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A Zero-Budget Christmas: Thoughtful Gift Ideas

Zero-Budget Christmas

A Zero-Budget Christmas

Part 7: Thoughtful gift ideas for your entire tribe

Wouldn’t it be lovely if you only had to think about Christmas gifts for one or two people? You could focus more time, attention, and resources on giving thoughtfully to those you care about the most.

But most of us have Christmas shopping lists that include family, friends, the kids’ teachers and coaches, employees or clients, the random gift exchange at the office and the ornament exchange at church and…and…and…pretty soon our Christmas budget has flitted away, $10 at a time. 

In this part of our Zero-Budget Christmas series, we’ll be tackling that giant gift-giving list. How can you give thoughtfully when your list is bigger than your budget?

First, pare down your shopping list. Most of us buy gifts for too many people. Take an honest look at your gift list and carefully consider eliminating your spending on any recipients who are there because of obligation. If you do not want to give a gift to someone, chances are, you shouldn’t. 

Consider also eliminating obligatory spending at social events. Those “bring a $10 gift to exchange” events really add up, especially if you have kids who are asked to bring gifts to their events. The great thing is, you do not have to participate! You don’t need another random $10 item in your house, and neither do they. So, stir the punch but sit the gift exchange out.

However, if paring down your shopping list is not an option, use some of the strategies we’ve already talked about in this series to do it on a zero-budget. Need more ideas? Read on.

Give an experience. If you normally buy for lots of relatives, why not organize a family event instead? This can be as simple or elaborate as you desire—anything from ice skating to a weekend away. The beauty of this plan is that no one has to purchase gifts for each other. The entire family decides, instead, to use their dollars to spend the day together making memories. Everyone pays his or her own way, which makes it do-able for everyone.

Give thoughtfully

Give time. Time is our most precious commodity, and yet the most underutilized! A gift of time can be whatever your recipient needs it to be. That is the key—think about a way you can bless the recipient. You can give an afternoon of helping her organize her cupboards, doing fix-it projects around the house, babysitting the kiddos, or planting flowers. Tell Dad you’ll power wash the deck or deep-clean the garage. It doesn’t matter what you do, the gift of time is ageless, free, and eternally significant. Plus, it equally benefits both the giver and the recipient because you get to be together.

Give an heirloom. One year, my grandmother gave each of my girl cousins and me a piece of hand-painted china that had been her mother’s. It was profoundly special to receive a gift that was a part of my family history, especially since I had my grandma right there to tell me all about it. It was so much more meaningful to receive a family treasure with a story than a trinket of little lasting value.

So often, family heirlooms are divided up after our loved ones are gone. I remember going through my great-grandmother’s attic with all of my distant aunts and uncles and cousins, putting her things in piles for everyone to take home. How much nicer it would have been if she had been able to give those things away to each one of us herself. 

We all have meaningful things we can begin to give now. I have rings I plan to give to each of my daughters when they turn 18. My husband has been parsing out his knife collection to our nephews and boys as soon as they are old enough to care for them. Of course, these things have value, but they are even more significant because of the story, and choosing to give those things away while we’re still alive means we can share the story–not just the thing–with another generation.

Give thoughtfully for less

Give words. My elderly neighbor took the time one year to write down her life story, from living in Norway during the German occupation to the sudden death of her young husband. She included family pictures with notes under each one, bound it, and gave it to her grandson.

She gave a copy to us, too, and it is one of our most treasured possessions.

Even if you are not a writer or do not have the time to pen your entire life story, you can give the gift of words. Simply take the time to write a special letter to each of your children, siblings, parents, or anyone who is important to you. Tell that person how you feel about them, and why. That will be the gift they treasure forever.

Give to something bigger. Maybe your budget doesn’t stretch very far in this country, but in most of the rest of the world, your money is life. $25 in the United States buys a trinket someone doesn’t want or need. But $25 in Africa feeds a street mother and her children for a month.

Mercy House Global

Photo Credit: Mercy House Global

This year, make your budget work harder by giving to an organization that provides help and hope to people in need.

After you’ve donated, simply make a card for each person on your gift list telling them that a contribution was made on his or her behalf to the organization you have chosen. You don’t need to list the amount, but you might want to share a little bit about the people their gift has helped.

You can donate any amount in lieu of purchasing gifts and that money will work harder and do more good than anything you could buy with it in our country.

It would be impossible to list all the wonderful organizations you could support, but one of my favorites is Mercy House Global. Rather than just giving charity, they rescue pregnant and very young mothers and teach them a skill so these women can have the dignity of providing for their children on their own.

You can donate to Mercy House or go the extra mile and purchase the hand goods these women have made directly from their store. Either way, women and children are rescued and given new hope because of your gift.

Anyone on your list would be thrilled to be a part of something like that, even though you did it on a (nearly) zero-budget.

Back to Africa

Photo credit: Mercy House Global

*To begin reading A Zero-Budget Christmas from the beginning, start here.

