Market Briefs Newsletter

Subscribe to our FREE finance & business newsletter to get financial news you can finally use.

Thanks for signing up to Market Briefs! Please check your email to confirm your subscription. If you don't see the email in an hour, check your spam and promotions folder. 

Be sure to read our Privacy Policy & Terms of Use.

  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Minority Mindset

Minority Mindset

Defy all odds.

  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
    • WEALTH
    • REAL ESTATE
    • CRYPTO
    • STOCKS
  • PRODUCTS
  • MONEY 101
  • GUAC TALK
Advertiser Disclosure

Our promise to you.

Minority Mindset, LLC is an independent, advertising-supported publisher. We are not an investment advisor. Always do your own due diligence and never blindly listen to a random article on the internet. We do our best to provide financial education with our free videos, articles, tools, and other self-help content. But these are for informational purposes only, they’re not investment advice.

Minority Mindset does not and cannot guarantee the accuracy or applicability of any information regarding your individual circumstances. The examples we provide are hypothetical and we encourage you to get advice from a qualified professional regarding specific investment, tax, legal, and financial issues. Previous market performance does not guarantee future performance.

We want everyone to be able to make educated financial decisions. We do not feature every company or financial product available. However, we’re proud of the financial education and guidance that we provide at no charge.

We’re paid by our brand partners and advertisers. This may influence which products we mention, review, and where they appear on our site. But it does not affect our recommendations or advice.

See more from Saving

How To Not Break The Bank Giving Gifts This Holiday Season

November 13, 2020 by Brooke Joly

Brooke Joly November 13, 2020

How To Not Break The Bank This Holiday Season

Disclaimer

We only endorse products that we truly believe in. Some of the links below may earn us some extra guac at no additional cost to you. Please pass the chips & thank you for feeding our habit.

The holidays are here again. That means fabulous parties, counting our blessings, delicious treats, festive decorations, and plenty of thoughtful gifts. It's incredibly easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle (not to mention the deals!) this time of year.

But here are a few tips to help make sure you can celebrate, give, and show appreciation for those you love without breaking the bank giving gifts this holiday season.

Your Free Guide To Building Wealth

Plus get access to our daily newsletter

Thanks for signing up for our financial education emails! Check your email to confirm your subscription. If you don't see the email in an hour, check your spam and promotions folder.

Be sure to read our Privacy Policy & Terms Of Use.

Quality Over Quantity

There are probably a few gifts you've received over the years that stand out in your mind. And as you reflect on them, you may realize that it was the thought behind them or the sentimental value they held that made them so special. Not how many of them you received.

My fondest memory of a sentimental gift is something my now-husband gave me our first Christmas together.  He crafted a gift tag out of metal on which he stamped “love” for the first time.

In hindsight, I’m not sure it was meant to be a gift, and I can’t for the life of me remember what it was attached to, but I carry it on my key ring to this day.

With that in mind, put a bit of effort into thinking about who you're buying for and what they would really appreciate receiving. Consider their hobbies, what makes them excited, or recent conversations you've shared.

Yes, this might take you a few minutes of brainstorming as opposed to one-click ordering on Amazon. But the look on the face of the person who receives a gift they genuinely appreciate is well worth your time. Not to mention that you'll find yourself giving fewer, more meaningful gifts, which means savings in the long run.

Think Outside The Giftbox

As we get older, we realize that the best things in life are free or aren't even necessarily things.

Consider giving those you love an experience instead of an item. One year a good friend of mine decided to forgo presents entirely in favor of a day trip to the local ski resort with the family instead. Get creative with it, and don't limit yourself to physical items.

Tickets to a local concert, a food tour, or something else that will make the recipient feel like a tourist in their town are unique options that create an experience they'll remember for a lifetime. These gifts don't need to be lavish, like a night out at the fanciest restaurant in town.

In fact, most local events tend to be relatively inexpensive for what they're worth, especially if you use a site like Groupon or LivingSocial. And the recipient will never need to know that the tickets you got them were two for the price of one!

Consider Giving An Audible Subscription This Year

Make It a Game

A game like secret Santa or a white elephant gift exchange is a fun way of allowing family members to express themselves with the added benefit of each participant contributing only one gift.

This is a great way to spend time with loved ones and create memories without the pressure of stressing over if each person will like the gift you got them. You never know who at the party might appreciate a pooping pooches calendar. (Yes, I brought that to a white elephant exchange last year and someone stole it!!)

Pro Tip: If your family gets together for Thanksgiving, it's a perfect opportunity to promote the idea and draw names if necessary.

Consider Giving The Gift Of Time

Is there someone in your life, maybe a spouse, sibling, or close friend, who could really benefit from some alone time? It's likely the person who came to mind has several children and a full-time job.

Giving the gift of your time to someone who needs it is like a gift in reverse. Offer to perform a household chore, fix something for them, build the garden they've been dreaming about, or just watch the kids for a few hours while they go read a book at the park.

Time is one of the most precious gifts we have as humans. And selflessly gifting yours to another person is not only incredibly generous, but it's also free.

Set Limits

If your family is big on gift-giving and there's an expectation that you'll spend a certain amount, see if everyone is agreeable to setting a maximum amount per person.

You may be surprised by how many other family members will be on board with capping gifts at $20 or $50 per person. Very few people actually want to spend extravagantly over the holidays and get hit with a massive credit card bill come January.

Make It Yourself

Not everyone is blessed with the genes of a creative artist. And for those that aren't, there's Pinterest. There are so many fantastic ideas for homemade holiday presents that are incredibly thoughtful and won't take too much time or money. 

Every year my Mom and I make these homemade lip balms and give them out in packs of 3 to the fabulous ladies in our life!

