No-Cost Christmas Gifts

Christmas gifts don’t have to cost a lot of money. In fact, they don’t have to cost any money at all. This year consider giving one or more of the following no-cost Christmas gifts:

Craft- Chances are if you have a creative hobby, you also have an excess of supplies to go with it. To save money this Christmas, challenge yourself to create gifts for everyone using only the supplies that you have on hand. This will give you a chance to share your skills with others, while cleaning out some of your overstock—truly a win-win for everyone.

Redo- Do you curb shop? If not you might want to consider starting. Get in the habit of checking for “treasures” around your city’s trash pick-up days, and you may just find the perfect gift for someone on your list. On occasion you’ll find an item that’s already in perfect condition, but more often than not you’ll find objects that are in need of some sort of repair. If you have the time to put into a bit of restoration, you could just net the perfect, one-of-a-kind gift for someone on your list—especially if you are shopping for someone who loves antiques.

Re-gift- We all receive gifts that we can’t use—whether they’re things that don’t suit our tastes or simply duplicates of items that we already have. Re-gifting is a great way to keep these items from going to waste, and a great money saver too. For a successful re-gift be sure that the chosen item is well suited to its recipient—after all you don’t want to use your friends as a way to clear out your closets.

Repurpose- The men and women who lived through the Great Depression were quite skilled at repurposing everyday objects to meet their needs—turning paper into beautiful, beaded jewelry and sacks into sturdy clothing. Turn a resourceful eye on your belongings, and you’re sure to find the makings of a perfect Christmas gift. For ideas to get you started, think quilts out of old clothing, bracelets out of old buttons and puppets out of old socks.

Give of yourself- We all have skills that are coveted by others, whether it’s our baking skill or our ability to change the car’s oil. Take an inventory of your skills, and determine how you could best put them to work to help the people on your Christmas list. Then, create a gift certificate offering your services. Recipients are sure to value this gift of your time and your skills.

Pass something on- Express your love for someone by passing on an item that they’ve long admired, say an article of clothing that your best friend raves about or a family heirloom that you’re ready to pass on to the next generation. To make this gift even more special, be sure to pass along any history that’s attached to the item.

Christmas gifts are more about the sentiment than the price tag. Challenge yourself to find the perfect no-cost gift for each person on your gift list.

-Erin Huffstetler

Erin Huffstetler is a freelance writer specializing in frugal living tips and tricks. Her work has appeared in numerous print and electronic publications including Family Circle, Guideposts For Kids and Pregnancy. As the stay-at-home mom of two young kids, Erin is always looking for new ways to live better for less. For fun decorating and craft project ideas check out Erin's "Trash to Treasures" and "Bead Making Basics" courses at Suite101.com.