Holiday shopping can be really stressful. It’s even harder when you are on a budget. It may seem daunting, but it’s actually easy to save money on holiday shopping. Here are a few ways to give great gifts without breaking the bank.

One way to keep expenses down during holiday shopping is to set a cap on how much you will spend on each gift. Figure out how much money you can spend on your holiday shopping, then take a look at how many people are on your shopping list. From there, set a limit on how much you can spend for each person. You can decide to spend a bit more on the kids and opt for cheaper gifts for friends. Maybe you get your kids a nice new toy, and your friends some inexpensive gift cards, or a container of nice smelling soap. You may be worried about letting your friends down if you typically get them nicer gifts. But after the pandemic we’ve had, I’m sure your friends will understand the need to save money.

Another way to cut back on spending is to limit how many people you will get gifts for. If you’re the kind of person who likes to get gifts for everyone, think about cutting back a bit. It’s much simpler to get gifts for a few close friends and family than everyone you know. And you really only want to give gifts to those that will really appreciate the thought behind it. Instead of getting gifts for all of those people, just send out holiday cards. I love Basic Invite’s custom photo christmas card collection. Take a look at their affordable cards, I’m sure you’ll love them.

A final way to save money while holiday shopping is to make gifts for everyone. You can make holiday wreaths for your friends, or quilts for your kids. Even if you don’t consider yourself crafty, there are dozens of easy, cheap tutorials online for all kinds of projects. You’ll find something within your ability and budget to make for everyone on your list. Try a no-sew quilt, a cocoa powder mix, or assemble gingerbread house kits. Whatever you decide to make, you’ll impress all your friends and family.

Whether you chose to make gifts, send out holiday cards instead of gifts, or set a careful budget on your holiday shopping, I hope you’re able to save money this year. Happy holidays and happy gifting!