9 Things That Frugal People Always Buy During the Holidays

Christmas is a season for celebrating, but it can also be a tough time for the less fortunate to make ends meet. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has been officially declared over for months, inflation continues to increase prices across America, making it a challenge for many families to put food on the table.

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Getting groceries for free during the holidays can be challenging, but there are some outlets to consider beyond government assistance programs like SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children).

Getting creative in lowering your grocery bill and finding places that provide free food to those in need takes a bit of looking, but they're out there helping individuals and families every day.

Here are five ways to get free groceries during the holidays.

Celebrating the holidays and all that goes with it, including food and gifts, can really add up — but not if you know how to be frugal.

Being frugal during the holidays means holding out for the best deals or opting for a cheaper alternative. It also means stocking up on things you know you’ll use.

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Check out these nine items frugal people always buy during the holidays.

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Older or Less High-End Electronics

Although Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the week after Christmas are typically great times to find deals on electronics, there’s another way frugal people score a deep discount: buying older or less high-end electronics.

They also know that if they time their purchase with the impending release of a new version of the electronic, they could save even more.

For example, the Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) was released on Sept. 16, 2022, and retails for $299. The Apple Watch Series 10, which is a higher-end model, is priced $200 more at $499.

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Discounted Gift Cards

Gift cards are a popular purchase among gift-givers. The National Retail Federation reported that 44% of consumers planned to buy gift cards for the 2023 holiday season.

But frugal people don’t simply pick up a few gift cards at their local Walmart, Walgreens or Target. Instead, they go to places like Sam’s Club or Costco that sell discounted gift cards.

For example, Sam’s Club sells various $50 gift cards for $37.50 to $39.98. You can also buy $100 email gift cards to a variety of restaurants for $75 to $79.98.

Holiday Decor and Supplies

Frugal shoppers know that the best time to buy holiday decor isn’t before Christmas, but after. If you can wait until December 26, you can stock up on everything you need for next year at a fraction of the cost.

Starting the day after the holiday, decorations, lights, and trees are marked down by as much as 75% at places like Amazon or Home Depot. And if you’re interested in holiday gift wrap and other supplies, the day after Christmas is when retailers have discounts of 50% or more on these items.

Out-of-Season Clothing

The best time to buy clothing that’s going out of season is at the end of the season.

Since Nov. 30 is the official end of fall, frugal people know they can score deep discounts on fall clothing items beginning on Black Friday and continuing online on Cyber Monday.

The best part is that those on-sale fall clothing items, such as outerwear, boots, sweaters, and denim, can still be worn during the winter season.

Tools

For those who are handy or have DIY projects planned, December is one of the best months to buy tools.

Power tools, kits and other hardware often go on sale as retailers push last-minute gift deals. In the past, Amazon has discounted major tool brands in December.

Frugal shoppers take advantage of these sales to pick up items they need at discounted prices, which helps them save on their home improvement projects throughout the year.

Holiday Food Items

The holidays bring plenty of grocery sales for holiday meal-related items, and frugal people take this opportunity to stock up.

Non-perishable items, like canned goods, baking supplies and pantry staples, are often marked down, which will allow you to stretch your grocery budget well into the new year.

You might also want to consider things you can purchase at a deep discount and freeze like a ham or turkey.

Beauty Gift Sets

Frugal shoppers also know that holiday beauty sets offer great value.

December is the perfect time to snag discounted skincare and makeup kits for up to 20% off or more, which often include extras like travel sizes or bonus products.

Not only can frugal people stock up on these items for gifting at Christmas and throughout the year, but also they can buy them to save on products they normally use or want to try without splurging on a full-size version.

Toys

Toys are a holiday staple, and frugal shoppers know to wait for the best deals, which often come closer to Christmas. Retailers slash prices to help clear out inventory, making this the perfect time to pick up toys for kids or even stockpile for birthdays throughout the year.

Walmart typically holds a toy clearance sale in December. Last year it started on Dec. 22 with deals starting around 50%. Target does the same thing after Christmas with deals up to 70% off.

New Car

Frugal people who are in the market for a new car hold out until year’s end if they didn’t take advantage of the discounts typically seen at car dealers in May.

End-of-year discounts start in October when new models are arriving and dealers are looking to clear older models from their inventory. Those discounts run into November, including Black Friday deals.

In December, car salespeople may be trying to meet not only their monthly sales quotas, but also end-of-quarter quotas and end-of-year quotas, so there are even more deals to be had.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 9 Things That Frugal People Always Buy During the Holidays