about a big meal, you might find that you can enjoy more time with your family and slow down to embrace the “magic” of the holidays.

By taking away some of the (expensive) pressure, you can enjoy low-cost or no-cost options that might end up making your holidays even more special than before. So, start putting together your budget now, consider how you can cut costs and scale back, and embrace the idea of having a simplified holiday that still allows your family to have fun and enjoy every second. It’s easier than you might think.