How Employee Perks Can Yield Real Savings for Holiday Budgeting

Ah, the holidays. The one time of year when almost everyone drops their regular routines to gather together with family and friends. While it’s a joyous few weeks, it can also be quite draining and expensive.

Finding the perfect gift for everyone on your list can be an exhaustive, costly feat. The average holiday shopper expects to spend even more this year — roughly $182 more — due to tariffs and inflation. The economy can’t outdo even those who prefer a low-key Christmas.

Not to mention, hosting your family for even just a few days can quickly drain your wallet. Sure, there are the extra mouths to feed, but there’s also the entertainment component. Taking the kids to the movie theater, going ice skating, or visiting the local zoo can add up fast.

Fortunately, there are hidden ways to find some real savings during this season without sacrificing any merriment. Here are some tricks for utilizing employee perks to help with holiday budgeting.

Deals on Food and Dining Options During the Holiday Season

If one thing is for sure, it’s that there is always enough food to go around during the holidays. From Thanksgiving until New Year’s Day, families come together around the table with the intention of eating well in observance of the holiday.

For those hosting, filling the fridge with enough food for everyone can be pricey. Rising grocery store prices aren’t making it any easier, let alone splurging for some celebratory meals. As a result, the cost of a traditional Thanksgiving or Christmas meal can be quite stressful.

Fortunately, there are ways to save as a Working Advantage member. You can find offers, promotional codes, and deals from both national and regional grocery chains. Partnerships with warehouse clubs such as Costco and Sam’s Club can make serving a large, hungry crowd easier and cheaper this year.

For those who may not feel as equipped to handle feeding a crowd on their own, you can look into discounted meal kits via the employee discount platform to give you access to discounted subscriptions. Meal kits are great for providing convenient, pre-portioned ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes to satisfy you and your loved ones’ meal needs. Cooking together can also be a good activity for everyone to pitch in and help!

Knowing that many Americans opt to eat food outside of the home — with the average person dining out 3x per month — Working Advantage members also have access to save up to 40% for dining out at local eateries and restaurants. This means families and friends can also gather outside of the home, enjoying a meal together at a lower price.

Discounts on Travel and Hotels

If your idea of a good holiday is leaving town, then this takeaway is for you. Working Advantage provides exclusive employee discounts on hotel bookings worldwide. You can unlock savings with your employee perks while also earning points at your preferred loyalty hotels.

Need a car during your travels? Working Advantage has deals with major rental car agencies, saving you time and making it a more convenient option during your vacation.

If skiing is part of your travel plans, you’ll be pleased to know that you can also get exclusive savings on ski lift tickets, rentals, and even lodging at ski resorts nationwide.

Other travel-specific discounts for family-fun adventures include theme park tickets, live events, zoos and aquariums, sports games, and Broadway shows. Be sure to check the employee discounts page regularly to see where you can go and experience things thanks to Working Advantage. It’s sure to be a holiday the entire family will remember.

Lower Prices on Gifts

Gift giving is a prominent component of the holiday season. It’s a way to express kindness, love, and generosity. Whether it’s a small token of appreciation to your colleague at work, a present to an eager niece or nephew, or a larger gift to a significant other, these gifts can start to add up during the season.

Working Advantage members can browse through over 150 retail and restaurant gift cards, selecting one that they know their loved one will surely approve of. You may even find a new local hidden gem based on your search!

You can also use the gift card yourself to select a thoughtful gift. Either way, leveraging your Working Advantage perks can be a nice savings on a traditionally expensive time of year.

For the tech guru in your life, save money on the best electronic devices such as laptops, tablets, and even smartphones. Your loved one will never know that the top item on their wish list cost you less than it would have at a big box retailer.

Other Money-Saving Holiday Tips

In terms of practical money-saving tips for this time of year, it can be useful to create a budget before “Jingle Bells” starts playing on the radio. Planning out what you anticipate spending — with a bit of wiggle room for rising costs — can be a good motivator to stick with your outlined budget.

With the right planning, you may even be able to snag some great deals by shopping early. Last year, the average shopper spent $650 during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. With this in mind, many brands are moving up their Black Friday sales, enticing buyers earlier to make their purchases. Alongside this, being loyal to one brand can help you rack up savings, especially if they have a loyalty rewards program.

When it comes to gift exchanges, be intentional about setting realistic price limits. Exchanging with an agreed-upon budget ensures that everyone is comfortable with the commitment, and it can help prevent feelings of awkwardness or unfairness that come with major price disparities.

Finally, it goes without saying that the holidays are meant to spend time with family, and not necessarily have the fanciest gifts under the Christmas tree or the most elaborate dinner menu.

Being together is what matters most, so if you cut some corners here and there, chances are hardly anybody will notice.