How to Take a Minimalist Approach to Holiday Shopping

The holidays are hectic—with everyone rushing to stores and advertisements being shoved in our faces, it can be difficult to maintain a minimalist approach to shopping. Everything is made to seem like the best deal or the next must-have gift. But the holidays are supposed to be about giving and togetherness. We should focus less on the price tag and more on the meaning behind the gift.

Here are four ways that you can reduce spending on holiday shopping while still finding great gifts.

Make a List, Check it Twice

If you create a list prior to shopping, you will know exactly how much you plan to spend and the limits of your budget. It’s when you deviate from this list and start buying unplanned gifts that overspending occurs. As you begin shopping, try to find deals along the way in order to cut costs from your overall budget.

Something you should consider while shopping is tracking your expenses—this way you won’t have any unforeseen expenditures. One way to track all your purchases in real-time is by using an online banking platform with instant transaction alerts. These platforms can send updates directly to your smartphone, that way you don’t need to review your expenditures retroactively.

Repurpose Gifts

While it may seem taboo to regift something, an unopened or unused gift is practically good as new if the person doesn’t know that you’re regifting. As long as you think the recipient will actually enjoy the gift, it’s better to not let it go to waste. Sometimes you can even take a gift and upgrade it into something even better with a little bit of craftiness—like turning books into wall art! Adding your own touch will help make the gift even more perfect for the recipient. 

Give the Gift of Time

Spending time with someone can be more wholesome than any physical gift you could possibly give them, especially if your gift recipient speaks the love languages of Quality Time or Acts of Service. This means you could volunteer to do different chores for the person, offer to take them on fun adventures, or just spend an evening at home playing board games and watching movies. 

You can also spend time together while giving the gift of volunteerism. Plan a day later in the year when you can volunteer together at a local shelter or charity. The holiday season is jam packed with volunteers, so be intentional about visiting during a less-staffed time of year to truly make a big impact on your local community. 

You may just find that the joy you get from helping others can outweigh any physical gift.

Shop for Supplies

One way to cut down on costs is by making the gifts yourself. Rather than spending tons of money on expensive finished products, try spending the money on supplies for do-it-yourself gifts. You can save even more money if you already have some supplies on hand. This will take some extra time on your end, but it’s worth it because the gifts will be heartfelt and unique to the person you are giving them to. 

DIY gifts can include cookie dough ingredients in a jar, paintings, polished river rocks with a word of affirmation painted on them, a printed and framed poem, or anything else your creative mind comes up with!

During the holidays, minimalism can help you save costs and reduce stress. By applying the concepts of minimalism, you can celebrate the spirit of the holidays without getting sidetracked by the message to buy more and more.

Check out this infographic from Chime that can help you focus on your holiday needs while still meeting your financial goals.