Where to shop for Holiday Gifts on a budget

One of the best things about the holidays is giving gifts that make others happy and feel special. Doing that can be difficult on a budget, but not impossible. There are plenty of stores and places online to find affordable holiday gifts these days. This year, with cost inflation, that is incredibly beneficial. You also have the supply issue to consider when shopping, so creativity will be necessary.

Uncommon Goods

Uncommon Goods is an online retailer and offers gifts you won’t find on other websites, and many of them are at an affordable price. Find unique items such as Famous Artists Ornaments for $22.00, Kids-for-Kids winter socks for $15.00, and Aromatherapy Balm stocking stuffer and ornament for $25.00.

Target

Target always has a decent selection of affordable holiday gifts. This year they have Amazon Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote for 19.99, a 15 pack of Men’s Marvel Advent Calendar socks for $15.00, or a Vitamasques Festive Face Mask Gift Set – Limited Edition – 6ct for $10.00. Close to 2,000 locations are throughout all 50 U.S. states, and you can shop online.

Walmart

When you think of Walmart, uncommon gifts may not be the first thing that comes to mind, but they have plenty of options for fabulous gifts at affordable prices. They have an Atomi Bluetooth 5W 3.25-Inch circle shower speaker for $14.96 and a Big Lebowski Movie 500-piece puzzle in plastic retro blockbuster VHS video case for $9.97. Or, in Walmart’s photo section, you can personalize a 50×60 plush fleece blanket with your photos for $39.99 or two for $60.00! You can find this big retailer almost everywhere and shop their deals online.

Amazon

Amazon is an online retailer and the go-to for many these days, and the holiday season is no exception. Find plenty of Cheap and quirky gifts for all of your favorites. Things like a 12 pack of Vincent Van Gogh Guitar Picks gift set for $14.95, an Ecolution Original Microwave Micro-Pop popcorn popper for $12.99, a holiday crave box full of delicious snacks for $24.95, or a Prodyne Fruit Infusion Flavor Pitcher for $19.99.

Kohl’s

Kohl’s has long been the place to go for affordable holiday gifts. This year they have a Toastmaster personal blender for 14.99, an Amazon Fire TV Stick Streaming Media Player with Dolby Atmos Audio and Alexa Voice Remote for $19.99, or adorable St. Nicholas Square ornaments for $4.99. There are Kohl’s locations in every U.S. state except for Hawaii. You can also take advantage of their fabulous deals online.

Dollar General

Dollar General carries a wide variety of items at a low price. You can find anything from clothes to cleaning supplies or home goods to toys and electronics. They always have a selection of items on sale for the holidays. Things such as a Sylvania speaker, set of two for $10.00, SpaScriptions four-piece spa day set for $5.00, or if you are shopping for kids, they have a National Geographic deluxe STEM science activity kit for $20.00. There are 17,000 store locations throughout the U.S. You can also shop online.

Etsy

Etsy is a neat online marketplace that allows artists and crafters to create accounts and sell items, including artwork and other goods. Many of the items are at low and affordable prices. You can find unique gifts such as a personalized family recipe book for $29.00, personalized birthstone bracelets for $17.20, and personalized wall art starting at $22.00.

Five Below

Five Below is a discount retail store that sells items that cost up to $5.00. You can find small gifts and stocking stuffers such as fidget and sensory toys popular among kids these days. They also have board games, small electronics, holiday home decor, toys, clothing items, make-up, and candy. There are 900 Five Below locations in 36 U.S. states, and you can enjoy their discount pricing online.

JCPenney

James Cash and Penny opened the first JCPenny store in 1902. The retailer closed many JCPenny department store locations in the last few years, but you can still take advantage of their superb holiday deals online. They have fabulous gifts, including a Clean Reserve perfume discovery kit for $24.00 or a Harry & David Tower Of Sweet Treats for $29.69.

Crate and Barrel

Crate and Barrel is a home decor store that offers trendy and modern essentials for every room in your home. You can find hip gifts such as a Dash Mini Gingerbread Man Waffle Maker for $12.95, a mini pie maker for $17.95, and a 2021 Silver Pearl frame Christmas ornament for $8.95. Crate and Barrel have 89 stores and eight outlets around the United States and Canada, and you can shop online.

Burlington

Burlington has plenty of holiday gift items to choose from at low prices. Things such as men’s box spa sets for $16.99, adorable handbags are starting at $24.99, and plenty of toys, holiday apparel, and home essentials all start at low and affordable prices. There are currently 740 Burlington locations around the country, and you can also take advantage of their prices online.

If you’re on a budget with a long list of people to buy holiday gifts for, you are in luck. You can save plenty of time, effort, and money by shopping for holiday gifts for all of your favorite people at the stores and retailers you know will have the best deals. Use this handy list to finish your holiday shopping without breaking the bank in no time!

Staying Warm in the Winter on a Budget

The days are getting shorter, the temperature’s begun to drop, and the weather’s getting worse.

In other words, winter is here!

And, unfortunately, rising energy prices mean US heating bills could soar by 30% over the coming months compared to last year! Add that to the expensive nature of the holiday season and many families around the country may feel the pinch.

Ready for the good news?

There are plenty of ways to stay warm in winter without blowing the budget! Keep reading to discover 12 of the very best.

