Budget Tip: Don’t Buy Gift Boxes Before You Check These 3 Places First

It’s the holidays, which means you’re probably doinglots of gift givingand fair amount of shipping, too. Although it seems that boxes have a way of materializing when we don’t need them, they certainly can be kinda tough to nail down when you do need them—funny how that works, right? So if you need boxes for this year’s holidays, remember to check out these places for free resources before you shell out for store-bought. Bonus: Many of these options use recycled materials, so you canmake your holiday a little greener.

The bonus in grabbing cardboard boxes from liquor or wine stores: The cardboard is extra sturdy, since it’s made to tote wine, and the dividers can be handy if you’re planning to ship breakables like candles or glassware to family and friends. Grocery stores and bookstores are prime targets, too, andReddit suggests hitting up Walmartin the middle of the night while the shelves are being stocked to take advantage of their plentiful free boxes.

You might know this by now, but in case you don’t: USPS Priority Mail boxes and envelopes are free, and you canpick them up in any post office(or order online). They’re particularly great if you’re planning on shipping heavy things, since the flat rate covers the cost of shipping no matter the weight.

Search your localFacebook marketplace,Craigslist,不xtDoor, and other neighborhood groups or email listservs for free boxes—people often have spares to give away after they move. While moving boxes might be too large for your needs, you can also post your own requests for free boxes in specific sizes. If you’re willing to pick up, you’re likely to get some responses from people who were planning to toss theirs to the curb anyway.