6 Tips for a Thrifty Christmas

6 Tips for a Thrifty Christmas 6 Tips for a Thrifty Christmas If popular song is to be believed, Christmas is simultaneously the most wonderful time of the year and the season to be jolly (fa la la la la, la la la la). As such, you’ll probably be wanting to let loose and have a good time with friends and family. Doing this on a student budget isn’t easy though. One way to make sure you don’t get left out is doing a Grinch and stealing Christmas from everyone else. Before you start breaking and entering, however, it might be worth trying our tips for getting into the festive spirit without breaking the bank. 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Make a Budget It’s easy to get carried away over Christmas, so it’s important to set a budget and stick to it, including for cards, gifts, ornaments and food. If this doesn’t sound suitably festive, you can always try it while wearing tinsel and drinking egg nog. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Start Shopping Early It might be a bit late for this year by the time you read this, but if you start your Christmas shopping early you can save a lot of money. One good option is to have a â€Å"Christmas Cupboard† for storing any festive bargains you spot during the year. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Get Crafty If money is really tight, making your own gifts, ornaments and cards is a great alternative to splashing the cash. Again, this might require a little planning, but a handmade gift or card can be a unique way of proving that it really is the thought that counts. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Wrap Up Warm! Not strictly a Christmas-themed tip, but if you wrap up warm rather than blasting the central heating all day throughout the winter, you’ll save a fortune on your fuel bills! 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A Festive Feast (And Beyond) Yuletide wouldn’t be the same without eating so much you feel slightly unwell, but Christmas dinner can be expensive. Making your own treats will definitely help here, as it’s usually cheaper than buying them pre-made. Christmas dinner can even keep you fed beyond just Christmas day: using your leftovers cleverly is delicious and a good money saver. 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Memories, Not Materialism Despite all the bustling malls, shiny lights in shop windows and excitable commercials on TV, Christmas really should be about more than just money. Spending time with your friends and/or family costs nothing, providing memories that will last a lifetime (or far longer than it takes for your average Secret Santa present to be re-gifted at least).