It’s a tough time of the year for those of us who have to count every penny. With that in mind, we considered how you could lower Christmas costs, and still enjoy the festive season.
Set Your Stall Out With Presents
The quandary of what to get for that person who constantly buys you stuff comes with Christmas. Most of us feel required to buy gifts for a long list of people, including our extended families, friends, and teachers. Avoid falling for the trap. Make a “no needless presents pact” and have such discussions early. Just start negotiating with friends and family right away if you’re worried about money this Christmas.
In fact, establishing a spending cap or planning a Secret Santa party can be more enjoyable. No one can lose if a limit of a pound or whatever has been maintained. If you don’t like it, it was only meant to be amusing.
Lower Christmas Costs – Reduce Food Waste
Every holiday meal includes at least one dish that no one likes but you always buy, or a sweet that you were simply too full to consume. One area where it’s simple to save costs without sacrificing enjoyment is food. Make a list, stick to it, only buy what you need, and make sure you finish any leftovers.
According to data from Wrap, 6.6 million tonnes of edible food are discarded annually in the UK. Not from grocery stores and restaurants, but from our own homes. Your freezer is a friend before and after the big day because you can keep food there up until the stroke of midnight on any use-by date.
Go plant-based for Christmas dinner to further reduce your carbon footprint.
Lower Christmas Costs – Travel
A huge carbon footprint may be left behind by travelling home for Christmas. According to the RAC, around 27 million trips were undertaken in the weeks leading up to Christmas 2021. Since family time is valuable, travel less frequently but stay with your loved ones longer when you do.
Public transportation is a more environmentally friendly solution, but it’s not always an option. The RAC advises carpooling and travelling during quieter times of the day to reduce your Christmas mileage. To avoid traffic, start your excursions early in the morning or late at night.
Recycling
You might be surrounded by a mountain of wrapping paper and heaps of packing after Christmas Day. The “scrunch test” is a useful method for determining if wrapping paper is recyclable, according to Wrap. There is no need to remove adhesive tape from crumpled paper if it maintains its shape after being crumpled. It cannot be recycled if it reshapes itself.
Try to stay away from glittery paper, though. The recycling of paper is severely hampered by glitter. Glass or plastic ornaments like tinsel and baubles can’t be recycled either. Taking good care of existing decorations and reusing them year after year is both environmentally friendly and economical.
The Meaning Of Christmas
Spending time with family over Christmas is more essential than opening presents. It’s all about enjoying yourself and spending quality time with the people you care about and adore. It’s about unwinding, and you can do it in a green way.