**During this series, affiliate links may be included for your convenience.

 

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A Zero-Budget Christmas: Buying Second-hand

Zero-Budget Christmas

A Zero-Budget Christmas

Part 5: Shopping Second-hand

(or Kids’ Edition, Part 2)

In the early years, when we were growing our family, finishing degrees, and working lots of jobs for little pay, second-hand items saved my Christmases.

It was during those years I learned that a gift does not have to brand new to be thoughtful and delightful.

If you’ve been following along with our Zero-Budget Christmas series from the beginning, you will not be surprised to find out that for most of our marriage, nearly all of the presents we gave in our home were not purchased new.

To this day, one of the ways I make Christmas work is by embracing the idea of “new to you.”

“New to you” items are not purchased brand-new, but they are new to the recipient. They are things that delight the receiver but would be unattainable for the giver if purchased brand-new. This can include absolutely anything: toys, clothes, books, sporting goods, electronics—anything you can purchase new, you can find gently used.

The benefits of embracing a “new-to-you” gift-giving philosophy are numerous. First, this concept allows you to give thoughtfully and even lavishly on a zero-budget. That’s because the brand-new value that is assigned to an item by a marketer is paid for by the first buyer. The second buyer gets the same item without having to pay for the privilege of taking it out of the box.

Second, focusing on new-to-you breaks the cycle of disposable consumerism. We are a throw-away culture. If a child is tired of a toy, or the teen doesn’t like that new shirt, or Grandma gives the kids a stack of books they have no intention of reading, those things show up at the thrift store.

That means that many nearly brand-new items are available for pennies on the dollar because someone got bored of them, the item wasn’t quite “right,” or it was never wanted in the first place. Buying second-hand looks for the value beyond the box.

When we shop and give this way, we teach our children that the price tag and the flashy packaging is not what matters. It’s the value that remains after those things are gone that counts. If children can learn that during their early years, they will be much wiser consumers later in life.

Third, if you’re a mama of little ones, buying new-to-you is the most brilliant thing you can do because most of the time, those gifts come unwrapped and pre-assembled! Can I get a “Hallelujah!” for not needing a screwdriver, pliers, a sturdy scissors, or a chainsaw on Christmas morning to get your two-year-old’s dump truck out of the box. Amen!

Many parents take gifts out of the packaging before wrapping them for this very reason. Well, if this is your habit, let me tell you: your child will not know if you unwrapped a new present or gave them a new-to-them present, and they won’t care. They’ll just be delighted with the gift.

New to you

So, are you ready to get started? If you’re not currently a thrifty shopper, or even if you are, here are some ways to find the gifts your family needs, second-hand:

  • Shopping new-to-you requires a little more planning than retail shopping because you can’t control what you’ll find. I keep a running list of ideas for each child, and because we only purchase one or two “want” gifts each year, that keeps my options open.
  • If you’re on zero-budget, don’t settle for retail thrift store prices. Watch for sales! Savers (or Value Village, depending on region), Goodwill, and many other franchises will have 50% off days or other promotions. I keep a running list of the things my kids need and wait for a sale. Many stores will also give coupons if you donate, so be sure to ask.
  • Check out independent thrift stores, like those run by churches. In my experience, these stores have better prices, more helpful staff, and are generally cleaner and better organized than the chain stores.
  • Thred Up and other online clothing consignment shops allow you to search for specific brands, sizes, and even quality. You can search “New with Tags” to find amazing deals. These stores tend to be pricier than brick-and-mortar thrift stores, but they also have better, more consistent inventory. Plus, the convenience of a search feature when shopping for clothing cannot be underestimated. If you do not have an account with Thred Up, use this link to get $10 off your first order. Sign up for their e-mail list and you’ll also get a discount code for a percentage off. As we have already mentioned, you can even donate to earn credit for purchases.
  • Host a gift-swap. Get your friends together and have everyone bring their gently used toys, books, clothes, and giftables to swap. Fuel the fun with cookies and cocoa and barter away. Everyone will exchange used toys with “new-to-you” gifts to give–truly a zero-budget option.
  • Put out an SOS on social media. This is one of the best ways to find specific gifts at a great price. If you have a child who loves American Girl dolls, Thomas trains, electronics, or anything with a name brand, ask your village! Need electronics for your teen? Ask the people you know and trust. You’d be surprised at what people are just getting ready to upgrade or have sitting around. They will willingly and reasonably sell or even give their stuff to you so they don’t have to bother with finding another taker.

buying second-hand toys

  • Search Craigslist and Ebay for specific things like sporting goods or brand-name toys. Craigslist has been a better source for second-hand items for me than Ebay, since many professional Ebay sellers keep prices just as high (and often higher) than you can find retail. But Ebay is still the source for collectibles, retired toys, or limited editions, and it comes with certain buyer protections, which Craigslist does not have.
  • Search for local sales pages on social media, and join! Many towns, cities, and community groups have sales pages. If you don’t see something you’re looking for, ask! You may even be able to arrange delivery for large items.

