Decorating for the Holidays On a Budget | Cleveland Bradley County Teachers Federal Credit

‘Tis the season to spend a lot of money…fa la la la la…

Does the thought of the holidays have you and your wallet already feeling a little stressed? It can certainly be a challenging time of year on your budget. Even if you set spending limits and do your best to stick with it, the surprise gift will always pop up and have you pulling out money again.

Gifts aren’t the only expense, either. There are holiday meals to think about and the decorations to deck your home out with. Even if you have been using the same decorations passed down from generation to generation, it seems like something always comes up that has you heading for the store.

While you can’t necessarily cut your gift lists, you can make your home festive and merry—all on a budget.

Keep It Simple

If you have pulled out your decorations and found them, well, less than appealing, you don’t have to head to the store and invest in lots of new ones. Instead, take a look around your home and consider how you can change out your regular decorations. Print some fun holiday scenes and cover photos for the season. You can even grab a decorative roll of wrapping paper and cut a piece to fit inside your frames.

Add some string lights around the house as another simple way to make things feel festive. There are lots of inexpensive options, including LED lights, that are not only economical to invest in, but will also help keep your lighting bill low. Add some sprigs of greenery into any vases or flower displays you might have. This could be a great use of some of your old decorations that may have broken or are missing pieces.

You can also grab some inexpensive candles in holiday scents. Bringing holiday smells into your home is a great way to make things festive, even if you have no other decorations around. Make sure you never leave a candle burning when you are not in the room or overnight to prevent fires.

Go Used or DIY

Along with repurposing what you have to get your home ready for the holidays, you can also hit up a few resale shops and find some used treats. Some stores may have actual decorations, especially at the start of the holiday season.

Even if you don’t find holiday-specific options, there are lots of resale shop options that you can make festive easily without spending a lot of money. Glass bowls filled with tinsel, greenery or ornaments make a beautiful centerpiece. The same goes for baskets—another common item in most resale shops.

Another inexpensive way to decorate your home is to do it yourself. Even if you aren’t crafty, there are lots of easy options you can try your hand on at local dollar stores. Make it a new tradition and have some friends and family over to craft new decor. Don’t rule out the simple either—a piece of white paper and some scissors can make some pretty neat snowflakes.

Don’t let your budget worries be the reason your kids call you a Grinch this season. With so many options for decorating on a budget, you can make your house sparkle and shine through all the holidays.

Want some help building your savings ahead of the shopping season? Contact us to build exactly what you need.