Fun & Budget-Friendly Holiday Activities - Money Tip Tuesday

The holidays are coming up very soon, and it's time to get in a festive mood! If you're on a budget but still want to get into the holiday spirit, here are some activities you can do.  

Links:

• Watch free movies (with ads) on Tubi & Freevee
• Learn more about VolunteerMatch
• Check out TCU University for more financial education tips and resources! 
• Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter! 
• Learn more about Triangle Credit Union

Transcript:

Welcome to Money Tip Tuesday from the Making Money Personal podcast.      

Watching festive movies is a great way to get into the holiday spirit. Set up a movie night with friends and family and watch your favorite holiday classics or find a new favorite! Movies are a great way to celebrate the holidays on a budget, as they are relatively cheap, or even free. Streaming services like Tubi or Freevee have a large selection of holiday movies that you can watch free with ads.   

Another great way to celebrate the holidays on a budget is to bake and decorate cookies. Buying all the ingredients you need at a store is relatively cheap. If you hesitate to do this because you’re not good at baking, you can also buy plain cookies and decorate them yourself. Make it an event and invite your loved ones to help decorate the baked goods with you. Similarly, you can buy gingerbread house kits to decorate and display around the house.  

You can also explore other fun ways to decorate your home for the season. String up colorful lights or some garland inside and out. You can purchase affordable decorations at a budget store or make some on your own. Find templates and patterns for paper snowflakes, fabric decorations, paper chains and other types of homemade decor. If you don't have the space for a tree in your house, take some time and decorate a tree outside and if there's snow on the ground, make a snowman with a fun outfit to add to the festivities.  

If you’re in need of some inspiration take some time to see how other people are decorating for the holidays. Get in your vehicle and go for a drive around neighborhoods at night. Lots of people put up holiday decorations outside for people to look at, and sometimes you can find holiday "tours" online that show which neighborhoods go all out on their decorating. If you're feeling brave, knock on some doors in your local neighborhood to sing a few holiday carols.  

You can also get into the holiday spirit by volunteering. Show goodwill to others this season by helping. Visit VolunteerMatch.com for a list of organizations near you that are in need of volunteers. Look for a cause you're passionate about and start helping!  

However you celebrate, there are many ways to get into a festive mood, even on a budget. Let us know how you like to celebrate the holidays, and if you have any special traditions that you love to do!   

If there are any other tips or topics you'd like us to cover, let us know at tcupodcast@trianglecu.org. Also, remember to like and follow our Making Money Personal Facebook and Instagram to share your thoughts. Finally, remember to look for our sponsor, Triangle Credit Union, on Facebook and LinkedIn.       

Thanks for listening to today's Money Tip Tuesday. Check out our other tips and episodes on the Making Money Personal podcast.