If you have kids, this is an awesome way to get them into the holiday spirit and help them understand the real meaning of giving gifts. Plus, you'll get to bask in the glory of everyone fawning over your insane craftiness!

Invest For Your Future With Personal Capital

Opt For Gifts That Keep On Giving

Subscription boxes have become all the rage in recent years. You can now have clothes, wine, dog toys, date nights, ramen noodles, and virtually anything else you can think of delivered to someone's door all year long.

The best part about subscription boxes is that many of them have incredibly generous introductory offers for the first few months. That means you get a major discount on a gift that keeps on giving, and the recipient decides if they want to renew it after that.

(Pro tip:  If you’re shopping for the man who has everything, the trial set from Harry’s was a big hit with the men in my life last Christmas.)

Give To A Cause

Many organizations would sincerely appreciate a financial gift or the gift of time this holiday season. Consider taking the family to volunteer at a local food pantry or shelter or make a donation in your family's name in lieu of individual gifts.

There are many great ways to give to those in need this year, which allows you to emphasize spending money and time helping others. And that is something everyone can get on board with.

The holidays are a time to express gratitude for all the beautiful blessings we have throughout the year. But in a society that encourages consumerism and spending before the season's true meaning, it's easy to lose sight of the forest for the trees.

As long as you keep spending in perspective and don't forget what this time of year is all about, you're guaranteed to hit a home run without breaking the bank giving gifts this holiday season.

Contributor’s opinions are their own. Always do your own due diligence before investing.

Keep Reading:

  • 7 Not-So-Sneaky Tricks For Frugally Upgrading Your Technology
  • Which Expensive Items Are Actually Worth The Splurge?
  • 7 Smart Ways to Use Credit Cards During the Holiday Season

Get the Minority Mindset Money Management and Investing Guide!

Written by Brooke Joly.

Brooke Joly is a Charleston, SC-based writer and wellness blogger helping people create healthy, sustainable habits. She has a passion for assisting people in taking control of their finances to live the financial life of their dreams.

Primary Sidebar

Advertiser Disclosure

Our promise to you.

Minority Mindset, LLC is an independent, advertising-supported publisher. We are not an investment advisor. Always do your own due diligence and never blindly listen to a random article on the internet. We do our best to provide financial education with our free videos, articles, tools, and other self-help content. But these are for informational purposes only, they’re not investment advice.

Minority Mindset does not and cannot guarantee the accuracy or applicability of any information regarding your individual circumstances. The examples we provide are hypothetical and we encourage you to get advice from a qualified professional regarding specific investment, tax, legal, and financial issues. Previous market performance does not guarantee future performance.

We want everyone to be able to make educated financial decisions. We do not feature every company or financial product available. However, we’re proud of the financial education and guidance that we provide at no charge.

We’re paid by our brand partners and advertisers. This may influence which products we mention, review, and where they appear on our site. But it does not affect our recommendations or advice.

More From Saving

  • How Minority Mindset Created Market Briefs
  • Best Finance Newsletters You Can Subscribe To
  • How To Survive The Return Of Student Loan Payments In 2022
  • A Hard Check Can Damage Your Score - Here's Why

Get Your FREE Guide To Building Wealth

& our daily newsletter

Thanks for signing up for our financial education emails! Check your email to confirm your subscription. If you don't see the email in an hour, check your spam and promotions folder.

Be sure to read our Privacy Policy & Terms of Use.

Featured Saving Posts

Minority Mindset Market Briefs

How Minority Mindset Created Market Briefs

Best Finance Newsletters

Best Finance Newsletters You Can Subscribe To

Are Warehouse Club Memberships Worth It

Is that Costco Membership Worth It?

What to Do When You Have Gone Astray on Your Budget

Your Budget is Busted... Get Back on Track With These Simple Steps

The Latest On Saving

Student Loan Repayment 2022

How To Survive The Return Of Student Loan Payments In 2022

Differences Between Hard and Soft Credit Check

A Hard Check Can Damage Your Score - Here's Why

The Lowdown on Labor Day Sales (Plus the Best Deals to Save the Most)

how inflation affects your grocery bill

How Much Is Inflation Really Affecting My Grocery Bill?

How to Get Started With Couponing

How To Get Started With Couponing

How To Buy Healthy Groceries on a Budget

How To Buy Healthy Groceries on a Budget

How to Vacation on a Budget

How to Vacation on a Budget

Combing through your bank statements help you to spot and fix any problems in your finances.

How to Spot and Fix Problems in Your Finances

How to Recover Financially After COVID

Learn what to - and to not - buy at your local wholesale club

13 Things You Should (And Shouldn’t) Buy At Your Nearest Wholesale Store

Footer

Keep Hustlin’

Company

  • About Us
  • Store

Help

  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • YouTube

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • GDPR Opt-Out
  • Comment Policy
  • Terms of Use

Follow us on:

Disclaimer: The information on this site is of a general nature only. It does not take your specific needs or circumstances into consideration. You should look at your own personal situation and requirements, and seek independent professional advice, before making any financial decisions. Our content is provided for informational purposes only, and no content that is provided or included in our products or services is intended for trading or investing purposes. We will not be liable for the accuracy, usefulness, or availability of any information transmitted and/or made available by way of our products or services, and shall not be responsible or liable for any trading and/or investment decisions made by you based on any such information. For a further understanding of this Disclaimer and use of our site, please see the information contained in our Terms of Use and Advertising Disclaimer.

Minority Mindset may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased or recommended through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnership with retailers and brands.

Minority Mindset has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Minority Mindset and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.

© 2022 Minority Mindset, LLC. All Rights Reserved.