4 Free Holiday Hacks for Budget-Friendly Holiday Celebrations

From New Year's Eve parties to gifts and holiday family meals, there are easy ways to save money on everything you need this holiday season. Learn about saving money during the holidays with these easy tips.

1. Craft your own décor

You can decorate your space in a unique and attention-grabbing way when you craft your own décor. For decorations that support frugal holiday budgeting, try:

• Crafting macramé for wall hangers, string garlands, mini tree decorations, and wreaths
• Winding tinsel around wire letters or adding it to the bottom of clear jars
• Using recycled items like vintage lace pieces, old doilies, sprayed pinecones, and magazine cut-outs to create a garland

You can also use the fabric from old clothes and sweaters to create wall pieces with embroidery hoops and ribbons. Look up crafting recipes to find ones that feature items you already have on hand to decorate and save.

2. Shop what’s in-season

When you’re planning big holiday meals and get-togethers, you can save money on groceries by shopping for ingredients that are in season. Since in-season ingredients are more plentiful, they’re also cheaper.

For December and January, in-season ingredients include:

• Apples
• Avocados
• Collard greens
• Leeks
• Bananas
• Beets
• Kale
• Parsnips
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Celery
• Grapefruit
• Herbs
• Kiwifruit
• Lemons
• Rutabagas
• Limes
• Swiss chard
• Onions
• Oranges
• Pears
• Potatoes
• Pumpkin
• Sweet potatoes and yams
• Pineapples
• Turnips
• Winter squash

Look up recipes that feature these ingredients, and make those your go-tos for extra savings. For inspiration, check out some holiday vegetarian and vegan meal ideas that star in-season produce.

3. Get gifts for less

The holidays are a season for giving, and you can join in the fun without spending a ton. We recommend:

• Making your own holiday gifts: Make candles, bottle homemade family recipes, create polymer clay jewelry, or whip up body scrubs.
• Looking for sales and using coupons: Plan your shopping around sales days. Cut out coupons for when you’re ready to buy.
• Upcycling thrift store items: Add a personal touch, like a fresh coat of paint, to something you find at a thrift store.

You can also make a charitable donation on someone’s behalf, which is a great gift to the recipient and helps someone else in the process.

4. Plan free entertainment

When you want to get together with loved ones and bond, think about totally free ideas, like:

• Board game night
• Movie marathon
• Snowball fight
• Forest hike
• Volunteering together
• Nature walk
• Puzzles
• Free museum visits
• No-cost community concerts and art events

Check your local newspaper to find free events in your area if you want to go out. Or, look at games and entertainment you already have at home, and invite people over.

Strategize to save

A little planning can go a long way in terms of saving. Since holiday parties, meals, and family get-togethers can be a little overwhelming, write out what you want to do and what you need to make it happen. Then, look for coupons and sales to save on the materials you need.

Want free coupons delivered to your door? Visit our coupon book finder to see if you can get coupons in your area.