6 Ways to Buy Nothing New for the Holidays

How to save money — and reduce waste — this holiday season

Diana Kelly Levey,

AARP

Comments

Published December 10, 2024

A series of christmas ornaments with images of gifts

Sarah Rogers (Getty: 5)

You’ve made your holiday shopping list and checked it twice, but is it more than you wanted to spend? You’re hardly alone.

Holiday spending this year is expected to average $902 per shopper across gifts, décor, food and seasonal buys, up from $875 in 2023, the National Retail Federation reports. That’s no small chunk of change, especially if you’re a retiree living on a fixed income or saving up to travel over the holidays.

One way to lower your holiday expenses? Buy nothing new this season. It may sound impossible — and a bit Scrooge — but it’s doable with the right tactics.

“Every year, the holidays come around, and tradition dictates that we buy more gifts, decor and food than we actually need,” says Jen Smith, co-host of The Frugal Friends podcast and co-author of the forthcoming book Buy What You Love Without Going Broke. “The traditions are not bad, but not questioning why we participate in them can cost us money we don’t need to be spending."

Here are six ways to buy nothing new for the holidays and save money.

1. Hunt for preowned items

Before hitting the stores, check social media groups and community websites for free or low-cost finds. Platforms like Facebook Marketplace, Freecycle or Nextdoor can be good places for finding local preowned holiday wares, such as gently used décor, kid gifts, puzzles, entertaining supplies, gift boxes and wrapping paper. There are also Buy Nothing groups, where you can give or receive items for free with people in your community. There are thousands of Buy Nothing groups in the U.S.; you can find your local group by downloading the Buy Nothing app.

”We are seeing an enormous increase in the trend of people accepting the idea of either acquiring or giving away their holiday decorations and paraphernalia,” says Liesl Clark, co-founder of the Buy Nothing Project. She suggests members be proactive by making posts on their local Buy Nothing group asking for holiday items that they want. “The volume, the quality and the lovely gifts that people are offering up, and the stories that go along with them, are quite beguiling.”

2. Buy used electronics

Purchasing refurbished tech can help you save up to 70 percent on electronics while also cutting down on waste, since 75 percent of tech emissions come from manufacturing new devices, says New York City-based Lauren Benton, general manager at Back Market, an online marketplace for refurbished electronics.

Refurbished gadgets, from smartphones to smartwatches sold by reputable dealers, have been professionally restored to working condition, Benton says.

A number of major retailers, including Best Buy, Costco, Amazon, Target, Staples, Sam’s Club and Walmart, offer refurbished electronics — and some come with a warranty. Tip: You might also want to sell your old electronics this holiday season to get some extra cash.

3. Give experiences or homemade gifts

Offering a loved one a memorable experience can be a more meaningful gift than a product, says Melanie Mannarino, author of The (Almost) Zero-Waste Guide. “I made a slideshow of options for my sister last year: a succulent garden class, a chunky-knit blanket class or a floral design class together. She chose the floral design, and we had so much fun,” Mannarino says.

Love to bake or cook? Consider making a special family recipe and dropping the dish off on a recipient’s doorstep. If you’re crafty, consider making one-of-a-kind gifts like hand-sewn quilts or hand-knit winter hats that friends can enjoy for years to come. Handwritten letters to loved ones can also go a long way. “That goes a lot further than just an obligatory gift purchase, especially for family,” Smith says.

If your budget is very tight, consider gifting your time — like offering to babysit grandchildren or run errands for a friend who can no longer drive.

4. Get creative with gift wrapping and decorations

Gift wrap and décor are big contributors to holiday costs and waste. Studies show that Americans spend around $2.6 billion on gift wrap each year — and that an estimated 2.3 million pounds of wrapping paper get thrown away in the U.S. annually.

There’s nothing wrong with reusing wrapping paper that’s in good condition. “As a kid, I laughed when my mom would carefully unwrap a present that had been wrapped in beautiful paper so that she could reuse it for another gift in the future,” Mannarino says. “Now I see how smart she was in preserving something beautiful to be used another time.”

You can also keep gift bags in circulation by saving them for future presents. And don’t be afraid to get creative: Vintage maps, scarves or tea towels can be a stylish stand-in for wrapping paper, suggests Mannarino. “In many cases, the wrapping ends up being a conversation piece and even a second gift,” she says. “I love the idea of wrapping a piece of jewelry or a bodycare gift in a silky scarf the recipient can then use."

5. Shop thrift stores

Consignment shops like Goodwill, Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity ReStore can be great places to find vintage clothing, costume jewelry, festive holiday decor and other used items that have been marked down. There are also plenty of deals to be had for shoppers 50 and over at some thrift shops on certain days of the week — for example, some Goodwill stores offer senior discounts of up to 25 percent off on specific days.

Children’s consignment shops often offer lightly used winter boots, pajamas, sweaters and other clothing for the holidays, as well as secondhand toys and books that could make great stocking stuffers. And local music consignment shops or online stores like Reverb can be great places to look for preowned instruments for the musician in your life.

Have a fashion lover on your holiday shopping list? Consider buying them a preowned designer bag on a site like TheRealReal, Rebag or ThredUp, which sell preowned designer clothes, jewelry and accessories for a fraction of the price.

6. Entertain with borrowed items

Planning to host a holiday party this year? Borrowing things that you’re missing from friends, family or neighbors can help cut costs. “My friends know that if they need [wire] racks for hot dishes, they can come to me,” says Mannarino. “If I need a folding table, I know who to ask.”

Another time-tested way to entertain guests on a budget: Make your holiday dinner a potluck. “Hosts often feel the need to provide everything,” says Smith, who suggests letting guests know what drinks or food they can bring. “Creating a common culture of contribution can really lower the barrier.”

%{postComment}%