Is home ownership one of your 2019 goals? Saving for a home down payment may seem impossible to do during the holiday season due to all the continuous expenses. Jolly home decor, gifts for everyone on your list, holiday travel, winter clothing for the growing kids are just a few of the many expenses you may face. Although, saving money can be challenging this time of year it is not impossible. Follow these money saving tips to reach your new home goal.
Stay Home
If you are serious about purchasing a brand new home in 2019, consider staying home this holiday season. Although it might seem like a major sacrifice not flying over to reunite with loved ones for the holidays, doing so will save you hundreds of dollars on travel expenses. Not only will you save money on overpriced airplane tickets, but you won’t feel pressured into buying gifts for everyone you would have seen on your trip.
Host Smarter, Not Harder
If you usually host a party during the holidays, consider organizing a potluck versus a formal sit down dinner this year. A potluck will save you cash because the expenses will be divided amongst all the attendees. As a bonus, you will also save on hours of labor in the kitchen. When it comes to holiday decorations, rather than purchasing new items, reuse your stuff from previous years. Besides, you’ll probably enjoy shopping for decor more once you are in a beautiful new home.
Secret Santa
Save money on gifts this year and suggest doing a secret Santa gift exchange with your family and friends. Each person will only be responsible for buying one gift within a specific budget, which takes off most of the gift shopping stress. During the party everyone will be able to take turns opening their gift and while trying to guess who their Secret Santa was. It’s a classic and fun activity that is guaranteed to make everyone merry.
Get Creative with Entertainment
Entertainment can be expensive. Constantly going out to dinner, shopping, movies, and more can really put a strain on your wallet during the holidays. This year the whole family can put effort and focus on spending more quality time together by enjoying cost free activities. Here are a few ideas:
- Lounge in your PJs and have a holiday movie marathon.
- Bake & decorate Christmas cookies together.
- If you’re lucky enough to live where its snows, build a snowman.
- Make hot cocoa & s’mores.
- Bring out the board games for some friendly competition.
- Play charades.
- Have a karaoke night.
- Cook dinners together as a family.
