How to Budget for Operation Christmas Child Boxes

For years, we’ve been packing boxes for Operation Christmas Child. Seriously, this is one of our favorite Christmas traditions!! Even before Jon and I had kids, we were packing shoeboxes full of presents and sending them to children around the world.

This year, National Collection Week is November 14th-21st, 2022.

Sometimes when life is busy, I forget to shop ahead of time. This can be hard on our budget, because it means you have to shop for everything necessary for our Operation Christmas Child boxes right before the holidays. Therefore, adding several huge expenses on top of each other during October, November, and December.

Unfortunately, that’s what happened last year, which was challenging. After talking to my husband, we agreed it was important to try and spread this expense out throughout the entire year and try to buy a little bit each month for our Operation Christmas Child boxes. That being said, I was determined to sit down and make a list about what I need to buy each month.

God really answered my prayers and gave me some great ideas!! Throughout the year, I will shop for supplies and keep them in a big box in my basement. Then, in November when it’s time to pack our boxes, my girls will choose goodies from my stash for their own Operation Christmas Child boxes. Below, I’ve listed some additional ideas about, how to budget for your Operation Christmas Child supplies.

How to Budget for Operation Christmas Child Boxes 

1. Decide How Many Boxes You Want to Pack. In order to know how many supplies I need to buy throughout their year, it’s important to know how many boxes we will be packing in November. This year, our plan is to pack 5 boxes, which will let each of my girls have a chance to pack a box. As a result, while I am shopping throughout the year I buy 5 of each item.  

2. Make a List of Supplies You Need. If you visit Samaritan’s Purse’s website, they have great age appropriate lists to help you know what to pack in your child’s box. You will need to buy a plastic shoebox, which you can get at Walmart or you can buy boxes from Samaritan’s Purse’s website. Typically, I pack the following items in our boxes… toothbrushes, a ball, markers, pens, washcloths, notepad, stickers, a book, a small lego or doll, a brush, hair ties, matchbox cars, socks, bandaids, and chapstick.

3. Shop From What You Have. Once I have my list, I go through my house and shop from what I have first. This is an important principle I live by and it helps me to use what I have first before buying something new. There are many items that I usually already have on hand, like toothbrushes, pens, markers, and notepads. Whatever I’m able to find, I check it off my list and put it in my big box of supplies in the basement.

4. Breakup Remaining Items, Decide What to Buy Each Month. After shopping throughout your own house, breakup the remaining items and decide what to buy each month. You can do it by category or what happens to be on sale during different months throughout the year. For example, if I need school supplies I will buy them in July and August when they’re on sale. Also, you don’t have to buy the most expensive supplies either, so be sure to stop by The Dollar Tree or at Goodwill if other stores seem too expensive.

5. Pack and Donate Your Boxes. After buying all your supplies, you will be ready to pack your individual boxes. You can write notes to your child and even include a picture of yourself or your family!! Don’t forget to pay for the shipping cost for each of your boxes online and put the label on the outside of each box. Finally, they’re ready to be donated to an Operation Christmas Child Drop Off location!!

6. Save Extra Supplies for Next Year. Last year, I ended up with extra supplies and shoe boxes. I kept them in a big box in my basement and I plan to use them this year. Anything to help me save money or possibly be able to pack more boxes than last year.

I hope this has been helpful!!

Blogmas Series: Christmas on a Budget

It's hard to believe Jon and I have been married for almost 12 years!! On December 17th, 2006, we kicked off our married life as poor college students living on love. We hardly had any money, because we spent it all on the wedding and then for us to move from Oregon to Texas. Back in those days, we had so little money that we lived off of cheese quesadillas (which Jon cooked using an iron) and anything else that was "On Sale" or "Free". As I looked back at our old checkbooks, I am not sure how we survived our first few years of marriage.

In hindsight, I can see that it was God taking care of us and providing everything we needed. I am so thankful for God's provision!!

Honestly, this year seems no different, almost 12 years and 5 kids later we still don't have a lot of extra money to splurge on Christmas. We've just moved and Hong Kong which is expensive, so financially things are tight. I am thankful that over the years, God has taught me how to manage a tight budget. I know, we can still have an amazing Christmas even if we didn't have a lot of extra money.

