NatalieIf you’re trying to achieve a fab Christmas without spending much money – then you’ll love my 30 tips for a DIY budget family Christmas. As you probably know, we prioritise travel and making memories with the kids – so keeping costs down at expensive times of the year like Christmas is so important to us. So, whilst this article has little to do with travel, I do think sharing our ideas for an affordable Christmas is so valuable – I’m always looking for ways to save money!
The cost of living is insanely high in the UK at the moment, so I think a lot of us are re-evaluating what we spend our money on. You might not have much to spend, or you might be trying to avoid getting sucked into the commercial and materialistic side of things – or it could be a bit of both! But, luckily celebrating Christmas with a small budget doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy yourselves, in fact I think that sometimes getting rid of all of the distractions and focussing on family and quality time can make it a more creative and meaningful experience. Our kids adore Christmas, and we’ve always celebrated on a small budget – so here are my top tips for a magical DIY family Christmas to help you celebrate without spending lots of money…
1. Set a budget
Work out realistically what you can / want to spend this Christmas, and work from there. Cash envelopes can be a great way to keep on track and ensure you don’t overspend – you could save up with an envelope per person, as well as having extras for things like food, socialising, travel and festive activities. Download and print my FREE Christmas Budget Planner to help you to get started, and keep your spending on track.
Try to get organised as early as possible too – that’ll give you the best chance of keeping costs down and reducing festive season stress – my ultimate Christmas to do list can help with this! And, ignore what everyone else is doing – there will always be people spending a small fortune on Christmas, and that’s their choice, but that doesn’t mean everyone can / has to, and it doesn’t guarantee a fun Christmas either!
2. Save year round
Even if you don’t have much to spend, putting a little bit of money away each month throughout the year is a great way to have what you need at Christmas to avoid straining your finances. Work out how much you spend on average at Christmas time, and divide it by 12, then set up an untouchable savings account to put some money aside every month – that way the money will be there when you need it next year.
3. Have frugal festive fun
We all love some festive fun to get us in a Christmassy mood, but it doesn’t need to cost the earth. There are so many cheap and cheerful (or free!) Christmas activities that you can do at home with the kids that won’t cost a fortune. Print out my Christmas Activity Advent Calendar for something fun to do every day in December.
And, making a December Box full of activities to keep the kids busy for the whole month can be done for next to nothing too. My December Box article has loads of FREE PRINTABLE ACTIVITIES to get you started! DIY December boxes are so easy to make on a small budget – it’ll give the kids hours of fun without costing much money and it provides loads of opportunities for quality family time this Christmas.
4. Avoid unnecessary gifting
It’s a lovely idea to buy for all of your friends’ children and distant relatives, but realistically shopping for lots of people is both stressful and expensive. Discuss with family and friends about setting limits on gift-giving, or even skipping traditional gifts altogether – focussing on the joy of spending time together instead.
5. Make your own gifts
If you’d like to give a few gifts, but don’t have much money to spend, try making the presents yourself – if you have a skill such as baking, knitting or crafting, why not use it? Everyone loves a personalised, thoughtful gift. DIY Christmas gifts can actually be great fun to make, and there are loads of things that you can make without spending much money at all, so it’s worth the effort if you want to gift on a small budget – whether it be for family members or for the kids.
If you can sew or knit you could make scarves, blankets, throws, doll’s clothes or a personalised stocking. Or if you’re handy with wood you could make a stationery organiser, a toy box, a puppet theatre, castle or a dolls’ house. People are always giving away leftover paint and scraps of wood or pallets on local social media groups, so utilise what’s on offer and be creative. You could even upcycle something being offered for free, or something that you already own, to give it a new lease of life.
6. Watch free Christmas TV
There are loads of festive films on the TV over the Christmas period, which can be enjoyed for free. Lots of holiday movies are also added to streaming services like Disney+, Amazon Prime (which will give you free delivery on gifts too) and Netflix, which is great if you already have some of these services. So snuggling up with the kids for Christmas movie night, in your PJS with hot chocolate, can become a regular event.
7. Socialise at home
Catching up with friends and family makes Christmas a very busy time of year – and meals out, festive trips and dancing the night away can really do a number on your bank balance. Instead, make a few nibbles (or ask guests to bring a plate of food) and invite your friends and family to join you at home. You could host a Christmas party, set up a DIY escape room, or hold a festive family games night – my FREE, printable Adults VS Kids Christmas Quiz is a great place to start – there are loads of ways to have lots of fun on a budget without spending much money at all!
8. DIY Christmas crackers
Make your own Christmas crackers using toilet roll tubes and tissue paper, adding small gifts or jokes inside – you can make them as cheesy as you like! This is a great activity for getting the kids involved, and it’ll make your Christmas Day dinner table colourful too. Activities like this are a great way to spend quality time with the kids – they don’t need lots of expensive things, spending time together is priceless.
