1. Tips from Sylvie, Customer Service Representative
Wait for Boxing Day Sales and Buy Secondhand Items
You should always purchase Christmas items (napkins, gift bags, wrapping paper, etc.) after December 26. It’s also an excellent habit to buy secondhand items and visit thrift stores in order to spend less. In the summertime, yard sales also offer good opportunities to find pretty Christmas baubles and decorations at a fraction of their original price.
2. Tips From Anouk, Senior Account Manager, Creative Solutions
Favour Potluck Dinners and Targeted Gift Exchanges
For holiday meals, Anouk prefers doing potlucks, which allow everyone to contribute and share the bill. And for the gift exchange, she suggests having a draw among members of the same family in order to offer a single, bigger gift that will appeal to the designated person.
3. Tips From Charline-Ève, Multiplatform Editor
Improvise the December 26 Brunch Using Leftovers
She likes to give gifts in pretty fabric to avoid buying wrapping paper. “At our place,” she says, “the December 26 brunch is made from all of our leftovers from the previous day’s celebrations. I take this opportunity to make recipes using what I can get my hands on in the freezer and fridge. We’re forbidden to buy anything else. It’s a pretty original and creative meal.”
4. Tips From Gaëlle, Web Content Project Manager
Buy Gifts in Advance and Recycle the Wrappings
Gaëlle buys gifts for her loved ones during the big promotions leading up to Christmas. She also keeps attractive gift bags and nice parcel boxes she receives throughout the year so that she has pretty recycled gift wrapping at Christmas time.
5. Tips From Andrée-Anne, HR Marketing Specialist
Take Advantage of Discounts at the Grocery Store and Wait Until After Christmas to Celebrate.
It’s possible to save money at the grocery store by planning your purchases as early as November. Andrée-Anne also makes the most of in-store and flyer promotions. Plus, she cooks and freezes meals in advance to bring with her when she’s invited to dine with friends and family. In her extended family, they celebrate after December 25 so that they can “purchase discounted gifts!”
6. Tips From Elaine, Executive Assistant and Office Manager
Offer Homemade Gifts
The best way of saving money at Christmas is to make your own gifts, according to Elaine. She also likes to offer gifts that have multiple uses, such as scarves that can be transformed into gift wraps. And without spending any money, you can please someone you love simply by doing them a favour.
7. Tips from Josianne, Design and Production Studio Coordinator
Redeem Your Reward Points
A number of financial institutions and card issuers offer reward points when you use a credit card. The Christmas season is a good time to redeem them and spend less money on gifts.
8. Tips From Alexandra, Loyalty and Relationship Specialist
Take Advantage of Black Friday and Cyber Monday Discounts
Alexandra suggests waiting for Black Friday and Cyber Monday discounts to purchase gifts. According to her, it’s well worth the wait and saves everyone money on all kinds of items.
9. Tips from Mélissa, Project Coordinator - Advertising Sales
Spread Out the Purchase of Gifts Over Several Months
For her kids, she buys gifts in flea markets all year long and hides them in large boxes under her bed. This method allows her to spread out her expenses over several months instead of concentrating them in November and December.
10. Tips From Etienne, Senior Chef and Recipe Development
Choose Simplicity
For Etienne, it’s obvious that you can make people happy by hosting them with either simple or complex dishes, like stuffed chicken legs or meat pie lasagna. We have a tendency to overdo things, while a meal with a starter, main course and dessert is all you need on a Saturday night. It should be the same at Christmas.