20 top tips for Christmas on a budget

The New Zealand economy is on the go-slow, with rising living costs and financial pressures, and many families are feeling the need to scale back and approach Christmas on a budget this year. Reducing holiday spending has become a way to enjoy the season while being mindful of household finances.

Here are our top 20 tips for a fun, festive time that won’t break the bank.

• Start doing Secret Santa with your extended family, including the children. Agree on a price limit for gifts, then everyone draws the name of one person to buy one present for. This cuts down the number of presents people need to buy and even very young children enjoy choosing a gift for a cousin, aunt, uncle or grandparent.
• Christmas lunch or dinner can be expensive, especially if you are feeding a crowd. Assign everyone a dish to bring and ask guests to bring their own drinks so the costs are shared more evenly. It also means preparing food doesn’t fall entirely on the host family.
• Make presents for friends and family. Homemade food gifts are a great choice- they’re thoughtful, delicious, and don’t add unnecessary clutter. We’ve got lots of recipes that are perfect for gift-giving in our recipe section. If you dislike cooking, make up your own food hampers using our Breakfast Selection mueslis as a base. Or grab a 1.5kg Lifestyle Bag, then use it as a base to make Festive Muesli Gift Jars for friends and family. Add ingredients such as chocolate flakes, dried raspberries or cranberries, grated crystalised ginger, or walnuts or brazil nuts. Put a ribbon on your jar and it’s ready to go under the Christmas tree.
• Traditional Christmas meats such as turkey and ham can be expensive. Opt for a frozen chicken instead and roast it with homemade stuffing. Or choose a cheap cut of beef and slow cook it.
• Make your own Christmas decorations. If you have children, this is an excellent project for those first few days of the school holidays. Or wait until the kids are in bed and have a go yourself – crafting can be a great way to relax at what can be a busy time of year. There is plenty of inspiration online – we love some of these ideas from Country Living.
• Plan holiday season meals in advance, especially if you have guests. Consider the quantities you will need so you don’t waste food and avoid last-minute supermarket trips where impulse buying will add to your bill.
• Give the gift of your time – offer to babysit for friends or family members with young children, tell your mum you will do her gardening for the next three months, or teach a young relative a skill you can share, whether that’s cooking, a language, how to play a musical instrument or a craft such as knitting or crochet.
• Join a supermarket Christmas Club. These clubs allow you to save money each week to use at Christmas when we often spend more on food and alcohol. New World, Pak n Save and Woolworths all offer these programmes and reward you for saving with bonus points or dollars. Start now and Christmas 2025 will be a breeze.
• Consider having a sustainable second-hand Christmas. Everyone has to stick to the theme and give pre-loved gifts. Charity shops and op shops are good places to start. You will save the money and the environment by giving these goods a new life.
• Fill your table with salads and vegetable-based side dishes using in-season produce. It will help your budget and is better for everyone’s health than over-indulging in meat-based dishes or rich desserts.
• Pick your travel days wisely. Travelling on Christmas Day can be cheaper than the days leading up the holiday. Will it make a big difference if you have your big family get-together on Boxing Day?
• Stock up on food items when they are on sale. Grabbing a ready-made pav on special might be cheaper than making your own considering the current price of eggs.
• Shopping online makes it easier to compare prices and make sure you are getting the best deal. Try to buy a few gifts from one website to save on delivery costs.
• Save on snacks – the cost of fancy cheeses and store-bought dips can add up. Think about easy nibbles that don’t cost the earth. Bruschetta made with French bread, chopped tomato, basil, garlic and olive oil is a good option. Or try popcorn with a twist - make large batches of popcorn and flavour with spices like paprika, garlic, or even a sprinkle of parmesan. You could also roast your own chickpeas or nuts, using herbs and spices to add flavour, or make your own guacamole dip while avocados are cheap and serve it with chopped-up vegetables such as cucumber, carrot and capsicum.
• Decide on a spending limit for presents and stick to it. It’s easy to go overboard, especially when you are bombarded by marketing messaging everywhere you turn. You might even like to discuss not exchanging gifts with your partner this year and putting that money towards something you need for the house or a family outing.
• Use up leftovers. On average, each household in New Zealand wastes about $1,510 worth of food each year. So think about creative ways to use up ham, turkey or leftover roast vegetables. Boxing Day Bubble & Squeak or Festive Frittata is one option. You can also make quick quesadillas with leftover ham or turkey and cheese.
• Use your children’s artwork to wrap presents. Your little ones will be proud to present people with a gift wrapped in a painting or drawing they have done and it’s a great way to get rid of a year’s worth of artwork without actually throwing it straight in the bin.
• Save money on alcohol by buying in bulk from online liquor retailers or by grabbing a case of your favourite wine when it’s on special at the supermarket. You could also ask guests coming from overseas to grab a bottle of duty-free.
• Consider meeting at a park or the beach for a festive season picnic with friends or family. This removes the cost burden created by hosting an event in your own home and allows people to choose how much to spend on food, etc.
• Start buying gifts for Christmas 2025 when they go on sale. Boxing Day, Black Friday and public holiday weekends often provide an opportunity to shop and save.

Remember, Christmas is about the memories you make, not how much you spend. So enjoy the festive season without facing a credit card hangover in January.