How to Minimize Holiday Stress and Maximize Savings

The holidays can be an exciting but also a stressful time for folks. Even as an athlete who would be cool under pressure, I find myself getting a little anxious when I think of holiday gifting and hosting. Luckily, over the past few years I’ve found ways to eliminate over 90% of my stress associated with pre-holiday preparations. Using the same approach as I would in planning my meals and workouts, I’ve found a few tips that have helped me minimize stress and maximize my savings.

These planning and cost-saving can help you prepare for the holiday season and give you back time: time that can be spent relaxing, working out, or catching up with family.

How to Minimize Holiday Stress and Maximize Savings

1. Make a holiday gift list ahead of time. Santa definitely gets this right! Make time to list out all of the special people you want to shop for before looking for gifts in store or online. Making a thoughtful, thorough list will save you time and help spare your bank account. Dividing your list into categories helps me, and my list usually looks something like this:

Family. People who are immediate or very close family, this is where a majority of my money is spent and for me include:

Parents
Siblings
Partner
Child

Friends & Colleagues. Many of these gifts might be smaller gifts, but they’ll go a long way in spreading holiday cheer.

Teachers and Service Providers. These gifts, which I prefer to give in cash, are a great way to say thank you to those whose services you use all year. My list has typically included:

Daycare teachers and staff
Babysitters
Mailwoman
Hairdresser/ barber
Doormen
Building super

My holiday shopping gift list has grown considerably over the years. If you’re on a budget and want to gift someone you don’t know well enough, consider an alternate gift. Would a handwritten note be as meaningful? I’ve purchased a box of holiday cards on Amazon.com and written thoughtful notes to wish folks happy holidays. A small gesture can go a long way.

2. Create your budget before you shop. Budgeting applies to gift giving too. Even if you don’t have a spending limit, it’s always good to have a budget in mind. Also, don’t forget about other spending, such as office pot-lucks or secret santa gifts. You don’t need to spend it all of your allotted budget on gifts, but it’s good to keep track.

3. Redeem points. I save so much by redeeming holiday points for gift giving. A majority of the points I received on my Chase Freedom credit card are used to redeem gift cards for my siblings. Another benefit of using a credit card throughout the year is that I’ll use cash back to buy holiday gifts or donate those funds to charity.

4. Know the best time to shop during the holidays. Creating a gift- buying schedule is a great way to avoid feeling stressed out during the holiday season. As my gift list kept growing over the years, I’ve divided up my shopping schedule into the following weeks:

6 weeks before Christmas: redeem gift card points for gift cards and cash
5 weeks before Christmas: look for online shopping deals and purchase gifts. Scour store circulars for Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals
3-4 weeks before Christmas. prepare for and host annual cookie decorating party
Two weeks before Christmas: purchase last-minute gifts
The week before Christmas: wrap all gifts… & relax!

Three benefits of starting in early/late November means:

I can purchase gifts over multiple paychecks. This way I’m not spending hundreds of dollars on gifts the week before Christmas
I can take advantage of sales like Black Friday or Cyber Monday
I’m not stressing closer to the holiday. This gives me more time to enjoy the days leading up to Christmas with family, instead of searching stores for last-minute gifts.

5. Consider DIY gifts. Not only can homemade gifts save you money during the holidays, but they’ll feel much more personal than store-bought items. My homemade gifts don’t cost much, but my siblings seem to like the ones I put together. One gift bundle they’ve liked included:

$50-$100 gift card (redeemed using credit card points)
Holiday mugs- purchased at stores like Homegoods, Marshalls or Amazon
Hot Chocolate Mix (on sale when bought in early December)
Marshmallows (on sale when bought in early December)
Candy Canes (on sale when bought in early December)

By planning to get these items ahead of time, it will take less time to assemble them and prep them in advance.

6. Avoid last-minute holiday shopping. Holiday shopping can be stressful enough, so waiting until the last minute to purchase gifts isn’t going to help you at all. Besides waiting until the last minute, it’s likey that the selection you have to chose from will be limited, especially for trendy items. Give yourself the time and opportunity to enjoy the holiday season by shopping early. The sooner you start, the less things can cost, especially as you get closer to the holidays and experience costs like overnight shipping or rush fees.

7. Buy in bulk where possible. When shopping, it’s possible to save when you buy multiple items from one retailer. For example, I purchase candy, chocolate and gift baskets in bulk to receive special discounts, free shipping and more. When shopping in advance, I can buy gifts and schedule them for delivery closer to the holiday, giving me one less thing to do as we get closer to 12/25.

8. Put things into perspective. At the end of the day, it’s important to realize the reason for the season. Spending time with family, reflecting on the year, and taking time to soak in all of the blessings the year brought me are what I love most about the holiday season. Gifts, food and holiday activities are great, but the real meaning of the holiday season for me is to be appreicitive for what I have. Instead of getting caught up in the ‘craziness’ of spending money and buying gifts, take time to pause, reflect and use the last few weeks of the year to count your blessings and plan for a successful new year.