My Simple Hacks for a Stress-Free, Affordable Christmas

We're already in December, and what that means is, "Yay, Christmas is around the corner!" We all know how exciting Christmas can be and know what makes it fun and exciting is how much we invest into it to make it lively, in food, entertainment, and the like, and that's probably why most people tend to go broke after the celebrations because they want to make the celebrations stand out and be greater than the former. For me, I'm not really enticed by all of such and so on. On most occasions when it comes to Christmas preparations and celebrations, I tend to be intentional about it so I can do it on a budget and cut costs as much as I can, and in this article I'd tell you how I used to do it.

Personally for me, since I began to stay by myself and celebrate Christmas from a distance, I've found a means to cut costs, because the very first month I tried to celebrate it by myself, I ended up spending more than enough due to the changes from celebrating and sharing bills with family to doing it all alone by myself. Since then, I've cracked my head on how to do it in a way that it won't weigh me down, and that's how I came by what I've been doing since then, although I didn't do it this year due to expenses and preparation for my wedding, but I know I'll revive that come next year.

I'm sure you'll be wondering what I used to do to do my Christmas on a budget. Well, it's not much of a big deal, because most times I tend to always cut my coat according to my size. I don't like going beyond my capacity regardless of if I want Christmas celebrations in my home to stand out. So basically what I do to cut costs is begin preparations very much earlier. We all know that once the year is coming to an end, the majority of traders tend to hike the price of their goods, and that's why I often buy things I need for Christmas as early as July or the months that follow.

Doing this not only helps me cut costs but also reduces the burden of buying everything needed in December to the point where I'll get overwhelmed by the amount spent. This tradition has been a saving grace that has helped me a lot during Christmas because by the time many are busy complaining about everything they had to buy and spend during Christmas, I'm on my path and more composed because I've got only a few things to purchase, and I'm certain when many adopt this hack, it'll go a long way in helping them get their priorities straight for Christmas and not end up spending twice what they would have a few months earlier had they started on time.

Another hack I've devised to cut costs during Christmas is the act of investing early in some necessary things that make up Christmas, such as chicken, or should I call it hen? I have a friend who runs a poultry, and I've had a deal with him whereby I purchase some young chickens around June or July, but rather than taking them home, I'll leave them with him so he can feed and nurture them amongst his many flocks, for which I only give him a small amount for the feeding. By December, when I need the chickens, they would have been fully grown, and I'll just take the chickens, send some to my parents, and keep the others for myself to be killed for Christmas and New Year celebrations.

That's about it on how I cut costs during the Christmas season so I'd not be overwhelmed by spending and go broke after the celebrations.

All photos are taken and edited on canva.