Have you implemented a new-to-you Christmas gift-giving strategy in your home? I’d love to hear what has worked for you so we can be a little more savvy this year. Tell us in the comments!

*To begin reading A Zero-Budget Christmas from the beginning, start here.

**During this series, affiliate links may be included for your convenience.

 

 

 

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A Zero-Budget Christmas: Kids’ Edition

Zero-Budget Christmas

A Zero-Budget Christmas:

Kids’ Edition, Part 1

Welcome back to the fourth post in our special series A Zero-Budget Christmas! If you’re just joining us, you can find the very first post here.

Today, we’re talking about how to shop for kids when money is tight.

Since all of our children were born during our thirteen years of “skinny Christmases,” I know how agonizing it can be to watch the Christmas season swoop in and to have no idea how you’re going to make any magic happen on a zero-budget.

The next two posts are intended to help you provide a great Christmas for the ones who have your heart: your children.

Consider the ages of your children.

My daughter was less than four months old on her first Christmas.  She had no idea what was going on, and yet I  had a deep desire to buy presents for her. We had no money for extras that year, but I felt unloving, even negligent, to fail to purchase a gift for her.

Moms, we have a soft spot for our babies, and that is right and good, but we need to realize that it is not unloving to wait to buy gifts for our children until they are old enough to receive them with understanding. That just makes sense.

zero-budget Christmas kids
At four months old, my daughter was happy to look at the Christmas lights and gnaw on her fist. So even though it was hard for me, we saved our money and didn’t purchase any gifts for her that year, or the next. And she never knew the difference.

If you cannot bear the idea of not buying your child a present, remember this: very young children are delighted with one or two new toys (and by new, I mean new to them; more on that later in the series) and overwhelmed by much more. Don’t give them more than they can handle just because our culture says you should.

Elementary-aged children have more specific desires than toddlers, but their gifts are generally cheaper than those of older teens. Companies often run great specials during the holidays on toys for this age group because they hope that once you’re in the store for the cheap Barbie, you’ll pick up an Xbox too.

If you are careful not to fall for the bait, you can take advantage of the deals and give yourself more money to work with when finding gifts for the hardest age group of all: older kids and teenagers who have very specific hobbies or interests. Parse your money out wisely by spending little to nothing on the youngest (we’ll talk about how to do that next time) so you have more for the oldest.

Budget gifts

Don’t do it all!

The first Christmas after my twins were born was one of our leanest. I had five kids ages six and under. Three were in diapers.

One day, our pastor’s wife pulled up and unannounced, “Don’t let the kids come out here!” Her trunk was full of toys and clothes for the kids that she had been squirreling away whenever she found a good deal. That year, Christmas was from Mrs. Cara, and I will never forget it.

Mama, it’s okay to let someone else steal your thunder on Christmas morning. I know you wish you could do more for your kids. But instead of feeling guilty or inadequate, turn your eyes up to God who sometimes uses other people to bless us, and be grateful for them.

Even if you don’t have a Mrs. Cara in your life, keep in mind that your children will often receive gifts from family members and friends. You may realize that one or two presents from you is more than enough to round things out. Or, you can supplement with more practical items that are easier on the budget.

Be “unfair.”

This one might ruffle some feathers, but I believe it’s important.

One of the lies parents believe is that we must spend the same amount of money on each of our kids in order to be “fair” and avoid any smack of favoritism. This idea can lead us to spend more than we should in an attempt to keep things even.

The truth is, we should not feel obligated to treat our children the same. They are not the same. Even my twins are not the same, and I would be foolish to try to parent them in an identical way!

I would also be foolish to try to buy gifts for them in the same way. At different ages and seasons, children will have different needs and interests. Sometimes, gifts for one will be more expensive than others. Other times, a child might get more presents than another because he has needs or unique interests the others just don’t have. That’s okay!

Budget Gift giving

We make it a habit in our home to rejoice with those who rejoice–even if that person got a really great gift and we didn’t. We try not to compare our blessings with theirs. Having a bit of an unequal Christmas gives us plenty of opportunities to practice that in a loving setting.

Now, we don’t purposely exasperate our children. Our kids always feel abundantly loved and cared about at Christmas. (I asked them).

But the fact remains, sometimes Christmas is not “fair.” Life is not fair.

Even our heavenly Father does not treat all of his children the same. We are unique, special individuals, and that means that sometimes, another one of his kids gets more than us. Don’t be afraid of that—like everything else God does, it is for our own eternal good.

Being “unfair” can be very good for you and your kids as well as long as you communicate how entirely loved and valued they are. And that has nothing to do with the amount of money spent or the number of gifts under the tree.

In fact, that has nothing to do with money at all.

*To begin reading A Zero-Budget Christmas from the beginning, start here.

**During this series, affiliate links may be included for your convenience. Thank you for supporting this ministry!

 

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