Holiday Budgeting
Creating a budget can be a demanding and stressful time. It can be even more stressful creating a holiday budget to ensure that everyone on your ‘nice list’ gets the perfect gift. Avoid that extra stress by following these simple tricks to help control your spending this holiday season:
Set Limits: Before spending a single cent, be sure to set a budget limit for yourself and stick to it! You can take it a step further and break down how much you can spend per person and find gifts that fit in that range.
Separate the gift giving: Even with setting limits, it may not be possible to give EVERYONE a gift that you want to give a gift to. To help fight this, separate your holiday list into people who will be getting a gift (such as your immediate family) and then get something simple for the rest, such as baking cookies or other treats.
Don’t feel the pressure: It can be hard every year knowing your sibling always gets everyone the best gifts. But you must remember everyone has their own budget. What others are able to afford may not be what you can afford. Don’t try to one-up them and just focus on what you can afford.
Bargain Hunt: Not everything is going to be on sale, but you can usually find coupons while planning your gift shopping. Before shopping, online or in-store, go through your old mail or receipts and see if there are any savings to be had. You can also try your hand online by searching for online promo codes that can be used for a variety of things.
Personalize not ‘Glamorize’: While everyone would love a brand-new laptop for Christmas, a simple gift can go a long way as well. Take the time to think about the people you are shopping for and try and think of something simple and unique that you can give them that they will love. Remember, it’s the thought that counts, not the price tag.