9. Start a new tradition
It’s important to teach our children what Christmas is really about, why we give gifts and the importance of family and making memories over having lots of ‘things’. Starting a family tradition like a Boxing Day beach walk (or dip if you’re brave enough!), a family Christmas Bake off, a festive talent show or a wintery hike is a great way to enjoy inexpensive quality time and form long-lasting traditions. It could even be as simple as sprinkling oats on the lawn for the reindeer and prepping a plate to leave out for Santa on Christmas Eve.
To make animal safe reindeer food, simply mix porridge oats or bird seed with edible glitter / ice-cream sprinkles / colourful cereal and pop into a small envelope – I just raid my pantry draw. Then print my free Reindeer food poem label to stick on the front so that the kids know what’s inside.
10. Reduce food costs
If you typically host a big Christmas dinner, get everyone on board and doing their bit instead. Ask guests to each bring something for the meal – there will be so much less cost, stress and effort involved that you’ll enjoy yourself more too. For the bits that you do need to buy / prepare:
- Meal plan to reduce food waste
- Avoid branded products
- Cook in advance (your freezer is your best-friend – look out for yellow sticker items too!)
- Use coupons and vouchers
- Opt for frozen over fresh
- Love your leftovers
- See what’s on offer for free on the Olio app
And, don’t forget to make the most of the supermarkets offering crazily cheap veg too. (I always buy extra to make casseroles and soups for the freezer for after Christmas as well!)
11. Do a Christmas lights tour
One of our favourite things to do in December is to soak up the festive atmosphere by going on a Christmas lights tour around our local area. We go on foot with the dog for wrapped-up festive walks (or scoots!), and drive around too – blaring out Christmas tunes whilst the kids sit snuggled in their dressing gowns in the back of the car.
12. Secret Santa
Instead of buying gifts for everyone, why not suggest a Secret Santa or gift exchange where each person only has to buy one gift within a set, manageable budget. This will reduce your pre-Christmas stress, and keep your bank balance in check.
13. Make your own Christmas coupons
Personalised coupons are a great gift for every occasion – they don’t cost a penny but could be exactly what someone needs, so think about what skills you can offer. Why not offer to help in the garden, wash the car, cook a meal, babysit or give some DIY assistance? For the kids, the coupons could be for a movie night, a trip to the park, a later bed time or maybe an extra 30 mins device time. Not every great present can be gift-wrapped – download my free, printable Christmas coupons to get started. I’ve started you off with some of my ideas, or print the second page to personalise them with your own.
14. Frame your child’s artwork
Poems, paintings and drawings become extra special when they’re framed and displayed, and they’re the perfect gift for any parent or grandparent. Frames can be picked up so cheaply in budget stores, or even second-hand from charity shops; such a simple but thoughtful gift.
15. Buy preloved gifts
If you want to buy a few gifts, without spending loads of money, shop second-hand. With the internet at our finger tips, it’s never been easier to find good quality items (often new with tags!) for a fraction of what they would cost new. Check Facebook Marketplace and local selling pages, Preloved, Preworn, Vinted, eBay and your local charity shops. I bought Lola a new, sealed boxset of ten Jacqueline Wilson (her favourite author!) books for £5 from a second-hand site, and I’ve got the kids clothes and a couple of lego sets from Vinted this year too.
In previous years, I’ve bought second-hand bikes, a train table, a dolls’ house – you name it! There will always be someone selling something you’re after, and the kids will soon grow out of it and be onto the next phase anyway, so there’s no need to be spending a fortune. Last year, my Mother-in-Law set us the challenge of spending only £5 on each adult, and purchasing the gifts from a charity shop to help out those in need too. It’s amazing how many treasures you can find second-hand, and we enjoyed the challenge!
16. Shop around
For anything that you are buying new, shop around online to get the best price, use cashback websites to get some money back and always look for voucher codes to slash costs even more. Look out for pre-Christmas toy sales and last-minute discounts, and shop the January sales to put bits away for next year.
17. Bake your own
Bake your own Christmas treats, including mince pies, gingerbread cookies and Christmas cakes – to enjoy all of your favourites without spending a fortune. It’s a great way to spend a cold, wintery afternoon having fun with the kids and I think they taste better homemade!
The kids won’t fondly remember which toys they opened, but baking with their parents is a tradition they’ll remember forever. You could even create inexpensive DIY food gifts in jars – like Christmas cookie or hot chocolate mixes – without spending much money at all, by re-using old coffee jars. Combined with my printable ‘North Pole Hot Chocolate’ label, and some ribbon, they look pretty cool!
