This festive holiday season is known for joy, connecting and giving to your loved ones, often causing a lot of financial stress, especially for students who are studying whilst trying to juggle a part-time job. Whilst it is normal to want to spoil the people you love in your life with gifts that they can remember you with, there are many ways to do this without spending loads of money. With some creativity, you can make Christmas a memorable experience.
One of the best tips in terms of giving a meaningful gift to a loved one when on a budget is to look at personalisation like handmade gifts which are extremely affordable yet very thoughtful showing them that you have put in the time and effort. Here are some ideas for you why not make either a scrapbook or a photo album with all the memories that have been captured over the years? All that is required is printed photos, a notebook and a tad bit of creativity. If you like a bit of arts and crafts and want to keep yourself busy you could make things like knitted scarves/jumpers, candles and even customise jewellery pieces you feel they would like. All these ideas are not expensive but are unique as they have a personal touch that items brought do not have.
Another idea for an inexpensive gift is time or an experience instead of something physical. For example, cooking dinner for someone, having a movie night or having a fun day out that does not cost a lot of money yet creates shared memories. Like a Secret Santa, on a budget is an amazing way to celebrate with family and friends without the pressure of having to spend too much money. Having a spending limit allows you to keep everyone's budgets in mind, making it more of a relaxed experience.
If you wish to stick to a certain budget, then let's start tracking the amount of money you spend as well as planning gifts way ahead of time to avoid any stress. There are tools and apps out there that will help you with this and allow you to set a certain spending limit whether this is every month or every season. Saving up weekly at the beginning of each year can help reduce stress and burden on your bank by Christmas.
To find affordable gifts for family and friends why not have a look at holiday markets or any events in the community where you will be able to find gifts at cheap prices, or even set a date where you sit down and create a gift yourself whether it is done from home or by attending a craft night these are often hosted either by community centres or student organisations if this is something you want from your university then why not suggest it to your student union. Another amazing tip is that you can always trade the skills or services that you have to offer to either a friend or family member.
Let's remind ourselves that this season is about love and kindness not about giving expensive gifts. It is all about the intentions behind it. Think out of the box and start getting creative let's make sure that this season is celebrated in style – Inside the box!
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