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The holiday season should be filled with joy, not stress about how much money you’re spending on gifts. Impulse shopping spikes during the holiday season as we visit beautifully decorated stores with nostalgic Christmas music playing, nearly putting shoppers into a trance and making us feel like Santa. These warm and fuzzy feelings can lead to overspending and going over budget as our emotions take over.

Although you may want to splurge on gifts for your friends and family to show them how much you care, it’s important to remember that your loved ones don’t want you to go into debt and worry about how to pay it off.

Not sure how to enjoy the holiday season and avoid Christmas debt? We’re here to help by offering creative holiday shopping hacks to keep your spending in check and your values and gift giving goals top of mind. These tips will not only save you money, but your friends, too! Board game swaps and kitchen appliance exchanges – this could be the beginning of new holiday traditions!

Take these smart holiday shopping hacks to reduce stress and increase joy.

Order print photos and find affordable frames

Our photos often stay on our phones these days – why not surprise friends and family with a framed photo to display at home or at their workplace? Ordering photos for everyone on your list all at once will save money with low printing costs, and photo frames are typically available at a low price at craft stores, and even pharmacies.

Be sure to order your printed photos online at least two weeks before you want to exchange gifts to ensure they arrive on time or find a local store that offers same day printing.

Do a game and toy swap with another family

Games and toys are some of the most popular holiday gifts, and oftentimes we also have plenty of them around the house that we no longer use. Why not do a game and toy swap with family friends? Gather board games and toys that are lightly used and invite your friends to bring theirs over and exchange them.

Wrap them up as a gift from their family to yours and breathe new life into items that were gathering dust. Not only will you be saving money but knowing they came from friends makes them more meaningful.

Ask for wish lists and share the cost

Sometimes we have someone on our gift list but have no idea what to get them. This can lead to spending money on something random that they’ll never use. Avoid wasting money and get gifts that will be used by asking your friends and family for their wish lists.

If you can, partner with friends to share the purchase price, making sure that you stay within your budget. Your friend will be happy to get exactly what they wanted, and you’ll avoid wasting your hard-earned money on something they won’t use.

Share an experience instead of a gift exchange

Gifts are great, but magical holiday experiences create memories that last a lifetime. Instead of exchanging gifts, invite your friends and family to an event or activity to spend quality time together and make memories.

Go to a tree lighting ceremony and bring hot chocolate and treats or play Christmas music while you drive around and view the neighborhood Christmas lights. Meet up for ice skating or sledding and share a few laughs - this will lift your spirits more than a new sweater will!

Pair a small thoughtful gift with a handwritten note

This holiday season, your friends and family will remember how you made them feel, not how much money you spent on presents. Selecting a small gift and pairing it with a thoughtful, handwritten note can brighten someone’s day and let them know how much you care. Choose a gift that shows you know what they like, without overspending - books, coffee, tea, travel cups, bath bombs, and scented candles make great gifts! A phone case or wall clock that reflects their personality and style can be a fun and affordable gift.

Save money by buying a pack of holiday cards and pairing each gift with a heartfelt note. Give a friend a scented candle and a bath bomb with a note like, “Giving you the gift of relaxation for a hard-working mom! I admire how present you are with your family and friends. Thank you for always being there for me to talk to.”

Exchange lightly used kitchen appliances with friends

Kitchen appliances can be expensive, and oftentimes we end up purchasing something we don’t end up using, like a fancy blender or bread maker. Why not ask your friend group if they have any lightly used kitchen appliances they’d want to exchange for yours?

This can save both you and your friends money and normalize not overspending on gifts to show your affection for each other. Plus, you’ll feel good about passing along something that you weren’t using and letting a friend enjoy it, and they’ll feel the same! Isn’t that what the holiday spirit is all about?

Leverage free shipping

Gifts cost more when you have to pay for shipping! Many online retailers offer free shipping when you spend a certain amount. If you’re close, but not quite there, consider adding one more gift to your cart to reach that minimum requirement and qualify for free shipping to save money – just make sure it’s within your budget and for someone already on your list! Also look for free shipping coupon codes they may offer, listed on their website.

Avoid paying high interest on credit cards

When you use a credit card for your holiday shopping purchases and don’t pay it off in full, you’ll be paying more for the same gifts. That’s because you’ll be paying interest on the charges, which can be pretty steep depending on the credit card. Before you begin shopping, look at the interest rates on the credit cards you plan to use and select the credit card with the lowest interest rate. You may want to consider opening a new credit card that doesn’t charge interest for a set period of time that will allow you to pay off your holiday shopping charges before the interest kicks in.

