Nothing quite gets me into the holiday spirit like opening my mailbox to find a greeting card from a loved one waiting for me. And I’m sure I’m not the only one that feels this way, or has their fridge door exploding in festive cards around the holidays. But with all of the money you are spending around this time of year, you probably don’t want to drop a fortune on your cards.
Get Crafty
If you want to put an extra personal touch on your cards this year, roll up your sleeves and make them yourself! And before you say you have no idea what to create, that’s where Pinterest comes in. Just search how to make homemade greeting cards, and I promise you’ll be able to scroll through some ideas for at least an hour. You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish with some twine, a few buttons and a whole lot of glitter. Here are a few my favorites:
- Use buttons (you know, the ones that always come with the tag on your clothes) to make ornaments, a Christmas wreath and even a snowman.
- Create a jolly Santa hat using cotton balls and glitter.
- Grow your very own Christmas tree using Washi Tape.
- Get a green thumb — literally.
Crack the Codes
If your craft-making skills need a little more elf and a little less preschooler, don’t worry. That’s what sites like Shutterfly, Minted, Snapfish and Walgreens Photo are for. You can create your own digital designs and can probably score a discount code while you’re at it. You can do an online search to find eligible codes, which are abundant during the holidays.
Be Your Own Photographer
You could hire a fancy photographer to take modelesque pictures of you and yours or you could whip out your smartphone and take your own pictures. “Sometimes we invest in professional family photos if we can catch a good deal but the way phones have progressed, I can take a really good photo using portrait mode and upload it directly to a photo site,” says Belle from Budget with Belle. Easy, efficient and way cheaper.
Send It Straight to an Inbox
OK, OK so this may be cheating a little, but it’ll save you a lot of money says Belle. With sites like Paperless Post and Punchbowl you can send a custom e-card by email. This is a great option because 1. You won’t have to pay for postage and 2. Since you won’t have to pay for postage, you may be inclined to send it to more people. Sites like Punchbowl will also send your cards via text message.
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