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| 18
ways to save money during the holidays | | |
| 7. Don't
overlook the value of intangibles. Do you want to give someone a gift but
don't have the money? If you're already baking cookies for your family, making
an extra batch as a present for a neighbor is fairly economical. Want to help
a friend who's got a lot on her plate? Offer to baby-sit, walk the dog or take
an elderly relative for an outing. The cost is next to nothing, but the gift is
priceless.
8. Send e-cards. They're
free, don't require postage and no one has to wash their hands after opening them.
Some even play music, making them a fun, free way to catch up with far-flung friends
and family.
9. Just say "no" to
toy lust. If your kids still believe in Santa, help them
draft real-world wish lists. In the post-Santa years, set some financial
boundaries, and give them some choices. "The child still gets
a chance to choose," says Gorkin. "But you help the child
remember there are still real limits."
10. Look for meaning over glitz.
"Especially when you get into your 40s and you've got everything
you need, words and gestures mean more," says Rachel Ashwell,
author of "The Shabby Chic Gift of Giving." A thoughtful
gift can be anything as simple as a set of dice (message: life's
a gamble) to a few beautiful bottles collected for minimum cost
at various flea markets or antique marts, Ashwell says.
11.
Shop prices, not sales. "You're going to see sale signs everywhere,"
says Howard. "Unless you know the relative value, don't be fooled. Just because
it's on sale doesn't mean it's a bargain." 12.
Give to charities. "Especially with what's going on in the world now,
I think it would be equally appropriate to make a donation to a charity in the
name of people for whom you would have provided a gift, instead of giving them
something they don't want or need," says Edelman. "You'll spend less,
you'll get a tax deduction for it, and you'll restore the true meaning of Christmas."
13. Buy last year's model. Buying
for the baby in your life? At the end of the year, manufacturers
are already pushing next year's strollers, furniture and car seats,
so this year's merchandise is available for up to 30 percent to
40 percent off, according to Alan Fields, who, with wife Denise,
wrote "Baby Bargains: Secrets to Saving 20% to 50% on Baby
Furniture, Equipment, Clothes, Toys, Maternity Wear, and Much, Much
More." "Invariably the main difference is a simple fabric
color," says Fields. "And no one can tell the difference."
That thinking applies to other types of gifts, too.
14.
Use gift registries. "[These] have really blossomed over the last
year or so," says Fields. One caveat: Check the return policy at the store
before you sign up. At one store in particular, "if you don't have a gift
receipt and the gift costs more than $75, you can't return it," says Fields.
As a giver, always get a gift receipt, which doesn't show how much you paid, only
where you purchased the item. As the giftee, check return policies before using
a store registry. |
