Times are tough for everyone right now, and that’s before we have to spend hundreds on holiday shopping. If your wallet is beginning to feel a bit thin as the air fryers, toy trucks, coffee mugs, and stocking stuffer candy wreak havoc on your bank account – you are hardly alone.
Everyone feels the holiday squeeze, and few come away unscathed.
Thankfully, you don’t have to apply for a loan to get everyone a worthwhile holiday card. There are several ways to get people personalized messages and seasonal greetings that are affordable, decent-quality, and still unique. This guide will give the gift of going through the cheapest holiday cards while still making mortgage payments on time.
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The Cheapest Holiday Cards Available
There is a fine line to walk with a cheap holiday card where a person wants them to be reasonably priced while still being unique, thoughtful, and competent. Because of this, it is essential to ensure you don’t get an overly common card that ends up being the same as another person in your family.
In a pinch, you can choose to send a holiday e-card completely free. You will need to make sure you have the person’s correct email address first, though (you can check it here).
Discount Retail Stores (Walmart, Big Lots, Etc.)
While the digital world has made short work of most brick-and-mortar businesses, the holiday greeting card still exists in several locations throughout the country. Even better, many places offer greeting cards for less than a dollar per card. Regardless of where a person lives, finding a few different aisles of greeting cards is easy.
The downside to retail stores is that they eliminate the potential for personalized options that some digital alternatives offer. The greeting cards also tend to be poor quality and may bend and tear in transit. Finally, it is important to ensure that the cards chosen are unique enough that they won’t be a carbon copy of another person’s holiday greeting.
Online Card Companies
The holiday season brings in big bucks for almost every company, and it has become notorious enough that certain businesses now specialize exclusively in holiday cards. While some of these cards can get surprisingly expensive and in-depth, there are still plenty of options for those trying to save a few dollars.
Websites like Shutterfly, Peartree, Snapfish, and many more offer discounted Christmas and holiday greeting cards that are financially manageable yet unique and charming. The best part about online choices is that even on the lower end, you can still get some customization, such as personal family photos and names placed on the card.
Regrettably, you cannot tell just how well-made the cards are beyond what the website shows you. While physical businesses allow you to get a very tangible feel for the holiday cards you are sending, online companies only allow you to see the visuals of the card.
E-Cards
Electronic cards are great for people who have busy schedules and can’t make the time to create a few dozen Christmas-themed envelopes and packages. Most people still appreciate a physical card far more than an email filled with yuletide cheer, but it offers cheap and potentially free alternatives.
Similarly, it is entirely paperless and can appeal to environmentally friendly people. They also offer benefits such as personalized videos, chain emails, and more. It’s certainly not going to win you any awards, but it will still be appreciated by anyone who receives one.
Quick Summary of Cheap Holiday Cards
There’s no easy way to get around the costly nature of Christmas and other winter holidays, but budget options can eliminate a lot of unwanted spending. Utilizing local shops and retail outlets can make it easy to see what you are buying and keeps all the options close by, though it eliminates any custom touches.
Contrarily, you can get more personalized with digital companies and electronic cards sent through email. Unfortunately, electronic cards rarely measure up to one sent in the mail, and websites don’t allow you to physically size up and feel what you purchase for relatives.
Regardless of your choice, all three give options that stay well below a dollar per card, making the process manageable, simple, and affordable.