Below are some helpful ideas that I have picked up over the years about how to manage a tight budget. To this day, I use these tips to help me stay on budget during the holidays.

10 Tips for Christmas on a Budget

1. Make a Budget.
You won't fully understand the state of your finances until you sit down by yourself or with your spouse and make a budget. Early on in our marriage, we learned to budget our finances through Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University class. If there isn't a class available in your area then go to the library and borrow one of Dave's books about finances and being to start your journey to financial freedom. This will truly be the best Christmas gift that you can give to yourself and your spouse. Once you've created your budget, you will know whether or not it will be a tight Christmas.

2. Keep Christmas Simple.
If you know that it is going to be a tight budget for Christmas, make an effort to keep your December calendar simple. The fewer activities you participate in during the holidays, the less money you will need for Christmas. Don't feel bad if you cannot participate in every holiday exchange or activity that you get invited to join. It is okay to say, "No" and decline an invitation especially if you don't have money to buy extra presents. In addition, you might need to be honest with your extended family and let them know that things are tight and you won't be able to fly to see them this Christmas.

3. Draw Names.
I am the oldest of 5 kids and so for many years, my family has been drawing names to so that instead of buying one present for every single person we just buy presents for the person whose name we drew. This has been a lifesaver for our big family, especially when we didn't have a lot of extra money. As everyone is married with kids, now we draw names and give a fun present that the whole family can enjoy. It has worked well for our big family.

4. Email Christmas Newsletter.
Jon and I come from garage families. In addition, we have lots of friends and family who want to know how we are doing. As a result, we have decided to email our Christmas Newsletter and Christmas Card. This helps us to save money during the holidays, but still allows us to stay in contact with our loved ones without spending a ridiculous amount of money on postage. There are certain family members who don't have email, so we might send them an actual card. However, those circumstances are few and far between.

5. Homemade Gifts, Treats, and Decorations.
Personally, I enjoy our homemade gifts, treats, and decorations more that anything else that I could buy at the store, because of the memories that go along with them. This year, our homemade decorations remind me of my precious girls, because they helped me create our Christmas mural. Make a list of gifts that you need and see which gifts you could make at home. Browse Pinterest for ideas or ask your create friends what they are crafting this Christmas.


6. Family Night In.
A night out can be very expensive and it's hard to justify if when my children don't want to finish eating their dinner or we have to leave halfway through the movie for a potty break. Seriously!? Right now, in this season of life with two babies, a family night in sounds like just the right fit for our family. We have had both movie and game nights as a family. If you're on a budget, try to plan something to do at home with your family that everyone will enjoy.

7. Christmas Book Basket.
I told you all about my Christmas Book Basket idea, so click the link to read more about it now. Briefly, I will remind you to pull out Christmas books from around your house or go to the local library and borrow Christmas books that you can read together as a family. If you don't have access to a library ask a friend or neighbor if you can swap books with them, so that each of your families can enjoy some new books to read for the holidays.

8. Shop Year Round.
I realize that you cannot do this for Christmas 2018. However, I want you to be able to begin to plan for Christmas 2019 now. Plan to buy a few things here and there, all year round so that as they go on sale over the next 12 months you can get them for the cheapest price and give them to your family for Christmas next year. You can buy things on sale or on clearance and then keep it for the next holiday. I had a large plastic box in my closet, under my sewing stuff, that I kept gifts in. So when someone had a birthday or Christmas, I already had gifts to choose from.

9. Sell Your Stuff.
If all else fails and your are desperate for cash this Christmas, sell your stuff. You heard me right, sell your things in order to get more cash to add to your Christmas budget. This might seem like a hard concept, because we all like our stuff. However, if you are really in a bind consider selling things online that will help you to have some extra money this Christmas.

10. Volunteer Together.
Minus transportation, serving others won't cost you anything. This is an activity that you can do with your family completely free!! It's one of the best family traditions that you can start today. It will also teach your children what Christmas is really all about...Jesus. Check out my previous post for more ideas about how to serve others this Christmas.