Holiday Shopping? Prepare Now!
With Christmas and the holiday season quickly approaching, there’s never been a better time to prepare your budget! Gift-giving can be stressful for families who are unprepared financially. It takes a certain level of intentionality to build a holiday fund.
Christmas is just a month away, and you may or may not already have a fund set up. If you don’t, start now! The last thing you want to do is scramble for some extra cash to get someone a gift. Make a list of the people for which you want to get presents!
Spend Smart!
It can help to predetermine how much in total you want to spend this Christmas. Capping your expenses is a great idea, otherwise you might be tempted to pull money from other budgeting categories – a huge no-no! If you’re married, work on this with your spouse – you might find that you have differing ideas about how much to spend!
Now you can grab that list of people you want to get gifts for and decide how much you’d like to spend on each. Here are some frugal tips to keep the bills down:
- Pay for things with cash if you think you’re likely to overspend. Cash is finite, and a constant visual reminder that you only have a certain amount of money!
- Shop online with eBillme for Christmas 2010! You’ll find all kinds of great deals on everything from gifts for friends and family to Christmas decorations!
- Host a Christmas party and give white elephant gifts. You’ll save so much money by not having to get gifts for everyone!
- Give baked goods! If you’re a great cook, why not put some of those skills to use and bake some inexpensive holiday treats? Everyone loves food, and will love you for gifting delectable treats.
Don’t be afraid to let friends and family know what your spending intentions are this holiday season. Remember, you have to take care of your own household first before you can justify giving to others.
Earn Extra Spending Cash!
If you haven’t saved up for the holidays, perhaps an extra part time job will help! There are so many things you could do, from cutting grass to babysitting. Try to think outside the box. What simple things can you do to make some extra money?
Sometimes just a few side jobs will help you find that extra cash flow you need around the holidays. The trick is to set aside the money you make and designate it as your gift and holiday fund. Don’t use up all that extra money on regular purchases.
Improve Your General Income
If you can’t come up with ways to improve your temporary income with side jobs, there are three things you can do to get your general income up. These aren’t rocket science, but they are important! Here they are below:
- Gain hope. You must be optimistic about the future. Without any kind of vision for the future, you’re likely to perish financially. Remember that there are so many opportunities out there as long as you know where to look!
- Read books. This is one of the most powerful ways to boost your income. You’ll also find a variety of tips to save this holiday season. Magazines are filled with tips to earn a bit more money and save in huge ways.
- Can you guess this one? There is one more way to raise your income that is perhaps the most powerful. Click here to find out what it is. Let’s see if you’re right!
At our house we get excited about the holidays. It’s so festive! I enjoy all the baked treats my wife makes, and the time we get to spend together with family. From our family to yours, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Recent Comments