18. Save your reward points
Lots of supermarkets, like Sainsburys and Tesco, allow you to collect points every time you shop. Save them year round to enjoy a big saving on your Christmas food bill when December arrives – you’ll be able to enjoy some festive luxuries without spending a penny! You could also use your points to buy gifts, or even swap Tesco Clubcard rewards for a festive family day out, a Christmas cinema trip or a free meal out.
19. Give the gift of memories
Memories are priceless and a photograph is worth a thousand words. Frame those magical moments, or create a photo album or scrap book for your loved ones to enjoy. Time is so precious, and children grow so fast – there’s nothing Grandparents love more than a trip down memory lane.
20. Use candles and fairy lights
Use candles and fairy lights to inexpensively create a warm and cosy, festive atmosphere in your home. Fairy lights instantly transform homemade garlands so hunt in the loft, or pick up some for free (or very little) from second-hand selling groups. And, DIY candleholders and lanterns are another great way to make your house feel instantly festive.
21. DIY gift wrapping
Personalise your gift wrapping with homemade wrapping paper – use plain brown paper and add your own designs, stamps or drawings – I get the kids involved too! We make our gift tags from last year’s Christmas cards – giving them a second-lease of life, and making everyone’s different, personal and free!
22. Check your local area
Browse Christmas markets, enjoy free carolling concerts, visit Santa, go to Christmas light events or check out local school fairs and libraries. There’s always loads going on this time of year, and a lot of it is cheap or free, so make the most of what’s on your doorstep for festive family fun on a budget. For more ideas on getting out and about in December without spending a small fortune, check out my article: Christmas on a budget: Cheap festive family days out with the kids!
23. Have a wintery walk
The woods is a great place to go this time of year. You can collect pine cones, twigs and forage to help you to create inexpensive wreaths and decorations, as well as chestnuts to enjoy over the festive period.
24. Reduce waste
Be conscious of waste during the Christmas holidays – re-use gift bags and wrapping materials, and consider things like washable napkins and tablecloths that can be washed and re-used year after year. Plan food carefully, utilise your freezer and make the most of leftovers; being less wasteful will always save you money. Store your Christmas decorations carefully in the loft too, so they can be re-used each year.
25. Decorate on a budget
Transforming your home into a beautiful, winter wonderland doesn’t need to cost the earth – in fact just adding some fairy lights can make things feel magical. You could also repurpose old decorations, shop second-hand (or swap with a friend), make salt-dough decorations, make paper-chains / bunting or snowflakes for the windows and forage from nature to make free wreaths and garlands.
Download and print my FREE colour-in Christmas paper chain or Christmas bunting to keep the kids busy and make the whole house feel festive. It’ll only cost you a few bits of paper but they look so effective – print as many times as you like and watch them grow longer and longer!
26. Cut down on Christmas cards
Get the kids involved in crafting personalised Christmas cards for close friends and family. Beyond that, send a personal message online or by text to reconnect with those you’ve not seen for a while without the high cost of cards and postage stamps, and to cut down on Christmas waste.
27. Make the most of freebies
If you’re in need of some new decorations, looking for gifts or in need of some extra nibbles; try local social media pages to see what others are giving away, and join the Olio App too. Olio is a brilliant way to get free food, it saves us a fortune and reduces food waste – it’s a win, win!
28. Say no
If you’re feeling burdened by the cost of Christmas, or have a schedule rammed with activities already, don’t be afraid to just say no. If an extra night out will send your finances over the limit, or stop you from having a rest and quality time with your family at home, politely decline the invitation and put yourself first.
29. Play in the snow
Now I didn’t add this to my activity advent calendar because realistically, here in the South of the UK, we don’t get snow every year and a white Christmas is a long-shot. But, if you’re luckily enough to get some this year, then grab the sledge and enjoy days of free fun right outside your front door.
30. Switch off
With online sales, deals, social media and adverts everywhere, a materialistic Christmas can be hard to avoid. If you’re feeling the pressure to get dragged into spending money that you don’t have, or complicating your ‘less is more’ lifestyle, just switch it all off. You don’t have to follow in other’s footsteps; choose to simplify, get some fresh air and give yourself some much needed space from it all.
Remember to stay focussed on your families financial priorities – Christmas will be over in a flash so keep in mind your goals for next year. If celebrating Christmas without spending much money, and opting for DIY family fun on a budget, means you can avoid debt, book a family holiday or perhaps even just boost your savings for a bit of financial security then it’s totally worth doing. So, enjoy a frugal Christmas because honestly it’ll still be magical – it’s not the expensive toys that the kids will remember years from now, but the fun they had with their family. If you’ve got any of your own Christmas money saving ideas to add then I’d love to hear them – pop them in the comments for everyone to enjoy. Merry Christmas! 😘
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The Ultimate Christmas to do list – keep organised & on budget!
What is a December Box? Kid’s Christmas activity ideas (& FREE printables!)
Christmas on a budget: Cheap festive family days out with the kids!
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Natalie
