| |
| 18
ways to save money during the holidays | | |
|
15. Shop for weddings at Christmas.
Even if your big day is a year away, holidays are a great time to
get a deal on bridal gowns and bridesmaids' dresses. "This
is the slowest time of the year for bridal apparel shops,"
says Fields, who also co-authored "Bridal Bargains: Secrets
to Throwing a Fantastic Wedding on a Realistic Budget." "No
one goes shopping for wedding dresses in November or December."
16. Get married during the
holidays. Shopping for a wedding date? December offers some pluses in the
budget department. "Most churches are already decorated for Christmas, which
means you get to save a lot on flowers," says Fields, who estimates that
couples can cut at least $500 from their budgets by planning Yuletide nuptials.
The downside: because of holiday parties, many caterers, bands and DJs are booked
for the season, which means it's not a great time to plan a huge event. But if
you have your heart set on an intimate gathering, you can have the wedding of
your dreams and a nice nest egg to start your new life together.
17. Take a vacation. Resorts
and cruise ships are hurting for business, says Edward Hasbrouck,
author of "The Practical Nomad: How to Travel Around the World,"
which makes this a great time for a luxury getaway. "They've
paid for the hotel [rooms], and that's a cost they're stuck with,"
says Hasbrouck. "Similarly cruise lines are in particularly
bad shape."
"If you want
to get away, you will see all kinds of hotels offering truly unprecedented bargains,"
says Hasbrouck. "For not much, if anything, more than Motel 6 prices you
can have a much nicer hotel. This will make it quite tempting to get away over
the holidays." But shop around. The same room at the
same hotel can fetch vastly different prices depending on how it is booked. Look
up the hotel online, through a broker and through the hotel chain's Web site;
chances are the prices will be different, and you might need the special codes
listed on those sites to get the deal, according to Howard. "What
I like for people to do with hotels is try various online search sites, then call
the hotel directly and call central reservations," says Howard. "No
matter what price is quoted, act shocked. Say, 'Don't you have anything better
than that?'" Just like hotels, rental car companies are hurting for business
and offering some good deals -- daily rates for less than $20, according to Howard
-- so do your homework. 18. Remember
the reason for the season. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or
Kwanzaa, keeping the holiday's spiritual message front and center is a good antidote
to the holiday gimmes. "Instead of spending weekends leading up to Christmas
in the mall, it would be a lot better gift to spend your time with your family,"
says Howard. Dana Dratch is a freelance writer
based in Atlanta. |
