The post office’s flat-rate boxes are a great deal—they come with two-day priority shipping, tracking, and up to $100 of insurance. Mail packages by December 19 to avoid express fees. — Brianna Firestone, founder of the School of Betty, a financial platform Instead of gifts, we give gelt, which means “money” in Yiddish. If you give your kid $5 per night at most, you’ll spend $40, whereas a toy might cost you $15 each night. We use this experience to teach our children about being charitable—at least 10 percent of their total haul goes to a cause they choose. — Yael Trusch, host of the podcast Jewish Latin Princess and creator of The Jewish Money Makeover, a financial course — Mark Dawson, chief operating officer of Mister Sparky, a national electrician service A six-foot quick-sprouting tree variety, like Monterey pine or cypress, could cost nearly 50 percent less than a longer-to-mature fir. To keep the tree fresh, have the trunk trimmed before you take it home, and give the tree one quart of water for every inch of the trunk’s diameter. — Keith Garlock, Co-owner of Garlock Christmas Tree Farm in Sebastopol, California Before you book a car with a rental agency, see if your credit card offers any benefits. Chase’s Sapphire and Capital One’s Venture cards both provide roadside assistance and even collision insurance—all you have to do is book with the card and waive the insurance the agency offers. — Sara Rathner, travel and credit card expert at NerdWallet Warehouse stores such as BJ’s and Sam’s Club often sell lower-priced gift cards to places like Starbucks and L.L.Bean. At press time, a two-pack of $25 cards to Build-A-Bear was selling for $40 at BJ’s. Gift these cards or use them to purchase presents. — Julie Ramhold, consumer analyst with Dealnews.com RELATED: Our Best-Ever Tips for Saving Money I recommend Revlon’s One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer ($60; ulta.com) to my clients when they can’t make it in. Start with freshly washed and conditioned hair and squeeze out as much water as possible. Spritz on a heat protectant, then wrap hair around the dryer and pull downward. — Linh Nguyen, hairstylist in New York City You probably don’t need the heat so high, especially if you have family congregating or you’re running the oven a lot. Turning it down just five degrees could save you as much as $45 per month. If you can, keep your home at 68 degrees, a cost-effective temperature in winter. — Mark Dawson Instead of splurging on sufganiyot, traditional jelly doughnuts, fry dinner rolls in oil and inject them with your favorite filling, like raspberry jam. A bag of 36 rolls costs about $4, whereas doughnuts from a kosher bakery can be about $4 each. — Yael Trusch RELATED: 5 Ways to Get Your Pandemic Holiday Spending Under Control I whip up a big batch of baked spinach and artichoke dip and serve it with crackers and veggies. For 20 people, that’ll cost under $20, so it’s a lot cheaper than appetizers like mini quiche and cocktail shrimp, which can be 50 cents to a dollar per piece. — Claire Tansey, author of Dinner, Uncomplicated I drive an SUV, so finding street parking can be tricky, and garages charge hefty fees. I love the SpotHero app (free; iOS and Android), which lets you book and pay for spaces in advance. It’s available in 300 cities. When I’ve parked in New York City, I’ve paid as little as $15 for a spot that might have cost me $80. — Bola Sokunbi, founder of Clever Girl Finance, a women’s financial Platform For a fun, interactive, and free card, send a family video. Ask each family member to share their favorite holiday memory or something they’re grateful for, then edit the footage in an app like iMovie or Videoshop. Share your digital card online, or text or email it to family members. — Trina Small, lifestyle blogger at HeyTrina.com If you’d still like to send holiday cards, consider photo postcards, which cost less than photo greeting cards. And instead of shelling out for a professional photographer, snap holiday pics in your backyard, using a smartphone (with a camera self-timer) and tripod. Find a simple backdrop, and set up with the light behind the camera—the best light to shoot in is right before sunset. — Kelle Hampton, lifestyle blogger at KelleHampton.com If you’ll be traveling for the holidays, save on shipping costs by shopping online at stores that offer curbside pickup at your destination. — Julie Ramhold No need to buy pricey decorations. Ask your local tree lot for cuttings. Display them in a big vase, use them to decorate your mantel, or add them to wreaths and garlands. — Meg Nordmann, author of Have Yourself a Minimalist Christmas When I take road trips to visit family, I use the GasBuddy app (free; iOS and Android), which helps me find the best price on gas along my route. — Benet Wilson, credit cards editor at ThePointsGuy.com Wine from famous regions can be expensive because the grapes come from one specific parcel of land. A little-known fact is that many winemakers also produce a second label, which blends grapes from their vineyards into wines that are just as delicious and representative of the area. Look for labels that refer to the whole region, like “Sonoma County Red,” to save money while still taking advantage of the producers’ expertise and quality. — TJ Douglas, owner of the Urban Grape, a wine store in Boston The costliest day to buy a tree is Cyber Monday, with the average price at $84, according to a survey from Square, a business financial service. Prices generally spike again the first two weekends of December. The closer you get to Christmas, the cheaper trees will be. — Tim O’Connor, executive director of The National Christmas Tree Association Instead of prime rib, I prefer chuck roast, which is just as flavorful and easier to cook in an Instant Pot or slow cooker. Plus, it’s way more affordable, coming in at around $6 per pound, compared with about $12 for prime rib. — Palak Patel, chef at The Institute of Culinary Education If you’re taking a short trip and only need to rent a car for a few hours, consider an option like Getaround, which offers hourly rentals so you don’t have to pay a day rate. Best of all, insurance is included. You just unlock a car from your phone and go. — Andrea Woroch, family finance expert at AndreaWoroch.com
