Year end celebrations give us time to relax and unwind as we reflect on the year’s achievements and our plans for the coming year. This often involves going on vacation, visiting new places, hosting parties, eating out, and much more. Whatever you decide to do, it’ll often involve spending money. As you probably already know, it can get costly. However, some tips can help you save money; let’s dive in.
1. Stay Out of Trouble
The holiday season brings many events with family and friends, making it one of the most pleasant times of the year. However, it can also be the worst. People often find themselves in trouble with the law around the holiday season.
Mostly, they commit offenses such as DUI, domestic abuse, and theft. Drinking is among the most common activities people engage in during holiday events. However, some people can’t hold their liquor and end up causing fights. Others overindulge and make stupid choices like stealing gifts from their neighbors’ porches.
These are what are famously known as holiday crimes. If you plan to drink at an event, designate a driver at the beginning of the night or use a cab. Shop early for all the gifts you intend to give your loved ones to avoid the temptation to steal, and lastly, resolve any conflict you might have with your loved ones before you start drinking. Stay out of trouble to avoid expensive arrest fees and the need for bail bonds during your year end celebrations.
2. Drink Responsibly
Whichever year end celebrations you propose to attend this season, have a clear alcohol consumption plan. Considering you want to let go, it may not necessarily be the most fun thing to do. However, it’ll ensure you drink responsibly.
The key to responsible drinking is to pace yourself. The general rule is to limit yourself to one drink every hour and to drink a glass of water with each drink. It won’t make you less drunk, but it will help you space drinks.
A consumption plan will also help you track how much you’re spending on alcohol during the holidays. You can use an app to keep a count of how much you’ve had and how much you have spent. Be sure to include all costs, including tips, to ensure you stay within the budget allocated for drinks.
Even as you indulge in the fun of the holidays, remember that most beverage bottles are recyclable. If you have hosted an event at home, separate plastics from bio waste, glass, and paper. Next, collect and clean the bottles and put them in recycling. This might even earn you some money if you live in a state with a bottle bill. According to LoadUp, you can get up to 10 cents a bottle when you redeem the bottles.
3. Celebrate Locally
Traveling internationally for the holidays can incur a large expense depending on the destination, accommodation, food, and entertainment. Different destinations attract varying fees for everything. You might spend nearly half your travel funds on transportation alone. You may also need to plan two extra days to avoid being Jetlagged after the travel. This will significantly impact your travel budget.
On the other hand, a domestic trip saves you money and allows for spontaneity. With domestic travel, you don’t have to do much research and planning. Creating an itinerary of what you would like to do on the trip is still essential. Still, you get a lot more flexibility when traveling locally.
There are various destinations you can visit throughout the trip. For instance, you can visit local national parks, wander off to the coast for a plate of seafood, go snowboarding, or check out family retreats in Texas. Local year end celebrations give you peace of mind by allowing you to be present in the moments you share with your loved ones without worrying about money.
4. Host a Barbeque
A BBQ party is among the most common form of year end celebrations. It brings people together and makes for fun times with your loved ones. A great tip for hosting a BBQ party is buying in bulk. You can avoid paying premium prices by buying large quantities. Not only will you save money, but you’ll also get fresher and higher-quality meat.
Choosing an energy-efficient, cost-effective grill will save you money. You can fuel your equipment using natural gas, propane, or charcoal. The type of fuel you choose to use highly depends on your budget.
Since a BBQ party might include drinking, you can ask guests to bring refreshments. This way, you’ll have saved a ton on your end. Stick to social media invites for guests you can reach through such platforms. For those who don’t use social media, you can call them or send them a DIY invitation card.
5. Have a Party at Home
Hosting loved ones during year end celebrations can be overwhelming and quickly spin out of control. However, it doesn’t have to be. The trick is to give yourself enough time to plan the event. Ensure you send your invites three weeks before. Doing this will ensure you budget for an exact number of guests and avoid wasting food.
Using old decor will help you avoid the cost of buying new ones. You can check the items in your storage, such as fancy plates and holiday cards. Once you have everything, choose a theme and ensure the décor fits perfectly. Use music apps to create a fitting playlist for the holidays. This helps you to put your guests in a festive mood without adding the budget for a DJ.
Another way to save money is to choose a menu that involves items that can be prepared beforehand. This way, you won’t need much human labor and time to prepare. Finger foods and disposable plasticware also help save the amount of water and soap required for cleanup. If you live in a commercial residential property, inform the responsible property management company that you’ll host a party and when.
