10 Frugal Holiday Hacks to Help You Save Money

Top 10 Frugal Holiday Hacks 

The holiday season is on its way! Every year I see tons of posts about the latest holiday decor you can buy or this serving platter you just have to have! It can be overwhelming, and feel a bit yucky to be forking over our hard-earned dollars each season in the quest for Christmas perfection. 

So this year, I am trying something a little different. Instead of buying yet another holiday decoration or going to 23 different costly events, I’m simplifying. This is the year of less excess and really savoring the season. I’m sharing ten frugal holiday hacks to keep you on budget while still making memories with your family. 

Why Spend Less?

The obvious answer is to save some money. The less obvious answer is to show my kid that Christmas doesn’t mean spending everything you’ve got on flashy new gadgets. I want him to enjoy how special the holiday season is and focus on experiences without spending. 

10 Frugal Holiday Hacks

With these frugal holiday hacks, keep in mind that I’m not telling you that you cant take your family to that special holiday event that costs some dough. I’m saying prioritize the important things and let go of the rest. You don’t need to do it all to make this Christmas season magical for your little one. 

Buy Second Hand

You can find some truly awesome stuff on Facebook marketplace or at second hand shops. Take your time and be sure to only get what you truly love. This frugal holiday hack is so great because you can find things that are vintage, or at least not exactly the same as every other trendy Christmas decoration trend.

Buy Lasting Décor

If you are buying new, be sure that you’re buying quality pieces that will last for years. You’re going to spend more money replacing stuff every year. While you may spend more money up front, it will last for multiple seasons. 

For example, you can hit up the dollar store and get a cheap wreath for your front door for $20, but chances are, it won’t last more than a season or two. If you spend a bit more on a better quality wreath (let’s say $70), you can probably get 3-5 years out of it. That’s $20 x 5 years = $100, or $70 x 5 = $70. In the long run, you saved yourself some cash.  

Don’t Make Everything

Choose 1-3 cookies or 2 sides to make and let that be the end of it. You don’t have to make 12 different kinds of Christmas cookies to be loved or helpful. By making fewer types of cookies, you can get a bulk amount of ingredients. The more recipes you make, the more one-off ingredients you’re going to have to buy, which can really add up. 

Limit Your Commitments

Don’t try to do it all. You’ll get burnt out and be unable to enjoy the season with your family. Choose 1-2 events per week (or whatever feels comfortable to you) and let go of the rest. Everyone understands how busy the holiday season is, and I promise you, they do not care that you couldn’t attend that third ornament decorating party. 

Try Secret Santa for the Adults

A great frugal holiday hack is to not buy gifts for everyone! Instead, put all of the adult’s names in a hat and have everyone draw a name. They can focus on buying one super special gift for their chosen family member. If there are kiddos in your family, people can buy whatever they feel comfortable with for the Little’s and save some dough on the adults. 

Create Simpler Traditions 

Instead of throwing a huge Christmas bash and visiting three different (expensive) events, create simpler holiday traditions. Visit a Christmas parade, bake cookies at home, and watch a favorite holiday movie. The holidays don’t have to be expensive, and the memories are much more important in my opinion.

Spend a Night Looking at Christmas Lights

While there are now some places where you can pay to drive through light shows, there are so many FREE neighborhoods to drive through. Christmas lights can be so magical. Save yourself some dough and try this frugal holiday hack. 

In fact, in some areas, they have a website or social media page dedicated to letting you know where light displays are. Check your local area to see if you can find one!

Rotate Hosting Duties

When you always host holiday events, you always foot the bill. By rotating hosting duties, you can share some of those costs. Do Christmas dinner at a different family member’s house each year, or split multiple events in the same season. Let your sister throw the Halloween bash, your brother can host Thanksgiving, and you can tackle Christmas. 

Travel Off-Date

If you are traveling to see family for the holidays, try to travel outside of peak times. If Christmas falls on a Wednesday, the weekends before and after are going to be the busiest. Try traveling on the 23 and/or the 27. 

My cousin’s husband is a firefighter, which means it is rare that he is off on any actual holiday. They tend to do their celebrations before or after, which means they can occasionally snag deals on gifts or decor. 

Stock up on Supplies After the Holiday

You know those sales you see after New Years? Those are a great time to grab discounted wrapping paper, gift bags, and holiday decor. 

In fact, some of my favorite Christmas decorations were gotten after the holiday. I just pick them away until the following year and it’s like a little present to me!

What are your favorite frugal holiday hacks? Let me know in the comments below. You can also check out my post on 25 Christmas Traditions for even more inspiration. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season with your family!