Today we have a guest post from another wonderful blogger, Noëlle.

Now that December is upon us, Christmas is just around the corner. That means that retail stores will be playing non-stop Christmas music, you will be getting holiday invites that will fill up your calendar and it will soon be time to dust off the Christmas decorations.

My favourite part of Christmas decorating has always been the tree, and this year we are going for a real tree instead of an artificial one. Since this is my first experience purchasing a real tree, I was stunned to find out just how much they cost. You can pay anywhere from $25 to $200 for a Christmas tree, and that doesn’t include the tree stand, the tinsel, the tree skirt, the decorations or the gifts to go under! Here are a few considerations to help you trim the cost of your Christmas tree purchase while still embracing the holiday tradition.

Where to buy your tree

There are over 33 million real Christmas trees sold in the US each year. These days most of us aren’t marching into the forest and cutting down our own Christmas trees. Decide if you want to purchase your tree directly from a Christmas tree farm or from a reseller.

Buying directly from the tree farm may cost a little bit more, but generally you go for the experience of wandering around, arguing over which tree is best, sipping some free hot chocolate and maybe even catching a sleigh ride. If you want to make it a family activity the Christmas tree farm can be the way to go, but also consider the cost of gas to get there and back.

If, however, you just want to get the tree home, you can always pick one up at your local chain store, garden centre or retail lot for a little bit cheaper. You can even purchase a real tree online. In the US, over 300,000 Christmas trees are sold online each year.

When to buy your tree

Shop early to get the best selection and avoid the crowds. But if you wait until a few days before Christmas you will find that retailers are willing to offer deep discounts to offload the last remaining trees. You just might end up with a “Charlie Brown” tree though!

Pricing Methods

Check to see if they are selling the tree by the foot, or are charging a flat fee for any tree. Generally you it will cost somewhere between $5-$10 per foot, so do the math to see which way turns out to be less expensive.

Try a Different Species

There are several different species of Christmas trees: Douglas Fir, Fraser Fir, Scotch Pine, Balsam Fir, White Pine, White Spruce, and the list goes on. Look for the species that is most widely available in your area, as it will most likely be the least expensive.

Look for Deals

Some retailers will offer you a free Christmas tree with a minimum purchase. Get your Christmas shopping done and get your tree all in one trip! You can also find coupons or deal vouchers for retailers trying to earn your Christmas tree business.

Haggle

Depending on where you purchase your tree, there may be a little bit of room to negotiate on the price. This is especially true if you are purchasing more than one tree, or any additional items. It never hurts to ask! Maybe they’ll throw in a free tree stand or Christmas wreath.

Shopping for a real Christmas tree can be a cinch or you can make an entire event out of it. Make your own traditions and enjoy the fresh smell while sticking to your Christmas budget.

Happy Holidays!

Author Bio: Noëlle from thislifeonpurpose.com

Noëlle is a twenty-something girl from the Canadian prairies who blogs about the ways she spends less in order to save for what matters. All this to ensure that her life is not on auto-pilot and that her life decisions are made with great intention. With a passion for global travel and personal finance, follow her along her journey to financial independence and lifestyle freedom.

“But wait a minute… where do I go from here? Maybe I want more out of life than a steady 9-5 job in the corporate world and a house in the suburbs with my husband and 2.4 kids. Is this the only definition of success? What if I want to open a dive shop in Thailand, or teach tourists to surf in Australia (I’d have to learn first, but that’s a minor detail)? Maybe I want to ride a motorbike across Vietnam or start a business in photography. Whatever I end up doing, I want it to be out of my own volition; I want to live this life on purpose!”

Ever wonder whether it’s possible to (legitimately) not pay taxes? Tax time is coming up and that means we get to discuss my favorite topic: taxes.

Paying taxes can be an exhausting obligation. It’s really sad sometimes to see such a large portion of your income go toward something that you can’t see. Then, you pay somebody to do your taxes, taking up to 10% of your refund (if you have one) which just makes it hurt even more.

image via https://www.flickr.com/photos/59937401@N07/

As a side note, you should be doing your own taxes. Many people think that taxes are too complicated to do themselves, but this isn’t true. Use a program that will walk you through it. I use Turbotax, which is much cheaper then an accountant and will allow you to do your entire family’s refunds. Plus, you can get the software on sale – I use Turbotax Standard .

I’m not surprised, then, that I have been asked by some readers for tips on how to not pay taxes.

While I do think all citizens paying taxes (when they are able – meaning within the parameters of the government’s taxation rules) is beneficial for the greater good of the economy, as well as the infrastructure of the cities and towns that we live in, I definitely understand the desire to keep your money.

