It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but it can also be one of the most expensive. The average American spends over $700 on Christmas gifts every year, and that’s not including decorations.

If you’re looking to save some cash this season, consider buying a pre-lit artificial Christmas tree instead of an actual one. They’re much less work and require very little maintenance. However, they still need care and attention if you want them to last through the holidays.

Here are some cheap ways to care for your pre-lit artificial Christmas trees:

Proper care starts with a good choice of tree. Choose one that’s fresh, sturdy and has branches that aren’t too thick or too thin. If you’re buying a real tree, look for needles that are dark green and not brown. If you’re buying a fake tree, choose one that looks like real wood.

Keep it dry. When you store your tree after the holidays, make sure it’s in a dry place with plenty of air circulation so it doesn’t get moldy or mildewed while it waits for next year’s festivities.

 If possible, keep it outside during warm months so rain doesn’t collect in the branches (which can lead to rotting). If that’s not an option and you have to store it indoors, use a large box with holes punched in the bottom for drainage so water doesn’t pool at the base of your tree.

Clean up spills quickly. If there are any spills on your tree (whether from water or food), clean them off immediately.

Make sure the lights are unplugged when you are not decorating or moving the tree. This will help them last longer and prevent possible electrical fires that could happen if you leave them plugged in all the time.

When you unpack your tree, make sure to wash off all of the packing materials, especially if they have come in contact with soil from outside. This way, you won’t need to worry about any insects or pests getting on your tree and making their way into your home later on in the season.

When putting up your tree, make sure that it does not touch any other trees or shrubs outside of your house. If this happens, there is a chance that sap from these plants could get on your tree and cause damage to it over time.

Don’t overdo it with decorations. If you hang too many ornaments on one branch, they’ll put too much weight on that branch, causing it to droop over time. Choose a few favorite ornaments and then hang those strategically around the tree so they’re evenly distributed among the branches. Don’t use a lot of big ones or heavy ones; opt instead for small ornaments that won’t weigh down any one branch too much.

Keep lights on timers if possible so they don’t get burned out overnight when no one is around to turn them off and on at night and during naps throughout the day when everyone is sleeping!