The holiday season is just around the corner! Christmas brings with it the countless reasons to go shopping and buying gifts to give out to friends and loved ones, and this season can really cause some damage to your wallet. However, holiday spending doesn’t have to take a huge toll on your budget! Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you plan your Christmas shopping:
Make a List (and Check it Twice!)
Before anything else, you got to set your budget and stick to it! And just like your grocery list, you need to know and narrow down the list of people and presents you’re planning to get. Making a list will not only help you keep track of your spending, but it will also help you save so much time because you’re already coming in prepared! All you have to do is get the items on your list and go.
Know Your Limit
Shopping can be a lot of fun, especially when everything in the mall is practically on sale—and we don’t want to lose track of our lists if we want to stick to our budget which is why it’s important to hold on to that list and be firm about it. That way, you’re allowing yourself to conserve time, money and energy.
Support Local
Once you’ve got your lists and your budget down, it’s time to shop! Before hitting the malls to try to elbow your way to the next sale rack, consider buying your gifts this year from local merchants. It may be from your neighbor selling homemade brownies for Christmas, the girl down the street selling trinkets for her school project, or your local craftsman. Whatever the item might be, try buying from local businesses, not only would it be cheaper and less stressful, it would also be your way of giving back to your community and helping them out.
Shop in Farmers Markets and Wet Markets
Apart from shopping for gifts, it’s also the season of buying food for Noche Buena, family reunions, and other group parties, and that means you will also splurge on grocery items and food for potlucks. Instead of rushing to the supermarket where endless lines await you, try buying the products/items from the wet market or palengke. Not only will the ingredients be cheaper and fresher, but you can also bargain with the vendors for a lower price–it’s practically a win-win situation! If you have no time to prepare food, you can drop by the nearest farmers market near your place and buy home-cooked food from vendors there. Buying food in the palengke and farmers markets is also a great way of supporting local businesses.
Give homemade gifts
There’s nothing more special than giving and receiving gifts that have some extra love and thought put into it. Find some time to make your presents, instead of spending in shopping centers. You can make homemade jams, pasta sauces, pastries, and a whole lot more. For sure, they will appreciate your gift more, knowing you personally crafted it!
Shop vintage
If you’re on a really tight budget this holiday season, and cannot afford to buy brand new gifts for your loved ones, you can give them vintage items instead! Visit your local thrift shops (ukay) and really take your time looking for those cute clothes that are in good condition that you can give to people. Giving people vintage items is also a nice way of making sure that no other person will have the same thing.
Go Eco-Friendly
Another route you can consider when shopping for Christmas gifts is the eco-friendly route. Environmentally sustainable items are usually on the cheaper end of the spectrum and they last longer than gifts that commercial items. Items like metal straws, reusable containers, hemp cloth bags, etc. are also a good investment for the person receiving these items.
Think Before You Wrap
Part of your budget when it comes to Christmas shopping is buying wrapping paper, and brand new rolls of it can be very expensive. Not only are these costly, but it can also be very wasteful since wrappers are not reusable. Instead of buying fresh rolls of gift wrapping paper, you can use old newspapers or old brown paper bags to wrap your gifts. It will make your gifts look chic and your wallet happy.
Now that you have your holiday shopping in check, all that is left to do is attend that reunion and give away those gifts. If you’re still having trouble looking for a place to have your Christmas party, Acceler8 is here to help. We have event spaces in Legaspi and Salcedo Village in Makati that you can definitely use to have your party this holiday! All you have to do is hit us up and we’ll help you with the rest.