I don’t know about you but during the holidays I have a difficult time saving money. The moment I make money it seems to slip right out of my hands. Between Christmas gifts and bills and then personal items I think that it’s understandable as to why so many of us experience not having much money during the holidays. However, wouldn’t it be nice to have some money after the holiday’s is over? I am sure that you’re asking now as to how that is possible.

Check out these 10 Unique Ways To Save Money During The Holidays:

10. Start Potty Training Your Cat Before The Holidays

Yes. You read that correctly. I am sure that was the last thing you expected to see. I know it even sounds completely crazy but if this is something that you can actually do then you will be amazed as to how much you save during the holidays on cat litter. Did you know that most people spend around $115 or more annually on just cat litter? If your cat lives to be 15 years old or older then you could end up spending over $1,600 on just litter. Imagine all it takes is just to potty train your cat and you’ll save yourself a lot of money not just during the holidays but throughout the years to come.

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9. Give Coupons as Gifts

Giving coupons as gifts might seem silly but in actual fact it can help a family out a great deal. It will take some time on your part to see what all the family might enjoy and what food items could be their favorite but if you give them coupons then this doesn’t cost you anything and yet at the same time it helps them out. Be sure to check out expiration date of each coupon and that it won’t expire until after you give it to them.

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Photo Source: momsneedtoknow.com

8. Dim your holiday lights

I am a big fan of Christmas lights. I love going into town and looking at all of them. However, if you leave those on without dimming them it can really cause your power bill to go up. One way to prevent it from going up is to dim your Christmas tree lights and outdoor lights at some point during the night. They don’t have to be dim all of the time but you can still save a lot of money dimming them each night for at least one hour or more. It can also be very romantic to have a Christmas tree with dim lights on.

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Photo Source: phys.org

7. Plan how much you’ll spend during the holidays ahead of time

Waiting until the last minute to do holiday shopping can make you go broke fast. I have been guilty of doing this myself. I thought I would save money on shopping at places online like eBay instead of going out but then the auctions go up higher around the holidays because everyone is looking for gifts. Plan how much money you have to spend then shop early instead of waiting until the last minute. This will help with making sure that you have enough money and don’t go in the red with your bank account.

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Photo Source: thisladyshouse.com

6. Make your own decorations this year

I am not into arts and crafts a lot but I know a lot of others who save money with simply making their own decorations. I also find that when you make your own decorations that it makes your house more special instead of going out and buying them. Decorations can end up costing you a lot of money if you aren’t careful. If you need a lot of decorations and if you are like me and not very good with arts and crafts, check out places like Goodwill and see if you can find some deals on them.

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Photo Source: thisladyshouse.com

5. Plan parties at your local church or school

If you go to church talk with your pastor about having a party at your church or either at school. This way everyone can simply just bring their own dish without you having to supply all of the food. You can even do secret Santa’s this way and it’ll be tons of fun. If you have a big yard at a church or school then see if you can plan a bonfire ahead of time. You’ll find a lot of people love bonfires and you can decide on if you want to roast hotdogs over the bonfire or marshmallows or both. Either way, it can be a great way to save money with roasting food over the bonfire.

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Photo Source: wikipedia.org

4. Have a Lighting Ceremony

I have been to a few lighting ceremonies and each one I just loved. They are beautiful. The best part is you don’t even have to have any food at a lighting ceremony. If you do decide to have some food you can just make it light snacks and not very expensive ones. Having holiday music playing in the background can really make this event even more special.
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Photo Source: albany.edu

3. Do your own greeting cards

Buying greeting cards makes it simple and easy but that can end up costing a lot of money fast. You might find deals on boxed greeting cards but still, at the end of the day you might end up spending $20 or more on those boxed cards. Why not make your own? I love getting personalized homemade greeting cards. It makes it more special when I know they took the extra time to make it themselves instead of getting a generic greeting card that they gave to everyone. You can also send them online by email to help you save money on stamps.

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Photo Source: .christmascards411.com

2. Find a part time job during the holidays but don’t spend it until after the holidays

Working during the holidays might not be possible for some people but if you are able to work during the holidays there are lots of places that hire just temporary part time help for the holidays only. This is a great way to make some on the side. If you do get a job during the holidays have a goal that you won’t spend that money until the holidays are over so that way you will have some money after the holidays.

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Photo Source: ledgerlink.monster.com

1. Throw a Fashion Swap Holiday Party

I don’t know if you have ever been to a fashion swap holiday party but it’s a great way for everyone to get new accessories or clothes. Call up your friends that might have clothes to give away and see about trading with one another. This way everyone saves money plus at the same you can clean up your house so you’re getting two deals in one. This is one of my favorite type of parties to attend during the holiday season.

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Photo Source: veganbeautyreview.com

Conclusion

The holiday season is suppose to be a lot of fun and not stressful. When you go into debt it from spending too much it can cause a great deal of stress. Prevent all of that from happening this year by just saving your money and still have fun.