1. Seal Any Holes You Have

With a chill in the air and the wind roaring outside, the last thing you want is to have dozens of gaps around your windows and doors. Those pesky holes let the warm air right out and welcome the cold on in!

Scout around your house for any gaps of this nature and use caulking to fill them in. Alternatively, you’ll find affordable draft stoppers online that are purpose-built to solve this problem.

2. Leverage Layers

We see it all the time. Someone complains about feeling cold and so, understandably, decides to turn the heating up in the house. Yet they’re also wearing nothing but a thin t-shirt and a pair of shorts!

Don’t be that person this winter.

If you’re on a budget, then one of the best ways to stay warm is by layering up. With multiple t-shirts, sweaters, and coats on, you’re guaranteed to stay nice and snug. Oh, and don’t forget to visit the local thrift store if you want extra cold-weather clothing at bargain prices.

3. Protect Your Head and Feet

Of all the parts of your body to wrap up warm this winter, pay special attention to your head and feet! Why? Because you lose warmth from both body parts quicker than almost any other.

To tackle the issue “head-on”, we highly suggest investing in a quality pair of woolly socks, some slippers, and a beanie hat to wear around the house. You might feel silly having a hat on indoors, but you’ll be grateful for it when the utility bill comes!

4. Redecorate

Did you know that the location of your furniture impacts how warm/cold you feel in each room? For instance, maybe your sofa’s pressed against the wall, your desk’s beneath a window, and your bed’s in front of an air vent. Each of these locations could be making you and the room colder than necessary.

After all, walls and windows are notoriously chilly because they’re the closest to the outdoors! Covering an air vent stops warm air from circulating properly. So, do yourself a favor this winter by moving your furnishings into the center of each room and away from your vents/heaters!

5. Insulate Your Windows

Poorly-insulated windows are a primary culprit for letting the cold in during winter. Unfortunately, replacing your current ones with double or triple-glazed alternatives isn’t cheap!

Thankfully, though, you don’t have to. For a budget-friendly option that serves a similar purpose, try purchasing some insulating clear film to apply to your windows. Part of a window insulation kit, this clever film keeps the heat in and blocks the cold out, while still letting in the light.

6. Fit Drapes, Curtains, or Blinds

Want another window-related solution for staying warm in winter?

Never leave them bare!

Installing heavy curtains, drapes, or blinds will provide a barrier that prevents heat inside your home from escaping as easily. The only downside is that drawing them during the day will block out the light as well.

7. Switch Off Bathroom Vents

Remember how gaps in your property let the cold air in quicker than you can say “brrr”? Well, your bathroom exhaust vent can cause trouble for similar reasons.

It’s literally a hole in your wall that leads to the outside world! Having it turned on will suck the heat out of the room along with the steam. Save energy by only turning it on when necessary (open the door instead!) and always flicking it off when you’re done.

Top tip: Timer switches will make your life much simpler here. Installing them in your bathroom to control your vent will make sure it’s never left running by accident.

8. Close Your Chimney

Open fireplaces are amazing additions to any home in winter. You can snuggle around a fire on cold, dark evenings, watching the flames flicker and snuggling down in front of the warmth!

Alas, they can backfire during the daytime, letting heat escape up the chimney. Whenever you aren’t using it, then, remember to close its flue and draft. You could even block the entire chimney with a special fireplace insert insulation if you don’t plan on using it at all.

9. Leave the Oven Open

Kitchens are often the warmest part of the house in winter. After all, with all the delicious baking and cooking going on throughout the holiday season, heat from the oven fills the room, combatting the cold to great effect. Want our advice?

Don’t waste that incredible warmth! Leaving the oven door open slightly after you’ve finished baking or roasting turns it into a makeshift radiator.

10. Buy Lots of Blankets

Warm blankets are an absolute godsend in the winter- particularly when you can’t afford to go overboard with the central heating. Get your hands on as many of them as possible! On long winter afternoons and evenings, you’ll be able to snuggle up beneath one (or two, or three…) and stay warm despite the cold outside.

Don’t forget to put one on top of your duvet at night to add another layer of warmth when you’re in bed too! This may make it possible to keep the heating turned off at night, significantly reducing your energy bills in the process.

11. Improve Your Attic’s Insulation

Because heat rises, your attic can make or break your ability to heat the house efficiently. Making sure it’s well-insulated this winter will help prevent the heat from escaping and keep your utility payments down as a result.

Of course, purchasing attic insulation (and possibly paying someone to install it) costs money upfront. Yet you can definitely treat it as an investment. Trust us, you’ll soon get your money back from the ensuing energy savings.

12. Insulate Your Floors

Anybody with bare floorboards knows all too well how the cold can radiate up into the house from the frigid earth below! This is another issue that applies to almost every home, though, regardless of specific flooring (unless they have underfloor heating!). It’s especially bad in older properties and those without a basement.

The remedy? Insulating your floors! Laying down thick rugs and warm carpets will help to keep the cold down where it belongs.

– Stay Warm This Winter on a Budget! –

Winter might be around the corner, but that doesn’t mean you have to blow the budget just to stay warm! As we’ve seen, there are plenty of clever ways to keep your home feeling toasty without spending all of your hard-earned money on heating.

Why not give them a go today? Whether you try a handful of them or every last one on the list, you’re guaranteed to reap the rewards.