You Can Enjoy The Holiday Season Without Completely Breaking The Bank. Here’s How
Helping young Australians get ahead.
The heat is rising, everyone’s getting ready to count down the new year and the familiar cadence of Mariah Carey’s Christmas album seems to be stuck on an infinite loop in shops, on the radio, and throughout the office. Brace yourselves: the holidays are coming!
Are you physically, mentally and emotionally prepared? What about financially? Sure, the silly season can be worth splurging on, but there are ways to have a great time without completely draining your savings.
Want to know how? Here are five ways to get festive without breaking the bank.
#1 Set a date and bring a plate
The holidays are the most wonderful time of the year, but spending the summer with people who make you laugh makes it even better! Once you’ve got all your family commitments out of the way, it’s nice to bring the rest of your crew together – friends, neighbours or colleagues – for a relaxed, BYO lunch or dinner.
Don’t stress: there’s no need to book a fancy, expensive restaurant. Just set a date and time, set a theme and get everyone to bring a plate to share. A group chat is an easy way to make all the arrangements (and trade memes).
Image: Maksim Goncharenok / Pexels
#2 Play Dirty Santa (or Pakkeleg, as the Danish call it)
Not to be confused with one of those dodgy Hollywood Christmas comedies, Dirty Santa is a simple party game that’s actually a lot of fun. There are different takes on it floating around, but the Danish version, known as ‘Pakkeleg’, is the most enjoyable.
In a nutshell, it’s a bit like Secret Santa. However, instead of being all cute and nice, you get to steal the better-looking presents away from your friends. Many a tear has been shed, we’re sure.
You set a budget with the group (six is a good number of players) and each bring a wrapped gift. All you need to play is a die. All the gifts are placed in the middle of the table. In round one, you take turns rolling a six. When you do, take a gift from the pile until they’re all gone.
For round two, the host sets a short (secret) time limit, and you get to steal presents off each other whenever you roll a six until the time runs out. Even though everyone only has to shell out for one gift, one person can end up with multiple gifts, so may the odds (and the clock) be ever in your favour.
#3 Make your own gifts
If you’d rather give something to everyone, making your own gifts is thoughtful and cost-effective. Ho-ho-homemade gifts are a fun way to show you care (and maybe reveal a hidden talent), rather than just picking up a random gift on the way to the party. Even if you think your craft skills haven’t progressed past Clag paste and pipe cleaners, you might be surprised how creative you can be.
It’s all about taking your time – don’t leave it until the last minute. Something as simple as a jar of homemade sauerkraut, tasty treats you can take home, like rum balls, or even a set of resin art coasters if you want to get super crafty.
Image: Nastasya Day / Pexels
#4 Make your spending work for you
Let’s be honest. You’re probably not going to get through the holidays without spending anything. But you can try to a) stick to a set budget and b) when you do spend, consider how you can make it work in your favour.
You can do that by hunting around for special discounts and taking advantage of rewards programs. Also, if you’re a Westpac customer aged between 18 and 29, your spending could actually help support your savings goals (yes, really).
Westpac’s Spend&Save variable bonus interest rate rewards you for saving and spending (subject to eligibility criteria). To earn the bonus rate and help give your Westpac Life savings account a boost, you just need to make five eligible purchases on the debit card linked to your Westpac Choice everyday account each month. That’s pretty easy to do this time of year.
#5 Group Gogglebox sessions
If there’s one thing guaranteed to bring people together, it’s Love, Actually. It’s a classic! Rather than watching it for the 20th time by yourself, get your friends online for a live video chat. It’s kind of like Gogglebox, but without the requirement for an expletive bleeper.
Just set up your Zoom chat with your friends, angle the camera towards your seat, and pop on the movie. You’ll all need to sync pressing playing to get the timing right. If you don’t all enjoy Love, Actually, just choose another classic you can watch and discuss.
Just remember: when it comes to your friends and family, spending lots of time together is way more important than spending lots of money.
This article originally appeared on Junkee.
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If you’re between 18 and 29, you could be eligible for Westpac’s exclusive Spend&Save variable bonus interest rate, which rewards you for spending and saving. Find out more about how you could grow your savings faster here.
Fees and charges and eligibility requirements apply. Read the product Terms and Conditions, including the Online Banking terms and conditions available at westpac.com.au, and consider whether the product is right for you. This information is general in nature and does not take your personal objectives, circumstances or needs into account. Products issued by Westpac Banking Corporation ABN 33 007 457 141 AFSL 233714.
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(Lead image: Kira auf der Heide / Unsplash)