Wondering how much you could save on credit card interest? Use our free credit card calculator to compare the true cost of interest and find out.

Pause an under-used subscription for December

December is typically one of the busiest months of the year with holiday gatherings, events, and travel. Why not pause a subscription or two for a month and save some money? If you know you won’t be home to watch all your streaming services, or won’t make it to the gym, consider pausing your subscription for the month to make up for some of the money you’ll be spending on gifts.

Buy gift wrapping materials at savings stores

Around the holidays, the little costs add up – and that includes wrapping paper. Consider stopping by a dollar store or extra saving store to purchase your gift-wrapping. This can be half the cost of big box stores you may be visiting to do your shopping.

Skip an auto loan payment

Getting into debt from holiday shopping can create stress and a domino effect of not being able to pay it off that can be hard to get out of. Reducing other expenses during the month you’ll be gift shopping can help you pay off your credit card faster. United Members who have auto loans may have the option of skipping a payment to use that money for gift shopping.

United’s skip-a-payment option for auto loans means you won’t make a payment for a month. It extends your loan for an additional month and is only available to those who have already made at least 12 months of payments on their auto loan. It’s not for everyone but could be a good strategy for those looking to stay out of debt during holiday shopping season.

Learn more about skip-a-payment and see if it’s right for you.

Slow down and practice mindfulness to avoid impulse buys

Picture this: you walk into a store to pick up one gift-- the store is decked out in Christmas lights, a beautifully decorated tree is in the window, and Christmas music sends you into childhood nostalgia. You’re fully immersed in Christmas spirit and suddenly that expensive sweater that you know is out of your budget seems like a good gift for a dear friend. You feel compelled to buy your kids extra toys that aren’t on your list and maybe throw in a few gift baskets for their teachers too. Before you know it, you’ve overspent your gift budget by hundreds of dollars.

Impulse purchases are totally common during the holidays and can easily send you over budget. Avoid falling into the trap of holiday shopping high by slowing down and asking yourself is this what I came in for? Is the person I’m buying this gift for on my shopping list? Do I really want to go into debt for this? If you still feel compelled to purchase something you didn’t plan on, consider stepping out of the store and coming back an hour later, or putting it on hold and taking the night to think about.

Subscribe to emails with online retailers you’ll shop with

If you know which online retailers you plan on buying gifts from, go to their website and subscribe to receive emails and promotional offers ahead of time. Many retailers offer deals around the holiday shopping season and will send emails to their customers letting them know of special offers. Save money by subscribing before you shop and time your purchases when you can get a discounted rate or free shipping.

Pick a holiday shopping mantra

You may have every intention of sticking to a budget during your holiday shopping and still end up talking yourself into buying things your friends and family don’t need. Avoid derailing your plan by creating a mantra to turn to that reflects your values and goal.

Your mantra can be something like, “Gifts don’t measure love- presence does,” “I choose meaning over material,” and “I give from the heart, not from the wallet.” Keep your mantra top of mind by quoting it and setting it as a reminder in your phone when you’re planning on shopping or write it on a sticky note and keep it in your wallet next to your credit card.

Bottom Line: Shop Smart, Stress Less

Gift giving can be a thoughtful and joy-filled experience during the holiday season, but you shouldn’t go deep into debt and buy things you can’t afford to do it. Staying within your budget, finding free options in place of purchases, and keeping the true spirit of the holidays close to your heart can help you make responsible shopping decisions and feel good months later when your gifts are paid off.

Your Holiday Shopping Questions, Answered

How can I prevent impulse buys during holiday shopping?

Ask yourself if the person needs what you’re about to buy, and whether they’re on your shopping list. If you know you shouldn’t buy it, create distance by leaving the store, and give yourself time to think about it. Create a mantra to remind yourself of the spirit of the holiday, and that you “give from the heart, not the wallet.”

How do you save money on Christmas gifts?

Look for lightly used options for gifts like toys and games and exchange with friends and family. Pair small gifts with thoughtful handwritten holiday cards, and purchase gift wrapping from savings stores.

How do you celebrate Christmas without spending a lot of money?

Plan holiday experiences like driving around to see Christmas lights and decorating gingerbread houses rather than making gifts the focus of the holiday. Teach kids the importance of giving by sharing their old toys and games with friends and less fortunate kids.

How can I save money on gift wrapping this year?

Shop for gift wrapping at savings stores and save gift bags, boxes, and bows to reuse next year.