DIY Holiday Hacks Designed to Save you Money

 DO IT YOUR WAY FOR THE HOLIDAYS.  HERE ARE A FEWDIY’S THAT ANYONE CAN JOIN IN ON THIS SEASON. 

1. BROWN PAPER PACKAGES TIED UP WITH STRING…

Brown paper bags are simple, minimalistic, they always mesh and match with just about anything in your household– from themed Christmas trees or gorgeous house decor. Plain brown paper gift bags never go out of style. 

Consider grabbing some plain butcher paper at your local shopping center or from a craft store nearby. Buy in bulk online too! But you know what hack is my absolute favorite? Not to mention they're environmentally friendly and effective.

Start using those Up-cycled grocery bags from your own kitchen stack, set aside your brown paper sacks from your most recent grocery haul, and score one side with a razor blade or scissors down the side and then bottom. Open and lay flat. You can choose to leave it plain, or decorate the interior blank side of the bag. Throw in some sparkles, glitter glue, stamps, sponged paint, or drawn-on/painted designs--the choices are endless!

Pro tip— If you choose to create a brown paper masterpiece, wait for your creation to dry. Place the decorated or blank side face down. Then get back to wrapping your package as usual. Garnish with string, a bow, or ribbon, or just leave it as is. Perfection. 

2. HOME BAKED GOODIES! 

Made with love! Nothing tastes sweeter than that. Homemade baked goodies are a wonderful low-cost and festive alternative for holiday gifting! You can pick a seasonal specialty, or use up your over-ripe fruit and lingering fall squash.

Consider food allergies, and dietary restrictions before shipping out the cookies. The best way to go is homemade for the holidays— and especially for your people within your immediate family or social tribe. As delicious as homemade treats are, health and safety are always a priority! 

• Banana Bread
• Zucchini Bread
• Snickerdoodles 
• Fudge
• Apple Pie
• 7 Layer Bars
• Rum Balls
• Sugar Cookies
• Homemade Jam
• Hot buttered rum kit

3. JUST ADD GLAM!

A little razzle-dazzle never hurt anybody! You don’t have to spend the most to have the most fun. Most holiday crafting supplies can be found for just a few bucks, and are easily accessible from suppliers, bargain outlets, craft markets, or even online at Amazon. Dollar tree glitter, paper, and glue will do the trick too. Enjoy your DIY personal party, or get some quality time in with family/friends as you get to crafting. 

What are some of our favorite cheap/sparkly crafts this year? Check out these ideas below.

• Paper chain garlands. 
• Homemade ornaments.
• Home-crafted holiday tree topper.
• Homemade holiday cards
• Homemade gift tags
• DIY holiday hair barrettes

4. COZZY CLASSY!

Although we love tolive life gloriously in sweats and leggings, the holidays are a great time to punch it up! Our favorite hack is adding in some layers and pops when dressing down to look more dressed up. So how do we achieve this on such short notice? It begins with Two B’s— the black blazer.

Everyone owns a black blazer or needs one immediately. Trust me. Some of the best-looking blazers can be found at your local thrift stores or at discounts online. Believe me when I say that it's worth the investment and less stress when needing to pair some quick outfit looks and get out of the door! Layer your black blazer with leggings, a tailored jogger, or a fresh tee. It's slimming, and polished, AND it doesn't break the bank. Now let's get into the festive part!

• Add a vintage brooch from your closet or your favorite second-hand online retailer. (Poshmark, Mercari, Tradesy, eBay, etc.)
• Up-cycle a handkerchief from the family archives as a fun pocket square.
• Festivity is just a decal away! navigate over to your nearest Etsy for a sparkly patch/decal to update your blazer. (Most can be ironed on or attached with simple adhesive.)
• Button up! Swap out theplain jane plastic closures, with old vintage numbers from storage, online finds, or your nearest craft store for a fun update. 

5. GIVE THE GIFT OF GREEN!

Nobody wants crap for Christmas, and holidaying on a budget is no excuse. Rather than loading up your friends with cheap dust collectors or clothes they hate, give them the gift of green!$$$ Here are some money-gifting ideas when below. 

• Follow thissimple paper-folding tutorial to give your family or loved one an envelope full of origami fun! Use dollar bills to make it the gift that is given twice!
• Too much work? We get it. You canpurchase a financial planner from Financial Footwork to get 2023 kicked off. .
• Gift cards. Boring, but functional.

May your days be merry and bright in this season of delight. Remember, presence over presents. Stick to your budget! Be safe! Spread love! Have fun.

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES WE LOVE!

• Nerdwallet – All things personal finance website
• The BURN Podcast – Ben Newman | Performance Development Coach 
• Increase your impact Podcast – Justin Su’a | Leadership Coach
• Micro-Empires Podcast – Jennifer Grimson | Entrepreneur
• Good (Yves)ning Podcast – Yves Batoba Personal | Development Mentor