• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Because dads don’t always think like moms™

  • Dad
    • Celebrities
    • Gay Dads
    • Sex
    • Single Dads
  • Pregnancy
    • Labor or Delivery
    • Pregnant Wife
  • Baby
    • Baby Naming
    • Feeding
    • Sleep
    • Toilet Training
  • Kids
  • Teens
  • Activities
    • Local
    • By Age
    • Movie Reviews
    • Celebrations
  • Toys
    • We Recommend
    • Toys
  • Coaching for Dads
  • Great Dad Talks Podcast
You are here: Home / Activities / Celebrations / Twenty Tips for Cutting Costs this Christmas (and Three not to do!)

Twenty Tips for Cutting Costs this Christmas (and Three not to do!)

November 6, 2008 by Paul Banas Leave a Comment

Stumped by the vast variety of holiday dos and don’ts? Here are the most
important tips to keep in mind while planning your holiday celebrations.



Cards, decorations and wrapping


1.  Use last year’s decorations and pledge not to buy anything new. Decorate the old-fashioned way with strings or cranberries or popcorn.  

2.  Send holiday postcards rather than full cards saving on postage as well.

3.  Wrap small items in magazine pages or newsprint including the Comics. If you use a nice ribbon, this can work as well as expensive wrapping.

Travel

4.  Reduce travel costs by planning early. Buy holiday tickets in October if you can, or wait until the very last minute and get tickets at lastminute.com or on Travelocity.

5.  Look for last minute deals at  Travelocity.com, which has a special section offering up to 70% off.  However, be ready to be super-flexible.   

Gifts

6.  Hide the credit cards until after the holidays. Credit always makes over-spending easier than pulling those hard-earned fives and twenties out of the wallet.

7.  Don’t buy new Christmas music. Plenty of on-line stations play Christmas music for free throughout the holidays and beyond.

8.  Make a budget early (think September), shop  using catalogues, and stay on top of your spending with no cheating.

9.  Consider a gift exchange for large families and groups.

10.  Give gift baskets if you’re creative. Things always look better when merchandised correctly. Consider baskets like “Family Pancake Breakfast” or “Movie Night” or “Homemade cookies.” There are tons of “cheaper” ideas here that can be tailored to your recipient.

11.  Bunch together purchases with online retailers that offer free shipping with a minimum purchase. Again, this takes planning!

12.  Shop import stores like Cost Plus and Pier One Imports for distinctive gifts often at lower prices. These impulse items are perfect for holiday gifts if you bring your budget with you.

13.  Shop bargain bins at hardware and book stores – again, bring your budget!

14.  Think homemade, like picture books from your photo collection. Or offer to do tasks that are tedious for others but fun for you. Put someone’s address book on the computer for instance and give them a set of stickers for all their friends. Mow a lawn. Frame a picture. Take on tasks that people don’t get around to doing.

Entertaining and restaurants

15.  Cut back on restaurants, and if you go shop for bargains, including using entertainment books for 2 for 1 specials.

16.  Create a babysitting coop between friends. You’re probably already scheduling playdates. Why not make the next one on a night you want to get out and do some shopping over the holidays or spend a holiday evening with  your spouse.

17.  BYOB and F – Turn that holiday party into a potluck. Make it a team event. This can go for a full-on bash, all the way down to an intimate dinner for eight or ten.

18.  When hosting, borrow what you don’t have.   Real friends never mind sharing a little, especially over the holidays.

19.  Bake holiday breads – always a hit for other people’s entertaining

20.  Bake cookies with a group of friends, as a way to save money on cookie gifts, and eliminate one expensive meal out with friends you want to see over the holidays.

DON’T USE THESE TIPS

1.   Steal office supplies as Christmas gifts. This is just tacky, for you, your employer, and the recipient.  

2.   Give lots of gift cards – while the idea is nice, and less tacky than a dollar bill, the message is that you don’t know the person well enough to find a real gift.  If you can’t find a good present, you’re better off giving a book or a CD that you like and give this as a gift, including the receipt in case they want to take it back. This way you’ve shared something you like and they can still return the merchandise for cash at most stores. Cash cards often get lost and the store or bank pockets the money.

3.   Skip Christmas this year – it’s always a temptation, but with a little creativity and extra effort, you can still make the holiday special, especially if you’re surrounded by your family.

Filed Under: Celebrations

About Paul Banas

Paul Banas is happy married dad of two great kids living in San Francisco. He writes now about kids, new technology and how the two interact for GreatDad.com and for Pregnancy Magazine (pregnancymagazine.com) where he is also the publisher.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Great Dad Talks

Great Dad Talks
Great Dad Talks

Great Dad Talks is a series of conversations with experts on all aspects of the family adventure. With the perspective that “dads don’t always think like moms,” our mission is to support dad voices and our slightly different approaches to parenting. We’ll try to find solutions to every day challenges like getting kids off the couch and making STEM classes available for both boys and girls. But we’ll also tackle bigger issues when they come. The one main theme will be to support dads in the most important role of their lives that of being a great dad. Connect with us at greatdad.com and watch the video version of these podcasts at YouTube.com/greatdadnews

Spinning Out Family Stress with Michael Blair
byPaul Banas

Welcome to another episode of Great Dad Talks! This week, I sit down with life coach and former psychologist Michael Blair to explore modern tools for family harmony, emotional healing, and child development.

Michael shares the transformative power of his unique “spin” method—a tool rooted in Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP)—that helps kids, parents, and even whole families quickly change negative emotional patterns in just minutes. Listen in as Michael walks Paul through an anxiety-busting spin live, explains why dads’ involvement is critical to healthy families, and shares actionable tips on self-forgiveness and resilience.

Check out Michael’s website at blaircounselingandcoaching.com

Visit these links and embark on the path to becoming the best parent you can be:

– GreatDad.com/coaching 

– GreatDad.com/pq 

– Gratitude course: bit.ly/3NMLDNC

50% off for podcast listeners with code PODCAST50

Spinning Out Family Stress with Michael Blair
Spinning Out Family Stress with Michael Blair
July 15, 2025
Paul Banas
Decoding Dad’s Mental Load with Zach Watson
July 8, 2025
Paul Banas
152. Building Men’s Character and Legacy with Jim Tracy
July 1, 2025
Paul Banas
151. The Power of Playful Parenting with Dr. Larry Cohen
June 24, 2025
Paul Banas
150. The Power of Humor in Parenting with Gavin Bellour
June 17, 2025
Paul Banas
149. Winning College Applications with Hamada Zahawi
June 10, 2025
Paul Banas
148. Healing Generational Trauma with Dr. Sasha Reiisi
June 3, 2025
Paul Banas
147. Discovering Dad’s Purpose with Adam Landrum
May 27, 2025
Paul Banas
146. Balancing Business and Family with Dr. Travis Parry
May 20, 2025
Paul Banas
145. Understanding Children’s Emotional Needs with Dr. David Marcus
May 13, 2025
Paul Banas
Search Results placeholder

More to See

5 Best Earhook Earbuds That Don’t Fall Out 2025

July 2, 2025 By Paul Banas

smart sprinkler controllers

10 best weather-based smart sprinkler controllers in 2025

July 1, 2025 By Paul Banas

Copyright © 2025 . GreatDad