How to save money on Christmas cards
With Christmas fast approaching, many Brits will be looking at their bank balance and wondering how to pay for it all. One aspect where you can quickly save cash is with seasonal cards. Here are our top tips for sending Christmas cards that won't cost a packet.
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Cut down your list
As you go through life, you accumulate friends, acquaintances and family members, and adding them all to your Christmas card list can leave you with some serious postage costs. This year, take a good look at the list and see where you could trim it down. Some of those distant acquaintances that you rarely, if ever see, may not even notice if you don't send a card, while you can easily explain the situation to those that you see regularly or will be visiting over the Christmas period. If you can get your mailing list down to close friends or family that live a long way away or that you won't see, you'll find the cost is cut considerably.
Cheap cards
If your list is still quite long, you can save money on the cards themselves by seeking out cheaper alternatives. The likes of pound stores are great for bargain bulk buys, while sending post cards are cheaper to send than over-size cards and could save you a bundle on postage. Better still, take advantage of our love of technology and send an e-card instead. That way you can still wish friends and family a Merry Christmas and it won't cost you a penny. Lastly, don't forget to stock up on next year's cards once all the seasonal merriment is over. It's the best time to pick up bargain boxes.
Make your own
Shop-bought cards can be pricey, and you can easily save a few bob by making your own while simultaneously impressing friends and family with that personal touch. Even if you're not the arts & crafty type, you can get creative. Invest in some card, coloured or otherwise, and ask the kids to draw a seasonal scene, scan it into your computer and print off copies and stick them onto your card. A family photo is another great idea, and can look very professional if you use glossy photo paper for your prints. And if you're really stuck, you can always cut out designs from cards you've received in previous years and stick them onto card with a little glue and glitter to create your own.
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Cut out cards altogether
Modern technology has provided us with numerous ways to stay in touch with those near and far, so if you're really strapped for cash or feel uncomfortable with the idea of sending a card that will likely be binned in a week's time, don't bother. Instead, give your loved ones a call, or if they're long distance, arrange a free Skype session. It's personal, a great way to catch up and let them know you're thinking of them, and it's a money-saver.
How do you save money on Christmas cards? Leave your comments below...
