You now know how to save money on your holiday gifts and already have ideas about what those gifts should be.  What do you do, though, when you’ve pared down your list as much as possible and there still just isn’t enough in your budget to go around?  You may think your only options are to either get deeper into debt or simply not give gifts at all.  Those are not your only options.  In fact, there are ways to get your holiday gifts for free that you may not be utilizing.

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[bctt tweet=”Find out how you can get your holiday gifts for free! #freeholidaygifts”]

Ways to Get Free Gifts

Freecycle.org

This is a great way to get items and supplies absolutely free.  Join the Freecycle group in your area and you will be able to browse items and materials that people want to get rid of.  Some of these items can make fantastic gifts.  I have seen craft supplies, grills, televisions, and so much more.  All of these items are completely free of charge you simply have to pick them up.

Photo Gifts

Drug stores like Walgreens and CVS offer free photo gifts throughout the year.  These can range from free 8×10 photos that you could frame to give as gifts to free photo books that you can design and give as-is.  If you choose to pick them up in the store you won’t even pay for shipping making these 100% free.

Re-gifting

We will expand on this later in the series but it is important to know that it is an option.  I will help you learn how to get over the stigma surrounding the idea of re-gifting.  I will also give you the three rules for re-gifting with class.

 

Free Money and Gift Cards

Swagbucks

With Swagbucks you earn points that can be spent to purchase gift cards through their site.  These gift cards can in turn be given as gifts (such as an ITunes gift card) or used to purchase gifts online using gift cards for sites like Amazon.  You can earn points in a multitude of ways.  Completing surveys, watching videos, searching the web, and answering daily polls are just a few of the ways you can earn points.

MPoints

This is another great way to earn points towards gift cards by using the apps on your phone that you already use.  For instance, I earn a ton of my points through the Weather Channel app because I use it daily.  You can also earn points through games (such as Family Feud and Scramble with Friends) and through news apps.  The one caveat is that it does take a lot more points than Swagbucks to purchase a gift card or merchandise, however, if you are using the app anyway you might as well cash in on the freebies you can get.

Ebates

You have probably heard of Ebates but if you haven’t signed up yet, you are missing out.  The way it works is that you earn a percentage back on all of your online purchases when you purchase through Ebates.  If you don’t think you’ll remember to start your shopping trip there (I almost never remember), add their handy little button to your browser.  Once you do, it will actually alert you when you are shopping on a site eligible for cash back.  With amounts ranging typically from 1-8% cash back, you won’t get rich with this but if you are already shopping online it is worth it to sign up.  I don’t shop online much and I still manage to earn around $100 a year just to give you a reference point.

Walgreens Points

If you have a Walgreens in your area, you definitely want to start shopping there right away.  They have an excellent rewards card that is totally free and allows you to earn points that translate into free cash to spend in the store.  You earn points any time you fill a prescription or buy certain sale items.  They have also recently changed their earning system so you are also earning points for every dollar you spend.  Each receipt you receive will have your total balance along with listing any available reward amount you have to spend.  The best part is that unlike some other stores, your points don’t expire in a week so you can continue to earn throughout the year.

Don’t get tricked into believing debt is your only solution to paying for the holidays when your budget is small.  Use these resources and you can get through the holiday season without the stress and remorse later.  To achieve ultimate savings, combine these tips to get your holiday gifts for free with my tips for saving on your holiday gift options.

See where I’m linking up!

                                                       

Missed the introduction to this series?                 Find out more about #write31days

Click 31 Days of Saving on Holiday Gifts.

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Do you struggle every Christmas with what to put in your spouse’s stocking?  Have you finally found the perfect gift only to get it home and find it doesn’t fit?  There always seems to be this added pressure when choosing gifts for your spouse that you just don’t experience when filling your kids’ stockings.  You want to show him how much you love and appreciate everything he does for you.  You want to find that perfect gift that says, “Thank you for being my support, my partner, and my best friend.”  That’s a lot of pressure for a gift.  Is it any wonder that you struggle?  This year, I have some tips to help take the pressure off plus 5 amazing free stocking stuffers that won’t cost you a dime! 

[bctt tweet=”Don’t miss these 5 amazing free stocking stuffers that won’t cost you a dime! #stockingideas”]

 

Take the Pressure Off

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Shift Your Thinking

Instead of thinking you need to find the perfect expression of love, focus on spoiling your spouse.  When you look at stocking stuffers this way, you stop thinking about you and your feelings and start focusing more on what your spouse would like.  This helps takes the pressure off “finding the perfect gift”.  This also will make it easier to find something you know your spouse will love!

Change the Treats

If you usually buy large bags of mixed bandy to divide among all of the family stockings, don’t this year.  You can still absolutely do this for your kids but take it a step further for your spouse.  If he loves dark chocolate covered cherries make it a point to go to a local gourmet candy store and buy a box of 6 for him.  Picture his face lighting up after pulling that shiny, red ribbon off of the pristine white box and opening it to find 6 of his favorite candies nestled inside! 

Don’t Underestimate Free Gifts

Sometimes you feel guilty when you don’t spend anything on a gift but those are almost always the most memorable gifts.  One of the best gifts you can give to anyone in your life is the gift of your time.  Your spouse is no exception.  Don’t be afraid to give a gift that only took time to create or that gives a promise of distraction-free time together.  If you’re stuck on ideas, I’ve got 5 ideas to get you started.

