The Christmas Shopper: Peso-Saving Tips for the Holidays

It may be the season to be jolly, but its hard to keep up the holiday cheer when you’re down to your last centavo. Giving gifts is a big part of Christmas, but does it always mean coming home with loads of shopping bags and a gaping hole in your wallet? Not so. There are many ways to stay within your budget and still make family and friends feel special at this time of the year.


KEEP THINGS IN ORDER
•    Make a list. Irmina Pantanosas, vice president and treasury services manager of Bank of America, makes an Excel file record of everyone on her list, her budget per person, and actual price of the purchased gift. “I am able to see if I am still within budget. If I go over the budget with some items, then I adjust the cost of other items.” She continues, “Every year, I just add another worksheet and refer to the previous one, so I don’t end up giving the same thing to the same person. “It can be just a handwritten list. The idea is to make a visual plan that helps you stay on track.
•    Create categories. Group together people in a family and think of a gift they can all enjoy. The children of Pantanosas’ old friends, for example, have become part of her list, so she gives a basket of baked goodies to the whole family. Or go or something that promotes family bonding like a board game, a DVD, or a scrapbooking kit.
•    Suggest the monito-monita gift-giving scheme with your relatives. This is the best way to go, especially for big clans. Agree on a reasonable cap for the price of the gift. Ask for their wishlist. Knowing exactly what your monito wants is a big time-saver, too.
•    Pool your resources. Get others to chip in for a group gift to lessen the expense and stretch your budget for one person. Consider this when giving gifts to your childrenís teachers or your boss! More interesting ideas are bound to come up when you brainstorm with other moms or officemates, and pitch in for a common gift.


OUT-OF-THE BOX
•    Have a book swap. Let your child choose one book from his collection to swap with a classmate. Introduce the activity by reading a story about friendship or giving. It would also be nice to include a fun activity such as bookmark-making using scrap materials like old folders, buttons, yarns, or old ribbons. You might also want to have your own book-swap party with other bookworm moms.

Click here to see more out-of-the-box ideas for Christmas shopping.

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Read on to see more out-of-the-box ideas for Christmas shopping.

•    Do it yourself. Carol Scheffler, author of Family Crafting, a book on making creative crafts, suggests gift projects that parents and children can do together. Functional presents can be made from the most ordinary objects in your home. Don’t throw away those empty cans and jars just yet. Help your child make a picture frame for Lolo and Lola, or decorate an empty can and fill it with treats for his favorite teacher. Handmade gifts are always appreciated since these reflect the time and effort put into making them.
•    Send an unexpected holiday mail to your spouse and kids. Instead of a greeting card, print out gift coupons and put them in a letter envelope. Each coupon should indicate a special treat. For example, write “Good for a Tight Hug,” “Two Days Free Massage,” and so on. These can be traded in anytime of the year!


IF YOU MUST SHOP
•    Avoid last-minute Christmas shopping. “When you join the Christmas rush, you are prone to making bad decisions because you’re in a hurry and probably too tired to focus. The tendency is to buy the next thing you see, even if it means overspending,” explains Pantanosas. “Ideally, when the -Ber months ring in, it would be good to start shopping. No crowds, no lines. “Time is money after all,” adds Dagny Ayaay, an entrepreneur who runs her own perfume line, Aroomatherapy & Fresca. EJ Nitura-Dimaano, a copywriter at Campaigns and Grey, who is also a savvy budget shopper, goes a step further by picking up items throughout the year and storing them in her Christmas gift sackó a practical way of spreading out gift expenses instead of shelling out a big chunk of your Christmas bonus.
•    Spend only your cash at hand. “Charging can sometimes lead you to think that you have more money than you actually do,” says Nitura-Dimaano. Stick to your list and bring only the amount of cash you need when going on a gift hunt.
•    Find steals at bazaars, trade fairs, and weekend community markets. “At bazaars, you can find export overruns and you can still haggle. Itís also nice to give something you don’t usually see at the malls,” says Pantanosas. Vintage stores and weekend community markets where Ayaay also consigns her products have proven to be treasure troves of unique and affordable finds. Take advantage of discounts and freebies like gift wrapping. Even small things such as wrappers can make a big difference when added up.
•    Shop from home. Ayaay and Nitura-Dimaano both agree that the Internet is a gold mine of amazing and affordable items. Plus, it gives you more time to think about a potential purchase. Make sure you buy from reputable sellers, preferably those recommended by friends who have been satisfied customers.


Photo from sxc.hu

SOURCES:
•    Irmina Pantanosas, vice president and treasury services manager, Bank of America Dagny Ayaay, businesswoman/perfumer, Aroomatherapy & Fresca
•    EJ Nitura-Dimaano, copywriter, Campaigns and Grey
•    Family Crafting by Carol Scheffler