Christmas is nearly here and planning has begun. If you haven’t started saving yet it’s not too late. And you won’t need to rely on credit to enjoy the season.
This week, if you haven’t yet created a simple spending list, sit down and write down a plan of what you think your holiday season will cost. Make sure it is realistic of what you can afford without missing bill payments. There are a number of common items to think about including:
• Christmas food/meals and drinks
• Decorations
• Cards and gift wrapping
• Gifts
• Christmas tree
• Money for petrol when travelling
• Other events you might be attending
When it comes to Christmas, keeping it simple is best. Making a list of friends, family, colleagues and other significant people (like the gardener/neighbour) that you want to give a gift to. For myself I also like to add in a thank you gift for the support staff for my daughter, the driver, service providers and my son’s coaches.
Now it might be hard to budget for all these categories, but it’s more important to be aware of the little things that can really add up. And if you don’t plan, they could catch you unprepared. However, even if you don’t save as much as you’d like, let this spending plan serve as a great fire way to get started for next year. When you save up a little every month all year, Christmas really becomes something worth anticipating.
Everyone is different, but I believe we can all agree that extravagant spending doesn’t necessarily make Christmas anymore special. How much you’ll spend doesn’t determine how fun your day will be, and the amount you spend on gifts has nothing to do with how much you love the gifts’ giver.
Stay tuned for great ways to save online this Christmas and other saving tips on homemade and memorable gifts that won’t break the bank this Christmas.