Dreaming of jaw-dropping holiday light displays in your neighborhood this year but not ready to suck all the money out of your wallet?
There are strategies every homeowner can use to reduce costs, create stunning looks and protect your holiday light budget.
This complete guide breaks down all of the most effective hacks for building that holiday light display on the cheap without sacrificing style, curb appeal or cool factor.
Stick around to learn what every homeowner needs to know.
What you’ll learn
- Why LED Lights Are A Budget Gamechanger
- Smart Shopping Strategies That Work
- Energy-Saving Tricks Every Homeowner Needs
- Creative DIY Alternatives for Holiday Displays
- How To Maximize Your Current Decorations
Why LED Lights Are A Budget Gamechanger
The one and only thing every homeowner should upgrade before installing holiday lights.
LED lights are the ultimate gamechanger for holiday light displays.
Seriously, if you want to reduce holiday light costs – LEDs are the number one way to do it.
Reports from Southern California Edison have shown that LEDs can help homeowners reduce the cost of holiday lighting by up to 90%. Yes, you read that right, 90%.
Take a step back and understand why LEDs matter so much here…
Incandescent lights of years past ate electricity like nobody’s business. Plus, they generated so much excess heat that it created serious fire risks indoors. LEDs stay cool, last longer and barely register on the energy bill.
The savings calculations are simple. Running a moderate incandescent display can cost a homeowner $10-$15 per holiday season. That same setup with LEDs drops to about $2. For homeowners with elaborate displays or decorations powered 24/7, the savings are astronomical.
Festive lighting has become more popular than ever, with holiday lighting trends for your home continuing to move toward smarter and more sustainable choices. LEDs are the number one cornerstone of any budget-friendly decorating plan.
But wait – it gets even better.
LED lights also last significantly longer. Some LED models can last up to 200,000 hours. That’s one set of LED lights lasting a homeowner 40 holiday seasons! Forty. That’s a lot better than incandescent bulbs which often die after one or two seasons.
LEDs do cost a bit more upfront. But over the long haul, the savings are more than worth it.
Smart Shopping Strategies That Work
Hiring a Santa’s helper on Black Friday just isn’t necessary to buy smart.
Holiday lights and decorations are big business every November and December, but the best discounts come in January after all of the last-minute shoppers have had their fill. After-holiday sales offer discounts between 50-75% across the board for lights, decorations and accessories. Savvy homeowners hit up those post-season sales to stock up on the following year’s supplies.
Shop for these must-have items:
- LED light sets to grab multiple strands when they’re cheap
- Timers and smart plugs for energy use management
- Extension cords often heavily discounted in after-season sales
- Storage containers for keeping lights in good shape
Discount stores and warehouse clubs can be another big discount resource. Both often carry quality holiday lights at discounted rates ahead of the season.
Don’t overlook thrift stores and online marketplaces. People get rid of barely-used holiday decorations all the time. One person’s downsizing is another person’s budget-friendly decorating hack.
Energy-Saving Tricks Every Homeowner Needs
Lights on at 3 AM? Big red holiday lighting mistake.
The fact is that no one is driving by and enjoying a holiday light display at 3 AM. Using timers or smart plugs to automate when lights come on and turn off can save significant amounts of electricity costs.
The happy medium? Dusk to bedtime is a common sweet spot for many holiday displays. That’s typically five to six hours of run time per night. Some homeowners take it to the max on weekends with seven or eight hours when more people are out and about.
Here are some more practical energy-saving tricks:
- Solar-powered lights for walkways, yard decor
- Focus light strands on key high-visibility areas like front door and roofline
- Avoid using lights and decorations during daytime hours
- Mix light strands with tinsel, metallic or reflective decor elements to maximize brightness without more light strands
Solar lights deserve a special callout. They’re free to run once purchased. Plus, the quality of modern solar Christmas lights is bright enough to make impressive displays. The caveat? They must get good sunlight exposure during the day to charge properly.
Solar works well for homeowners in sunnier climates. Cloudier weather can call for a mix of solar and LED to hit the budget savings sweet spot.
Creative DIY Alternatives for Holiday Displays
Need some DIY decorations before putting Uncle Bob in storage?
Creating holiday light displays doesn’t require expensive store-bought decorations every year.
DIY alternatives can be just as impressive while costing a tiny fraction of a retail purchase. Homeowners are using creative materials all the time to decorate on the cheap.
Need some ideas?
- Mason jar luminaries are a classic. Dropping a battery-operated tea light in the jar works great.
- Repurposed old string lights look great in glass vases or around indoor plants
- Paper lanterns are surprisingly easy to make. Plus they look surprisingly elegant on a front porch.
- Think outside the box and use natural elements like pinecones, branches or greenery. A few LED strands mixed in create rustic charm.
The goal is working smarter not spending more. One LED strand wrapped around a simple wreath with a warm white color temperature has more visual punch than a dozen mismatched decorations.
With 90% of Americans installing outdoor lights, it’s easy to get outspent by more flush neighbors. Sticking out is about creativity, not going deeper into the red.
How To Maximize Your Current Decorations
Need to assess what’s in the attic before spending any more money?
Don’t forget about what’s already in the storage unit. Many homeowners forget what they have hidden away in the attic or basement. Old lights may only need a few replacement bulbs. Last year’s decorations can be rearranged into entirely new displays with a bit of work.
Here’s a quick DIY checklist for every homeowner to follow:
- Test all existing light strands before the holiday season
- Replace a few burnt-out bulbs instead of tossing entire light strands
- Clean dusty old decorations – they look better and reflect light more effectively
- Reorganize placement around the house to create new visual appeal
Neighborhood walking tours are another great tip. A simple walk around the block during the holidays can reveal what looks good and not so good. Take note of popular displays that attract attention without being a budget money pit.
Sometimes less is more. A few well-placed LED strands can generate more curb appeal than a gaudy and mismatched explosion of decorations.
Wrapping Things Up
Budget-friendly holiday light displays can be as impressive as you want.
The strategies boil down to some simple steps:
- Switch to LED lights for massive energy bill savings
- Hit the post-season sales to shop smart next year
- Use timers and smart plugs for energy use control
- Get creative with DIY decor alternatives
- Audit what you already own to make the most of every strand
Holiday lighting trends for your home are moving toward smarter and more sustainable decisions. These hacks help every homeowner fall in line while keeping more money in the bank.
LEDs are a big win. Get a timer. Have some fun. See the savings grow over time while still building the display everyone admires.
Budget-friendly holiday decorating really is that easy.
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