Believe it or not, summer is almost over. Before you know it, the stores will start filling up with pumpkins, ghost and witch decorations, costumes and tons of tempting Halloween candy.
As a mom who loves to decorate for every holiday, you are probably excited at the prospect of picking out some new fall and Halloween items for your home. But while you love shopping for decorations, your budget may have other ideas — as you probably know quite well, those adorable holiday baubles do have a way of adding up.
Fortunately, with some planning and keeping your eyes out for holiday items all year round, it is more than possible to keep your home looking festive all year. Check out the following ideas:
Buy high-demand items well ahead of time
There is nothing worse than having your heart set on a new set of gorgeous Christmas dishes or a pretty new tablecloth covered with snowmen, only to find that what you wanted had already sold out by mid-December. To avoid this disappointment, shop for popular holiday items months ahead of time when they are sure to be in stock. Fortunately, some stores sell Christmas and other holiday items all year. This tip will also allow you to space out your holiday-themed purchases throughout the year, which will also be more gentle on your budget.
Save all year long
If you can set aside a bit of money every month for holiday decorations, it will really help keep your monthly budget and bills on track. Estimate about how much you would like to spend on decorations over the course of the year and divide this number by 12; this is the amount you should set aside each month. For example, putting $25 a month into your holiday decoration pot will give you $300 to put toward new Valentine’s Day cupid displays, a 4th of July set of dishes and a gorgeous wreath made of golden leaves for your Thanksgiving door.
Check out craft and dollar stores
If you are in the market for DIY holiday decorations, you cannot go wrong with a craft store. Places like Michaels and Jo-Anns are devoting more of their floor space to holidays—and since crafters usually like to get a major head start on their holiday-themed gifts, the products come out extra early. As a major plus, these stores are both great for offering coupons and sales so you can stock up on your holiday merch without breaking the bank. Another treasure trove of holiday items is your local dollar store. Everything from artificial Christmas wreaths and snowflake window clings to St. Patrick’s Day banners and adorable Easter bunnies can be found for a mere buck a piece.
Don’t forget thrift stores and garage sales
The saying “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure” is incredibly true at garage sales and thrift stores — and this applies to holiday items. You can score great finds on Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter and other holiday decorations all year in both your neighbor’s driveway and the local Goodwill. Bring along some of your holiday budget money when you shop and keep your eyes open all year long for things you can use to decorate your house.
