First things first. You can’t stick to a budget that doesn’t exist — so let’s walk through the steps of creating a spending plan. Kudos if you have a budget already! Feel free to follow along to see if your planned spending includes these steps.??

Ideally, you want to create a budget before shopping for holiday decorations. Having a budget can help you keep your purchases intentional from the start — and keep your conviction strong in saying “no, thank you” to items you don’t really need. This also gives you more time for decorating.

Take stock of the holiday decor you have and plan to use. List your decorations into categories. For example, with Christmas decor: indoor decor, outdoor decor, lights, wreaths, ornaments, and tree. This can help you prioritize what you like and need … and prevent you from buying the same thing twice!

Come up with a total spending number that you can afford — one that fits with everyday expenses — and won’t add debt. Personal finance apps like YNAB (You Need a Budget) and Empower (formerly Personal Capital) can help you track those items. Alternatively, you can look at your spending on decorations from last year and adjust that number down if it stressed your finances.

Divvy up your total budget among the different decorating categories. Feel free to steer more spending toward categories you prefer and less toward areas where you have existing decor. If you want a particular decoration, list it in its category with an estimated cost.

Be open to the idea of changing how you decorate. If you’re looking for cost-effective ways to get festive, lean into the following budget-friendly tips.

One of the best ways to save money on holiday decorations is to make them yourself. You can “upcycle” old items found at home, thrift stores, or garage sales to create your own festive items. For instance, fill vases with ornaments and cover pillows with holiday sweaters. You can even pin Hanukkah or Christmas cards on strands that hang around doorways for holiday decor that’s sentimental and easy on your budget. And don’t forget about nature: pine cones, branches, berries, etc., can go into rustic and organic wreaths and other decor.

Search for “holiday decorating on a budget,” and you’ll find endless tutorials and videos on apps like Pinterest and YouTube.?

You don’t have to fill every inch of your space with decorations to create a festive and cozy atmosphere. Look at your space and determine where you spend more of your time. Focus decor on those living spaces. Other areas can benefit from simple and elegant touches, such as candles, garlands, ribbons, etc. Keep it simple to avoid cluttering your space and overwhelming your senses (and budget).

The internet is powerful. Use it to find the best deals this holiday season. Coupon codes, promo codes, and cash back offers can save you quite a bit of money on decorating for the holidays. You can find discounts on Christmas and Hanukkah decor during sales events, such as Black Friday — the day after Thanksgiving, and Cyber Monday — the Monday after Thanksgiving. And don’t forget about the post-holiday clearance sales, where you can stock up on deeply discounted holiday decor for next year.

Check out your favorite retailer’s Trustpilot profile page for recent reviews (or reviews from last year’s holiday season) to see what deals people have been getting.

You can find a lot of affordable and quality holiday decorations for your budget at stores that focus on offering low prices to customers, like discount stores. Discount retailers, including Homegoods, carry an ever-changing selection of Christmas and Hanukkah decor that they source from overstock and closeouts items from retailers.

Nothing blows a decorating budget like buying all new decorations every year. If you want to change things up in your home, mix and match different items, create new arrangements, and swap décor with friends and family. And regarding Christmas budget décor, the cost of an artificial tree will be recouped through the years by not having to buy a real one. It’s not for everybody, but it’s an option.

You may be influenced by what you see on social media, magazines, or TV shows and want to copy the latest and most popular holiday décor trends. However, buying trends over your tastes can be a mistake. You may end up with decorations that don’t reflect your personality or preferences and may go out of style soon. And you’ll likely spend more because trends tend to be more expensive and less available.

You can overspend when you give into temptation at stores and buy a bunch of decorations without consulting your budget. If this is a concern, keep your budget with you when you go shopping and ask yourself these five questions to check if this spending is intentional:

-? ? ? ? Do I really need this item?

-? ? ? ? Do I really like this item?

-? ? ? ? Do I have a place for this item?

-? ? ? ? Does this item fit in my budget?

-? ? ? ? Does this item match my style and other items?

Holiday lights and blow-up lawn decorations can add a lot of sparkle and charm, but they can come back and bite you when you see your electric bill. To make your holiday decor more budget-friendly, consider limiting the number of lights you have — or limit the time they’re on, opt for candles, or choose energy-efficient options — such as LED or solar lights.

Another feature that can create costs for you down the road is the “buy now, pay later” purchasing option many websites offer customers at checkout. Do you want to be paying off decorations months later?

Give yourself the gift of ringing in the new year without financial stress by sticking to a holiday décor budget.

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