Posts Tagged ‘kids and teens’

This Christmas many parents will be looking for ways to save money as they do their holiday shopping. This can be a daunting task when you also have to balance this need with the desire to not disappoint your kids on Christmas day. It may seem impossible to have the best of both worlds but there are things you can do to make it happen. Here are some simple things you can do that will make the season a success for your household even on a reduced income. With these tips you will be sure to find a way to make the Holidays something really special for your kids.

Have a plan. While we know that even the best plans can have set backs planning how you will gather resources for holiday shopping and how you will spend it is a powerful first step. Like any good plan worth its salt, make sure to have back up plans in case things go wrong. Also make sure that you start a budget. See what you can reasonably spare and start a program of saving. You will find yourself with greater confidence and peace of mind that can raise your spirits this Christmas.

Look for ways to earn the extra money for the Holidays. Unlike looking for a regular job there should be small things or one shot jobs you can look for that will help add that extra money to your holiday savings. It can even be doing some freelancing from home. Some reliable places to go for jobs that can earn you extra money at home is elance.com or odesk.com. If your are reasonably good with a computer then you can earn some extra cash that will not only help with holiday expenses but others that come up during the rest of the year. Of course also look to more run of the mill options like selling any stuff you are not using in a yard sale or on eBay.

Try to cut cost for decorations for Christmas decorations by doing it yourself. This not only frees up more money for presents but it can also be a new holiday activity to keep the family engaged. There is nothing more satisfying than the entire family coming together to do a fun activity. Making decorations can be an opportunity for you and your children to practice arts and crafts and make lasting mementos.

Shop early and shop online. The future is online shopping. The recession has actually led to an increase in online shopping this year and many companies are seeing and will see online sale outstrip their store sales. The benefits are obvious. No more knock-down-drag-out fights with other parents for popular toys, no crowds, and most importantly instant price comparison. The best part is that you can now apply coupons to purchases online for even bigger savings. There is also the added benefit of alternate benefits of payment that do not need your credit card.

Something else you can do is to help your kids maintain their belief in Santa Claus. You can do this with calls from Santa. You probably can’t afford to buy the Santa Suit and you also want to avoid the suspicion of your kids. Santa Calls are a perfect solution. You give key bits of data on your kids and when Santa calls it will look like he actually came by!

Create magic in your child’s eyes with our letters from Santa & Santa calls. EZSantaLetters.com offers fully personalized Santa letters and 15 pre-written Santa letters. All letters are postmarked from the North Pole and will definitely put a smile on your child’s face.