Connecting with Family During the Holidays on the Cheap
This article is sponsored by Cricket Wireless. All opinions are 100% my own.
There is so much that I love about the holidays, like the food, family, gifts, giving, and not going to work. There are so many things to love about the holiday season that it is no wonder why everyone seems to be in a good mood, and it’s the happiest time of the year!
One of my favorite parts of the holidays is seeing my family. I live in Texas, pretty far from my mom and some of my sisters in Virginia. A great part of the holidays is that my mom either comes to visit us here, or we visit her there, but the reality is that coming for both Thanksgiving and Christmas is pretty unlikely. This means that for one of those dates we have to improvise. I want to share a few tips I have for staying connected with your family members out of state during the holidays!
Write a letter or send a card
One great way to keep in touch with family is by sending them a card or a letter in the mail. While Christmas cards are pretty standard, adding a personal note just for them adds a special touch. I love receiving letters. I mean, when’s the last time you received a letter? It is so rare today with email and such that it feels extra good to get a letter every now and again. Around Thanksgiving, sending a letter to your family members telling them how much you are thankful for their presence in your life is an excellent way to show them how much you care.
Give them a call
You can always call your family members during the holidays. One good cell phone service provider is Cricket Wireless. Did you know that their network covers 98 percent of the country, and they also have more 4G LTE coverage nationwide than Sprint, T-Mobile or MetroPCS? Their plans are also much more affordable than many other cell phone plans.
Cricket Wireless also has a few special deals going on for the holiday season. They have an enormous variety of premium brand devices to choose from, and their plans are flexible. They also have a Group Save discount that can save you up to $100 a month when you add eligible lines. And if you do decide to switch to Cricket, you can get a Samsung Galaxy Prime for just $29.99* Additionally, from November 13 through January 7th, you can choose from four 4G LTE smartphones FREE** after mail-in rebate Cricket VISA Promotion Card.
Send e-gift cards
When someone lives far away, it can get pricey sending them a gift in the mail (depending on the weight of the present, of course). What I love about sending gift cards is that you don’t have to worry about paying for shipping, and you can schedule them to be sent months in advance! Not only is this more cost-effective, but it is also extremely easy to do. If you know what stores are your family’s favorites, getting them a gift card to that place is a practical gift that they’ll use.
Yeah, the holidays can be a little tough if you are not around your family, but you can still show them how much you care. Staying connected with your family during the festivities can be simple if you take the time to remind them how much you care!
Want to win a cute Cricket wireless plush toy for the holidays? Sign up for our giveaway and win one for yourself! The winner will be announced on December 19th!
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*Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime Offer: Offer ends 1/7/16. New lines only. Porting number required. Excludes ports from AT&T. First month svc charge due at sale. Cannot be combined with Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime Mail-In Rebate Offer. Activation Fee: Up to $25/line. Taxes, fees, charges & restrictions apply. Restocking Fee: Up to $25. Pricing, terms & restrās subject to change and may be modified, or terminated at any time without notice. Coverage & svc not avail. everywhere. See store for offer details.
**Valid 11/13/15 – 01/07/16 on Motorola Moto E ($49.99), ZTE Overture 2 ($39.99), LG Risio ($29.99), and Nokia Lumia 635 ($19.99). While supplies last. Submit rebate form by 2/6/16. Must port number from another carrier (excludes AT&T ports) and activate new smartphone plan (min $40/mo). Phone price/ tax due at sale. Void in CT, RI, and Miami-Dade County, FL. Promotion Card, issued by MetaBankĀ®, member FDIC, or CenterState Bank of Florida, NA pursuant to license from VISA U.S.A. Inc., is not redeemable for cash & may not be used for cash withdrawal at any cash-dispensing locations or at automated gasoline pumps. Card may be used to pay for your wireless bill. Card valid where VISA debit cards are accepted for 150 days after Card issuance. Must be active & in good standing for 45 days. Must make 2nd service payment w/i 45 days of activation. Limit 5 offers per household. Allow up to 8 wks for fulfillment. Restocking fee up to $25 may apply. In-store activation fee up to $25 may apply. Other charges & restrās apply. Offer subject to change & may be terminated at any time without notice. For Card terms, visit http:/mycrk.it/RebateTerms.
I love this! It’s hard to be far away from family. Christmas is definitely a time to be together….in any way you can!
Luckily all my family lives near by, but this Christmas all my presents are DIY, in my opinion it’s so nice to receive something that someone put effort in it š
we are a family with many miles apart we love to get together but many times we simply can not all get there . Love your ideas some I had thought of and some that I will give more thought
I think a phone call these days means a heck of a lot to people because it’s not really something we do a lot. We’re a texting generation now. Talking takes more effort so it means more.
What great ideas! I love them all š
Great ideas! I sent handmade cards this year and everyone seems to love them x
These are wonderful ideas. I always send photo cards to my family. We also call all of them on Christmas Day.
i too love getting mail especially letters. they are so personal & so special so i like to write letters when possible
Great ideas to connect with family and friends. I decided to mail out Christmas cards this year. First time in years.
I’ve been lucky enough to be close to my family for the holidays. These are wonderful ideas for those who aren’t!
Great ideas… My family live far away and i always reconnect via Skype
This is definitely lovely! Most of my family lives across the world and we make sure we call each other every night.
I do love sending e gift card to my friends and relatives. This is great ideas and im gonna try one of these.
I have never sent an e-card. I might try it this year! Kaz x
Most of my family would not understand an ecard, but my kids make all our cards, so we never spend money on them.
I love to send family a pound of Nm pinon coffee. I also love calling people.
Letters and Christmas Cards are a huge thing for my kids especially around the holidays and birthdays.
I love to send and receive cards. It is a great way to connect with family and friends that I don’t see very often
I think personalized, handmade cards are the best and they really show that you have put thought into the card.
I completely forgot to send my cards. I need to get on that. I wish all of my family had email and computers so I could send ecards!
What a wonderful tips, I do love sending gift cards when holidays. I would love to make handmade and personalized cards.
You totally had me at “cheap!” LOL! Great idea and no huge budget needed! Love it.
The best gift of all is a family being all together. When they can’t be, that phone call is the next best thing.
So many family members are far away, so this is a wonderful way to stay connected while remaining on a budget.
Sending cards is a wonderful way to connect! Plus, you get something you can keep š
What a great Idea of connecting with the family. I love this post š
I like sending photo cards and calling my relatives on Christmas day. These are great tips.
These are great tips! Connecting with family during the holidays is so important!
I have actually been in the search of better providers out there then sprint, so thank you for mentioning cricket wireless! Definitely plan on checking it out š
I’ve heard a lot of good things about Cricket Wireless. Thanks for sharing about this.
This is really a great addition. I have read this great article. Thanks for sharing information about it. I really like that.