Many of us are feeling the pinch of inflation this year. Higher prices at grocery stores, higher energy bills, and overall cost of living increases have taken a toll on the holiday budgets of many families. On one blog I read, there was a reader comment from a mom of 2 kids who said that she was going to be unable to buy Christmas gifts this year due to a tight budget. While I understand that situation, and can certainly relate to those who want to get out of the gift-giving tradition altogether, I want my readers to know that there are cash-free alternatives to buying Christmas gifts! Try a few of these tips while you’re watching TV over the next few weeks, and you’ll find yourself with easy freebies to use as gifts for many people on your list. Best of all – you won’t have DIY even one gift!
- Join two or three survey sites. I like the ones that have Paypal cash payout, or VISA gift cards, but there are others that reward with magazines or other products.
- Enter blog giveaways. If you look on my right sidebar, you’ll always find at least two or three giveaways going. It’s easy to enter (read my “How to Enter Blog Giveaways” post if you need instructions) and you’ll be surprised how many you win! In fact, last week I sent winner notifications to three repeat winners. Many more giveaways can be found on my giveaway linky, so check it regularly!
- Earn points at RecycleBank. In less than 10 minutes, you can click through a few slide shows, earning you enough for a free magazine subscription. If you have a bit more time, or keep up with it for a few weeks, you’ll soon earn enough for something bigger. For example, the toy car pictured at the top of this post is a reward on RecycleBank.
- Find “gifts” using other codes and rewards. For example, do you have a bunch of Disney movies sitting around the house? Cash in the points for new DVDs and gift cards! Redeem your credit card points for gift cards or experiences. Take a load of used books to the local used book store and exchange them for new items. If your kids are like mine, they don’t really care if a toy or book is brand-new in its package. They’re just excited to have something different to play with!
- Start a blog. It’s totally free to start a blog on sites like Blogspot, and you can use the web space to earn freebies. If you really get into it, consider adding an affiliate site to help you earn cash for those posts. Even $5 here and there can add up quickly.
Do any of these ideas sound like something you’d like to try? If you have other suggestions to make it a cash-free Christmas, share below!
Looking into RecyleBank now. My daughter does a lot of survey sites. She earns paypal and Amazon cards. They really do add up and come in handy. She is also a member of several grocery cash back sites. It takes time but can really help.