Money Saving Christmas

It is so hard at this time of the year to go into a store and come out without buying something. When decorating your home there are many very nice things in the store to buy. However, when you are a young homeowner you need to purchase things slowly and over time in order to save money. Sometimes that leaves part of your house looking somewhat bare over the holidays. Here are a few ideas to decorate for the holidays without leaving your bank account empty.

1. Take old pictures/displays off of your wall and replace with another hanging just for the holidays. You can wrap a frame with Christmas themed wrapping paper or you can take an old Christmas card and frame it. Either way a new piece of art keeps things fresh and adds visual interest to your walls.

2. Put pine cones everywhere. Leave them plain or spray paint the ends of them white. Put them in a small vase or a bowl and display in various rooms of your house. Place them in your tree as a ornament.

3. Speaking of ornaments.....if your tree is looking bare but you don't have the money for store bought ornaments take the Christmas cards that you are receiving and display them on your tree. It makes the tree look very festive and you are still displaying those thoughtful cards.

Mine and Ryan's Christmas cards on display on our tree.

4. Do you have a friend who has a Christmas decoration that you love? Ask to switch! Switch one of your decorations with one from a friend. Adding something different to your home will help keep it from getting boring year after year.

5. Dollar store ornaments balls are great! Those colored glass ornaments can go anywhere! Stick them in a bowl or vase for a festive, colorful centre piece or sting them together and fasten above a window.

I found these at the dollar store for $2.00. I usually keep sea shells in this vase but for the holidays exchanged them for these ornaments.

6. Store bought flower arrangements are very pricey! Instead make your own arrangement using evergreen branches and adding a couple of fake flowers from the dollar store. It takes some work but the evergreen sent will even make your home smell like Christmas.

7. Do you have a Santa hat? Display it on your coat rack to make it look like Santa left it behind by accident.

Hope Santa remembers to pick up his hat at my house this year

:-)

8. Shop after the holidays. You don't need to head out on boxing day to grab those great deals. The week after Christmas stores are still stocked with great items that are 50%-80% marked down! My personal favorite...Micheal's craft store. They make the crafts there but after the holidays everything must go!

9. Finally, be creative! Get together with friends or family and make a Christmas craft together. (shout out craft night ladies!)Go to the dollar store for inexpensive staples (candles and gift wrap) and always keep an eye open at summer garage sales for some great finds that will look great in your home!

xo