 

5 Amazing Free Stocking Stuffer Ideas

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Homemade Jerky

Believe it or not, you can make jerky out of pretty much any meat so don’t be afraid to make some using the meat you already have in the freezer.  In our family, we love jerky made with ground turkey.  I promise you that my husband would be ecstatic to find a bag of delicious homemade jerky in his stocking on Christmas morning.

Game Time

Extra video game time isn’t just a great stocking stuffer for kids.  If your husband loves video game it is probably a point of argument in your marriage, whether it is the amount of time he spends playing or that he gets lost in the game and forgets to take out the trash.  Whatever the arguments are, it will make this gift so much more meaningful when he opens it.  On Christmas Eve, wrap up one of his game controllers with a note letting him know that you are going to have a special date night together to play Halo together.  Don’t worry if you suck, I promise he will just be happy that you’re sharing this with him. 

The New “Mixed Tape”

Remember when you were in high school and you gave or received a mixed tape from your boyfriend.  You still smile thinking about slipping the tape into your Walkman, sliding on your headphones, and pressing play.  Such a simple idea still has so much power 20 years later in your memory.  Recreate this for your spouse by creating a playlist of music that makes you think of him and putting it on a flash drive.

Help With a Project

If you spouse has wanted to put up a shed or organize the garage give him the gift of help. This can be physical help by actually lending him an extra set of arms on the project. However it doesn’t have to be. The gift of prepping the area by clearing all of your stuff out of the garage or cleaning up the toys and debris in the back yard. It can also mean setting aside a weekend that you take the kids to visit the grandparents so that he can have his buddies over to complete the project without little ones running around.

Over-the-Top Romantic

If you want to do something totally amazing and unexpected for your spouse, cut up 100 slips of paper. Next, write something you love about him on each one.  Fold them in half and completely fill his stocking with them.  (You might want to put some candy in first as incentive to get all the way to the bottom!)

Now you have 5 amazing stocking stuffers that you don’t have to spend a dime on. You also have tips to alleviate the pressure of finding the perfect gift.  Remember to think of spoiling your spouse to refocus your efforts on gifts they would like.  Also, plan for your spouse’s stocking just as you would any other holiday gift, including budgeting for it.

See where I’m linking up!

                                                       

Missed the introduction to this series?                 Find out more about #write31day

Click 31 Days of Saving on Holiday Gifts.

If you’re ready to save some serious money on your holiday gifts then the way to go is to DIY your gifts.  Sometimes time constraints can dictate your ability to DIY, but your skill level should never hold you back.  There are projects our there for every skill level, many of which you can find on DIY Adulation.  The important thing to keep in mind is to choose projects suited to your skill level.  Don’t try to learn extensive new skills in such a pressure-filled and deadline sensitive time of year.

 

[bctt tweet=”DIY your gifts and make this your most frugal holiday season ever! #write31days #diyholidaychallenge”]

 

How to Save on Gifts

Use What You Have

Using the materials and supplies you already have is the best way to save money on holiday gifts.  It costs you nothing out of pocket, obviously, but it also helps you plan your gifts.  Knowing what you already have allows you to plan projects that you can complete with little to no spending.  If you are missing one or two items needed, that’s okay.  I’ll share some tips later on for how to save on supplies.

Batch Gifts

These gifts are a great way to save as well because you can buy the supplies in bulk.  Batch gifts also cut down on the time required to make your gifts.  Mason jar gifts and decorated journals are great examples of batch gifts that you can make quickly and easily.

Recycled Crafts

A third fantastic way to save on DIY gifts is to make recycled crafts.  These are great because they use discarded “trash” you already have on hand.  Don’t let recycled gifts make you think of cardboard bird feeders slathered in peanut butter.  These projects can be classy and elegant, like this Stash Frame (which only cost 30¢ to make), which means they will be a gift you are proud for the recipient to open.

 

How to Save on Supplies

Utilize Clearance Deals

Clearance deals are how I get most of my supplies.  A way for you to save, even if your existing supplies are limited, is to tailor your DIY gift ideas to the clearance supplies you are able to find.

Use Coupons

Some staple items, like Mod Podge and E6000, almost never go on sale.  To save on basics like these, pick them up when you have a 40 or 50% off coupon.  Craft store release coupons like these on a weekly basis.

Thrift Store

We’ve already covered how to thrift your holiday gifts, but did you know that you can get craft supplies at thrift stores, too?  Most thrift stores have sewing patterns, yarn, paper crafting supplies, fabric, and more.  In addition to traditional craft supplies, they also have items that can be used in your projects such as baskets, florals, books, and seasonal décor.  If you need it, you can probably find it at a thrift store.

Dollar Store

You don’t want to discount the dollar store when it comes to getting supplies.  You can get everything from floral foam to Mod Podge there.  If you think outside the box you can save even more.  For example, I once needed wire for a project I was working on but floral wire was too flimsy.  A stroll through the tools and I found some heavy gauge steal wire that was perfect!  (If you want to learn more about how to save on all of your purchases check out How to Save on Anything.)

 

Now that you know your options when it comes to your holiday gifts, it is time to move on to making a plan for them (no matter which option or combination thereof you choose).  If you are looking for gift tutorials (plus a ton of free printables) sign up for the 31 Days of Saving on Holiday Gifts newsletter.  You will get freebies and tutorials delivered right to your inbox!  Subscribe and make this your most frugal holiday yet! **Update** All freebies from this 31 Days List have been moved to the VIP Library for subscribers. Sign up for free here!

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Missed the introduction to this series?                 Find out more about #write31day

Click 31 Days of Saving on Holiday Gifts.