So here we go – a few tips on how to reduce or, even not pay taxes.

Make a Low Income – You Won’t be Taxed

Don’t want to pay taxes? I met a guy one time who was serious when he told me that he worked in a low paying job because he didn’t want to pay taxes.

Depending on where you live, there is typically an amount of money that, if you make under that amount, you will not be taxed on.

Now, this completely defeats the purpose to me; even when you are taxed, if you make more money you keep more money. But it is a strategy to not pay taxes.

Use Tax Deductions and Tax Credits to Lower Your Taxes

Have dependents, going through college, or contributing to your retirement account? All of these things, plus a whole wack of other things, can reduce the amount of tax that you pay. Doing these things doesn’t mean you won’t pay taxes, but in combination with a few options you may reduce them drastically.

If you donate to a cause, you can use the amount that you donate (over a minimum amount, which will depend on your area) as a tax credit.

When I was a student, because I was full-time, I didn’t pay taxes because, despite my income being fairly high for a student, I could claim my tuition, textbooks, and education amount. Then, I’d claim my eligible donations, and then I would reduce my taxes even further by claiming my RRSP contributions.

If you Google a list of tax deductions and credits, you will likely be able to find one for taxes in your area. The Canadian Revenue Agency provides this tool to find deductions if you are Canadian.

Many people forget or don’t know that they can deduct so many of these things, including union dues, carrying charges/income expenses, moving expenses, etc.

Work For Yourself and Track Your Expenses to Claim Them at Tax Time

Because I work online so much, I am partially self employed. I can claim any expense related to my self employment. For instance, part of my home being my home office, the conference I went to in July about blogging, my internet bill because I use my internet almost solely for blogging and work purposes, my Adobe Illustrator purchase because I use it for my online business.

Be sure to track every single expense, including the gas it takes to drive to a business meeting, if you take a client out for lunch, if you outsource anything.

If you do end up spending more than you make for your business, there is something seriously wrong, but you can reduce taxes quite a bit by ensuring you are tracking all of your expenses.

Illegal: Work Under the Table

Of course this is an illegal option that I am most certainly not condoning (if you do this, you are leaching off of your country without contributing), you can work “under the table” to avoid paying taxes.

I was surprised to hear from my friend’s husband that apparently there are a lot of companies looking to hire people under the table so they can save money, too.

Be aware, however, that this is shady – you won’t be getting any health benefits. If you get hurt at work, you won’t be able to claim it. If somebody reports you, you can be on the hook to pay fines and penalties.

This is one of the only ways to pay no taxes whatsoever, while still making a normal salary.

How to you lower or eliminate the amount of tax you have to pay? 

When I was eight, my parents had just gone through a divorce and it was my mom, my brother and I for the holidays. My dad was never a huge Christmas buff anyway, and his tendency was to forget that the holidays were coming and rely on my mom to make it special for us.

My mom had some time off that year, so she had wrapped all of the gifts and put them under the tree a few days early, much to our delight. We sat by the Christmas tree, shaking the boxes and packages, trying to guess what was in them. My mom looked on from her spot on the couch for a few minutes, before she quietly slipped away.

She came out of our bedrooms a few minutes later with a suitcase for each of us, and had decided on a whim to take us to her home town; the town my aunts, uncles, cousins, and great grandmother still lived in.

It is such a special memory for me because it was the first Christmas that we spent as a threesome, and we spent it with some of the most important people in my young life – my extended maternal family.

(Plus, my mom back then was not much of an adventurer, so to be spontaneous like that was a nice treat).

Without further adieu (and let’s be honest, this is probably more to the point of why you came here), we’re giving away some awesome prizes!

5 Chances to Win:

• First Prize Two $50.00 Visa Gift Cards ($100!)
• Second Prize One $50.00 Home Depot Gift Card and One $25.00 Home Depot Gift Card
• Third Prize One $50.00 Target Gift Card and one $25.00 Target Gift Card
• Fourth Prize One $50.00 Walmart Gift Card and one $25.00 Target Gift Card
• Fifth Prize One $50.00 Starbucks Gift Card and one $25.00 Starbucks Gift Card

 

November 29th to December 13th.This is a blogger sponsored giveaway. Winners will be notified by email, therefore a valid email is required. All entries in the RaffleCopter are optional. Terms and conditions are in the RaffleCopter widget. Open to North America Only (Gift cards cannot be shipped to PO Boxes). All entries will be verified.

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