As we head down the final stretch to Christmas Day, stores are pulling out all the stops to lure in last-minute shoppers with sensational seasonal sales.
If you have gotten this far sticking to your holiday budget, don’t be tempted by these late season offers. Often, they don’t save you as much money as you’d think. Procrastinators on a budget should stray from big-box retailers during the final days leading up to Christmas. To preserve your budget, head over to the local Dollar Store for economical gift ideas. For example, if you are looking for a last-minute present for your sister, co-worker or neighbor, consider picking up a pretty bowl and filling it with microwave popcorn, a couple of DVDs, and a fleece blanket. The Dollar Store offers amazing savings on all of the aforementioned items, plus you can pick up a festive gift bag to place the movie night-themed present in without breaking the bank.
For frugalistas, who don’t live near a Dollar Store; look for sales bins at discount retailers. Target and Wal-Mart both have sections in their stores that sell seasonal merchandise for $1 or less. This is where you can stock up on stocking stuffers or party favors without busting your budget. Some of the best buys in these bins include holiday socks, scarves, sticky note and pen sets, magnets, gift bags, cookie cutters, candy, ornaments and stickers.
Finally, don’t spend a ton of money dressing up your holiday gifts. You can design stunning seasonal packaging for pennies with a little creativity. Start by using inexpensive cellophane or aluminum foil to wrap gifts. Next, use leftover scraps of wrapping paper as gift tags. Then, tie and curl ribbon in festive colors around your gift for added decoration. For small holiday party favors, you can skip the traditional wrapping paper and simply fold an origami box from leftover scrapbook paper or the colored comic section from the Sunday newspaper.