A mere 48 hours before one of my favorite holidays named after a color...Black Friday...I wanted to share some of my holiday hacks that might save you guys some time and money. Remember, the only thing more valuable than time with loved ones is my advice.
- Give gifts in T.J. Maxx bags. Gift bags are so expensive! I save money by buying packs of gift bags at craft stores or giving big gifts in T.J. Maxx/Marshalls/Home Goods bags. They're 99 cents and reusable! I keep several in my car to carry crap back and forth to work.
- Reuse tissue paper! Hello! That stuff is expensive! What am I doing on the most wonderful day of the year while my loved ones open gifts? I'm folding tissue paper. Zero shame. If you are capable of this embarrassment thing I hear so much about...try telling people you're going green or engaged to Leonardo DiCaprio and have to reduce your carbon footprint or something.
- Use some homemade cards. Cards are so expensive! I save money by decorating cardstock, cutting out snowflakes, making marbled paper, using wite-out on a card someone gave me. And I have completely stopped giving cards to anyone who can't read. For most of my cousins that was around 4 or 5. For my brother...well, he's still saving me money.
- Stock up on discount Christmas gift supplies. Instead of spending a ton of money on bows and boxes and bags, get a key items you need at the beginning of January for 90% off and hang on to them for 11 months while your family secretly tapes a submission reel for Hoarders.
- Holiday shop early so you don't find yourself eating ramen for the last 2 weeks of the year. Unless it's by choice, nothing wrong with that. I'm notorious for buying gifts MONTHS in advance. As long as you don't lose them, it's fine. Once I did lose my Grandpa's birthday present but I just turned it into a scavenger hunt. With no clues.
- Get gift wrap that's not holiday themed. Then you can use it year-round! Of course, you can also do this if you just don't care what other people think. I gave my cousin her birthday present wrapped in My Little Pony paper that also featured snow covered Christmas trees. No one noticed.
- 3 words. Glee. Christmas. Album.
- For baked goods, sometimes a savory snack can go a long way. A lot of people like to give Christmas treats as gifts, I always make oreo truffles and gingerbread cookies, but when there's tons of sweets around the house it can be refreshing to also have something salty like a homemade chex mix or cheese straws.
- Make sure to prioritize stores having SALES on Black Friday. Instead of stopping by Marshalls or picking up some items like groceries that aren't discounted, focus your full attention on the deals.
- Never underestimate the wow factor of a practical gift. I know we all want to get our BFF that t-shirt with the podcast quote that only the 2 of you will understand even though it cost $30, but sometimes a practical gift can be better than a personal gift. Find a present that will make someone's life easier instead of more cluttered. Kitchenware, nice bath towels, tools and yes, socks.
- Have a plan so you don't end up backtracking or wasting time. Kind of like an amusement park, it can be helpful to shop in the reverse order of how you think others will be going. I won't tell you my plan because I would hate to have to fight one of you for the last DVD box set of Golden Girls. But I'm a Sophia so watch out.
- Remember...if you don't get a deal you were hoping for or still have some items left on your list, there's always Cyber Monday.
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