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Recession times bring out the frugal side of people, some from necessity and others from the reminder of how fragile the economy is. As Christmas grows closer and financial times continue to be tough, a review of the family budget is needed to determine how much cash flow is available for Christmas gifts. Regardless of the amount of funds available, simple gifts are often the most treasured and can help when considering giving Christmas gifts within a budget. Each step contained on this page offers a tip to reduce gift costs, find inexpensive ways of making gifts, or reducing the number of gifts.This guide page provides information on how to give Christmas gifts on a budget.
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Make Your Own Budget Gifts
Excellent video showing how to assemble a gift in a jar for Eggnog Cherry Quick Bread. Jar gifts make great presents for anyone on the list and are inexpensive to assemble. The video continues on to show the Quick Bread being made.
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Step 1: Establish a Budget and Review the Gift List
The initial step in gift buying on a budget is determining the spending limit. Once the limit is in place, review the list of gift recipients and determine the order of importance. If the budget is very small, the number of recipients may need to be reduced. Consider reducing number of gifts to buy using these ideas:- Agree with other adult family members to buy for children only
- Pool funds with siblings for parent gifts
- Draw names among extended family for gift exchanges
Step 2: Reduce Gift Cost by Making Items
Choosing gifts which can be handmade may reduce the gift giving budget. This is especially true when some of the materials for the item can be spread over multiple gifts and for those where materials are already on hand. For gift givers who sew, consider handmade gifts from fabric already on hand to eliminate additional expenditures.Step 3: Food Christmas Gifts on a Budget
Food gifts can be given economically and help reduce the total Christmas budget. For a favorite hot meal, consider making a decorated coupon for the meal and package it with some of the non-perishable items. A coupon with a picture of the recipient and the giver will make a great memory keeper. Tape the recipe to the back of the photo with a note for the recipient to choose the date to enjoy the special meal together. For another food gift on a budget, follow the instructions in Step 4 for a gift in a jar.Step 4: Gift in a Jar Ideas
Jar gifts are one of the easiest homemade gift ideas. Quart jars make the perfect holder for these. The quart jar doesn’t have to be new. It can be a jar saved from spaghetti sauce, or a previous mason jar from a canned food. Make sure the jar is clean and dry before you begin the project.Jar recipes are plentiful. Choose one or more for the names on your gift list. Some ideas to choose from include:
- Soup Mixes in a Jar
- Brownie Mixes in Jar
- Jar Muffin Mix
- Jar Dip Mixes
The idea behind gifts in a jar is to layer the dry ingredients to make a nice presentation and along with the recipe attached to a decorated jar. The decorations can be simple fabric cover to the lid, or have the children decorate the jar with stickers or paint. For multiple recipients on the list, consider buying the items to make your chosen jar mix in bulk to lower the cost.
Step 5: Make a Rice Heating Pad Gifts
Homemade rice heating pads are great inexpensive gift ideas. They can be as simple as filling a white cotton sock with rice and tying off with a hair band or bow. Or they can be hand made as a neck heat wrap by using a long rectangle piece of fabric and sewing three sides together. Turn the heat pack right side out, fill with rice and stitch the fourth side. These microwave heat packs can be filled with rice, beans, oats, flaxseed or rock salt. A flavored tea bag can be added for fragrance. Other herbs can be used to make the gift an aromatherapy rice heating pad but check to see if the item burns when microwaving before adding to the pack.Resources Powered by Google
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The best Christmas gifts don't come with hundred-dollar price tags. Here are some frugal Christmas present ideas.familyfinances.suite101.com -
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It's a struggle for many to afford Christmas presents for family and friends. Here's some ideas for low-cost gifts: * Make a book of vouchers. This would have to be theminti.com -
63 Gift Ideas for Under $10 - Cheap and Frugal Christmas Gifts
63 Gift Ideas for Under $10 - Cheap and Frugal Christmas Giftsbetterbudgeting.com
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