Is it your turn to host a #holiday feast? To make things memorable without breaking the bank, streamline your menu, says GoBankingRates. Pick a hearty main course, a couple of side dishes and a dessert. “A full menu may look appealing and easy to accomplish now, [but] remember that you may be busier when it’s time to begin cooking,” the story warns. You can feed family and friends on $5 to $15 per person if you plan ahead and work backward from an established budget. Keep the guest list small to keep costs — and the labor necessary to cook, clean and entertain — at a minimum. #HolidayTips
Tag: holiday
5 Ways to Shop Sustainably This Holiday Season
You’ve got a dilemma: You want to give gifts that your friends and family will love during the holiday season, but you want to do so without creating undue environmental impact — not such an easy task in today’s global economy.
Mass-market merchandise requires raw materials — petroleum products, rare-earth minerals and so on — that are often toxic to extract. Manufacturing byproducts and product packaging go into landfills and oceans, where they can last thousands of years.
What’s more, even things that break down or recycle easily often travel long distances to get to your front door, using fossil fuels and other non-renewable resources. So even if you buy imported foods for the holiday feast, you add more carbon to the atmosphere.
But there are ways to at least minimize your impact during the #holidays:
1. Support small, local businesses. The closer you are to the product’s source, the less fuel it takes to get to you. Locally grown foodstuffs and handmade items — that one-of-a-kind scarf from the craft fair, for example — have minimal environmental impact and are usually better than anything you can find at a big-box store.
2. Shop sustainable businesses. Businesses that pledge to recycle, use #sustainable materials, plant trees and offset carbon emissions are easier on the environment; just be wary of claims that seem too good to be true. “Fast fashion” brands are some of the worst for creating trash.
3. Give an experience. Tickets to the movies, a local play or concert; a restaurant meal; or gift certificate to a yoga session, spa or salon make great gifts that don’t require a lot of sweatshop labor or create extra greenhouse gases.
4. Shop the thrift. Giving used goods a second chance is a great way to keep lots of clothing and household items out of landfills while saving money. Bonus? Buy from a #thrift shop supplied by #donations to ClothingDonations.org, and you’ll help fund veterans programs.
5. Donate. #Charitable organizations need help on Giving Tuesday and throughout the year. Choose a cause that aligns with your giftee’s goals and #give in their name. It won’t be the same as unwrapping the latest air fryer or smart speaker, but still makes a thoughtful #gift.
#Giving can be its own reward — especially if you shop #sustainably.
Giving Can Be Its Own Reward
Evolutionary theory dictates that gratitude and generosity are linked, Greater Good says, and those who give generously receive in kind and are more likely to survive. So as you begin to shop the #BlackFriday deals online and in person, remember to share some of your good fortune in the spirit of #Thanksgiving. Take some shelf-stable goods or wrapped toys to a holiday drop-off location, #donate a few dollars to your favorite #charity, or schedule a free #donation #pickup of lightly used clothing and household goods to ClothingDonations.org. “Emphasize the giving, and the thanks will follow.”
How to Express Gratitude on Thanksgiving
There are plenty of options for giving #thanks and showing #gratitude as the #holiday season, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says. Volunteer with a local charitable organization, invite a holiday “orphan” to your dinner table or make an extra meal to give a family in need. At the feast, suggest that everyone share a memory that expresses gratitude (or have them write it down and add it to a Thanksgiving tree to avoid performance anxiety). If you have more money and #stuff than time, consider giving a donation of cash or used goods to ClothingDonations.org, where the proceeds will help fund essential #veterans programs. #Thanksgiving
Stretching Your Holiday Dollars
With inflation worldwide hitting 40-year highs, many shoppers are looking to keep their spending in check this #holiday season. Full of festivities and gift-giving, it’s already an expensive time of year, and you may have to stretch your dollars to make it memorable.
The first thing to do is set a holiday budget, writes Kentucky State University extension specialist Joanne Bankston. Include everything you’ll need to make the holidays happen: food, gifts, decorations, travel, greeting cards and other necessities.
Make a gift list, ballparking what you want to spend on each gift. Shop early to get the best deals, and get gift receipts if they’re available. Think creatively to save: Someone on your list might like a gift card or tickets to a show instead of merchandise.
Make something to give if you can bake, sew, knit or craft. A tin of homemade cookies, a jar of preserves or a handknit scarf will be more memorable and relatively inexpensive to make. You can also give the gift of time by helping out with chores, #organizing or decorating.
If you’re hosting a holiday gathering, you can save money by asking guests to bring a dish to pass or the beverage of their choice. Better yet, assign certain menu items to specific guests to avoid duplication.
Watch out for the hidden costs of the holidays, too, says DCU. Gift wrapping can add up, so get creative with used maps or newspaper. Shipping is another line item, and energy costs can spike if you have a lot of twinkling lights. Finally, you’ll likely have the temptation to treat yourself as you shop for others. Stick to your shopping list!
For good deals on lightly used household goods, holiday decorations, clothing and other goods, visit a #thrift or #secondhand shop supplied by #donations to ClothingDonations.org. Not only can you save money, but you’ll also contribute to essential veterans’ programs at the most critical time of year.
However much you spend, remember that interest rates are going up. To keep from overspending, pay any credit card balances in full every month, or use cash or debit cards instead. You may find it easier to limit spending when you use cash. Happy #shopping!