Saving Money over the Holidays: 7 Easy Tips for Cutting Back on Consumerism at Christmas

Ethan Ewing, the president of Bills.com, says, "Thanksgiving kicks off the holiday season in the United States, and with it begins six weeks of fun, feasts and festivities. With its emphasis on being grateful for all we have, Thanksgiving provides the perfect opportunity to make life greener - and a bit more frugal - in this time of economic turmoil."

Ewing’s money saving tips at Thanksgiving are easily translated into easy tips for cutting back on consumerism at Christmas! Here’s what he suggests…

1. Give back. While most Americans will have a more luxurious Thanksgiving than our forefathers celebrated when they arrived in the New World, some cannot afford to prepare a special Thanksgiving meal. Give to those less fortunate by partaking in a smaller meal and donating to or volunteering with an organization that provides a Thanksgiving meal for others. This is also a great way to cut back on consumerism - and show charity and compassion - at Christmas!

2. Go local. Celebrate gratitude for the local environment by exploring what local foods you can find. In the south, use in-season foods for dishes such as fresh pecan pie, mashed sweet potatoes and gumbo. In the northwest, take advantage of seasonal vegetables including beets, Brussels sprouts and broccoli. See if you can select a turkey from a local farm (try your local natural foods market or visit localharvest.org to locate farmers). You will discover new pleasures, save money over the holidays, and avoid the environmental pollution generated by trucking your food from distant locales.

3. Get out the good china. Or at least forego plastic and paper ware to reduce waste. If you are short on place settings, borrow (neighbors, family and guests usually are happy to share), or look on Craigslist, eBay or at thrift stores for extras you can reuse. By avoiding items that are particularly Thanksgiving or Christmas-themed, you will be able to use them throughout the year (which makes it a great Christmas money saving tip!). For more napkins, make your own or purchase a stash of bandanas in colors you like from a hobby store.

4. Make connections. Help guests minimize vehicle pollution by carpooling. Connect guests who live near each other and suggest that they share a ride to Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Decorate with reusable plants. Collect some attractive houseplants into an appealing centerpiece by gathering them in a large basket, bowl or even a box decorated with fabric or paper. Small plants chosen for the occasion could be given to guests as favors when they leave. Or gather a fall-themed bouquet from your yard, or ask guests to bring autumn leaves, berries or branches to build a centerpiece.

5. Go green with the drinks. Look into locally crafted wines and beers, or those made organically. Serve tap water instead of bottled water; make it more elegant with lemon or lime wedges. Another easy, effective Christmas money saving tip is to choose larger containers to minimize waste.

6. Don’t overdo it. Cooking enough to feed an army will only result in waste if your "crowd" is more like a handful. To save money over the holidays, be realistic about what you will eat at dinner and what you can consume in leftovers. Send some leftovers home with guests, and freeze some to enjoy later. If you know you will have too much left, investigate your community to see if you can donate extras to a soup kitchen. Or invite other family or friends to share in a post-Thanksgiving weekend meal.

7. Combine cooking. Plan your cooking to use the oven all at once, rather than heating and cooling the oven many times over the days ahead of the meal. Heat up contributed dishes in an already-hot oven after you remove the turkey instead of firing up the microwave. Try cooking side dishes in a toaster oven instead of in the large oven.

For more info about Ethan Ewing – or more savvy ways to spend less at Christmas – visit Bills.com

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The copyright of the article Saving Money over the Holidays in Psychology is owned by Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen. Permission to republish Saving Money over the Holidays in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Mar 19, 2009 3:53 AM

KevinG :

Saving money for rainy days is what we always hear every now and then. And now that we are facing so much economic crisis all of us suffers. Saving money was thought of as a virtue, up until the last few years. Saving money was thought of as being somehow miserly and referred to almost as a pejorative. Well, now we’re in a recession, and nobody wants to use credit if at all possible – even payday loans. Saving as much cash as possible is on the way to being the rule rather than the exception. Many people are looking for ways to cut corners. Some the biggest expenses you have are easily cut – transportation and food are big time variable costs that you can cut down if resourceful enough. Take the bus and clip coupons, if possible. If you want to get even more creative, there are many resources out there that can teach you about saving money. So guys lets try to have only what we need not what we want. Trust me this is for your own good.

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http://personalmoneystore.com/moneyblog/2009/03/13/extreme-frugality-rece ssion-drives-cheapskates-extreme/

Mar 19, 2009 3:54 AM

KevinG :

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