Steps to celebrate a smarter Diwali

Diwali is all about fun and celebrations. It's that time when we are all about the happiness and less about how much it costs. This isn't wrong either.

Diwali comes only once a year and some of our most cherished memories are around this festival, so why skimp on any happiness related spends during this time?

Spending is inevitable during this delightful time, but there is a way you can be smart about it without compromising on the happiness quotient.

Here are five smart hacks Scripbox has come up with for a celebration that's high on happiness.

- Supplement your diyas with reusable fairy lights

Nothing is a more calming or beautiful a sight than seeing a row of diyas on every balcony. These diyas are the heart and soul of Diwali.

In our busy urban lives, maintaining this tradition might become difficult. So here's a way to reduce the number of diyas but maximize the brightness. Simply adorn your house with fairy lights. This is already becoming a popular choice. Electrically powered, they are reusable. Use diyas for doorways and windows and your house walls can bathe in the colourful brightness of fairy lights.

- Crackers - go for less, or none, this time?

Let's face it. Crackers are fun. What's a Diwali without crackers? Unfortunately though, crackers are not exactly friendly to the environment or for our ears.

You already know the morning after Diwali is pretty high on smog. So why not simply reduce the number of crackers that we buy this year for the sake of the environment, if not our pockets? You could use the cash saved to buy sweets for children in your neighborhood.

- Why gamble when you can invest?

It's a tradition to gamble during Diwali. It's a fun social affair that many families cherish. So what can you do differently? Simple, commit real money but instead of simply "losing it" or "winning it", the money actually can be invested in mutual funds, in the name of the family member who wins and the one who has to pay does the investing. One thing though, remember to keep the stakes low enough!

- New clothes - Why not go for beauty as well as the practical?

Diwali doesn't feel like Diwali without wearing traditional attire. Many a times we buy these new clothes without thinking about whether they are practical. So this Diwali why not buy something that you can wear not just on Diwali, but also throughout the year? Not only will it be a smarter purchase, you might also end up becoming the office fashion icon!

- Help someone

Want to make this an even happier Diwali? Sort through your cupboard and gadgets and donate what you don't need to people who need it the most. Warm clothes for the coming winter are especially a good idea. 

-ANI