6. Designate a Driver
Driving while intoxicated is dangerous and unlawful. The best way to avoid a DUI during year end celebrations is to designate a driver. However, there’s hope if you’re charged with a DUI. Dwi attorneys can help you resolve this issue quickly and even reduce your penalty.
Having a DWI attorney has several benefits. For instance, a DWI attorney will help you reduce fines and court fees that could add up quickly. With their help, you could save a lot of money. Also, a DUI case tried in the court will require you to report for ninety days for probation if found guilty.
Your attorney can negotiate the terms and exempt you from the probation. This helps you to save money, hassle, and time. Seeing how significantly a DUI charge can impact your life, start the night by designating a driver. You could hire a professional or appoint a friend who will not engage in drinking to drive you home after the celebration.
7. Hire a Talented Friend to Do Your Makeup
Hiring your friend to do your makeup will save you tons of money compared to getting it professionally done. Admittedly, your friend might not be an expert, but you know their strengths and talents. Find that friend who is the best at doing makeup and request their services. Be sure to notify them that you need their services during a specific end-of-year party or any other year end celebrations.
Do your research on the internet to find inspiration for a look you’d want while keeping in mind your theme to ensure it all goes together. Also, determine which shades best suit your skin tone instead of leaving it to chance. Share these ideas with your friend beforehand and have her practice on you a couple of times until you’re satisfied with the results.
This way, you won’t be disappointed when the day comes. Granted, you won’t let them leave empty-handed. Give them a small compensation for their services or repay them by getting them more meaningful treats such as taking them to the nail salon for a foot rub and a facial, or you could do a DIY present.
8. Avoid Big Purchases
Year end celebrations are a tempting time for big purchases. There are deals everywhere you look, which typically kick off from Thanksgiving. There’s no denying that you can save a significant amount of money. If you’ve had an item, such as a new appliance, you’ve been planning to purchase, and it’s now on offer, say 40% off, then by all means, get it.
However, don’t make the one mistake most other shoppers make. Once they start making purchases, they only stop shopping once the holiday season ends. So, what may seem like small purchases add up, and ultimately, you spend a lot of money.
Remember that the holidays are only a few weeks of the year. Soon, we’ll start the new year. As long as you’re a working citizen, then you know it comes with its fair share of responsibilities. You must account for many costs, from insurance payments to your kid’s school fees to routine home inspections. So avoid making big purchases, like a new storefront sign for your business, unless necessary.
9. Prepare Food at Home
Food is one of the highest expenses for people all over the globe during year end celebrations. It makes sense. People are not working and have more free time. While eating out or ordering take-out offers an unmatched level of convenience, it can be costly. You may find your spending your grocery budget in a week.
Consider preparing food at home instead. There are plenty of benefits that come with doing this. The most relevant in this case is it saves you money. Almost anything you prepare from scratch will cost less.
One thing you should know about eating out, for example, at your favorite hibachi restaurant, is that you don’t just pay for the food. You also pay for the experience and atmosphere. So the higher end an establishment is, the more you’ll pay for the food.
You can always make delicious meals at home and get the same satisfaction. Plus, you can recreate some of your favorite take-out meals easily. For example, if you really want that KFC chicken, many tutorials on YouTube show you the spices you can use to get that flavor and how to achieve that crisp coating. Remember, you can always tweak the recipe, improving where you feel it lacks. You’ll ultimately spend less while having way more fun, especially if you decide to do it with friends and family.
Preparing meals at home will also give you more control over what goes on your plates. You get to pick out the healthiest alternatives, whether it’s the groceries or the meats. You can even get what you need directly from a nearby farm. The result is much healthier, filling meals, and you won’t be limited in portions.
10. Create a Budget
If you’re not careful about spending your money during year end celebrations, you might start the new year by filing for bankruptcy. Creating a holiday budget is the best way to ensure you spend appropriately. It’ll help you be intentional with your purchases throughout the season.
So, how do you prepare one? Start by taking inventory of what you have. You may find that you have a lot of things stashed in your storage spaces, including the basement, attic, and closets, that can help minimize your holiday expenditures. Old decorations of previous festivities fall under this category. So is apparel that has just captured your attention one more. As you purge, you may also find unopened packages that you had planned to give—or regift—in the past.
Like many other things in life, it helps to keep an open mind to adjusting your expectations. If finances are limited this year, consider modifying your year end celebrations a little. Have an open discussion about holiday spending with your family and friends and decide on a spending cap. This way, you can have fun without worrying about your finances.
If there’s a time of the year conducive to blowing money, it’s the holiday season. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. Be strategic about everything you do. Start planning early and avoid getting into unnecessary legal and financial troubles.