45% of Consumers Will Give Homemade Gifts This Holiday Season. Here's Why You Should, Too

It pays to go the DIY route.

The holidays can be both a wonderful time and a stressful time. There's just so much pressure to spend money on all sorts of things, from decorations to travel to gifts.

The latter, however, can be a real budget-buster. These days, everything is more expensive due to inflation. So you may find an item that would've cost $25 last year results in a $30 or $35 credit card tab this year. Multiply that increase by a dozen gifts or more, and you're looking at what could be a pretty substantial sum.

That's why you may want to consider taking a less expensive approach to gift-giving -- making gifts instead of buying them. In a recent Personal Capital survey, 45% of respondents said they'll be giving DIY and secondhand gifts this year. And interestingly, 25% of Gen Zers and millennials -- more than any other generation -- say they'll be making their own gifts this season.

If you're not sure whether to make your own gifts this year, here are a couple of reasons to consider DIYing it -- aside from saving money.

1. Your recipients might really appreciate the effort

It's one thing to hand your sibling or cousin a scarf you picked up at Target. It's another to hand them a scarf you knitted yourself. Homemade gifts just scream love, and they're a good way to show the people in your life you really care about them.

2. You don't have to worry about shipping delays

If you can't stand to battle crowds at retail stores and malls, then you may be inclined to do your holiday shopping online. But that could mean dealing with extensive shipping delays that add a lot of stress to your plate. If you make your own gifts, you won't have to worry about being late -- provided you don't procrastinate, of course.

Some homemade gift ideas to consider

If you're a reasonably crafty person, there are many different homemade gifts you can look at giving out this holiday season. You might consider:

• Batches of cookies or candy
• Winter accessories or sweaters
• Picture collages
• A recipe book of your most beloved kitchen concoctions
• Jewelry

If you're going to make your own gifts for the holidays, though, set a schedule and make sure to leave yourself enough time to get everything done. And be sure to grab your supplies ahead of time so you're not scrambling to complete your gifts at the last minute.

Making holiday gifts instead of buying them could do more than just help you save money. It could also make you a hero among the people you're exchanging those gifts with. And that's reason enough to go the DIY route this year.

Of course, some people just plain aren't crafty or great in the kitchen. If making gifts is apt to be a giant source of frustration for you, then you may be better off buying lower-cost presents or even skipping them this year. If money is tight, the people who love you will most likely understand that you're not skipping out on gifts to be cheap -- you're doing so to avoid ending the season with a pile of holiday debt.