Christmas always seem to creep up so slowly doesn’t it? And then before you know it it’s here and everyone is panicking because they’ve left everything too late. Honestly it seems like people enjoy the frantic rushing around last minute. Luckily with these financial tips you might be able to make Christmas a little less stressful (and save yourself some dosh in the process!)
Start Putting Money Away Now
We’re already into November so if you haven’t started saving up yet then you better get started! Think about the amount you would normally spend around the holidays. Then take a specified amount of money each week from your pay check to put in a cash envelope or bank account. Don’t panic if you’ve not started doing this yet, it’s not too late! And you can start a new habit which will take you through 2017.
Limit the amount of Christmas cards you send
You have to be a tight-arse about this one. If send a Christmas card to every single person you’re even a little bit friendly with, you could end up sending God knows how many. Have you really got the time and money to be sending everyone a Christmas card? Relatives, close friends, neighbours etc are all fine but nobody is going to be that bothered if they don’t receive one. Either keep your list to a select few, or figure out another, more affordable option.
You could even be super frugal about it and use a program such as Mailchimp to create your own card design and just send it out as an email. This works especially well for wishing everyone in your office a Merry Christmas.
Start making homemade gifts
Homemade gifts are a great way to save money, and still give a family member or friend something really special.
A fancy package full of homemade gourmet food tied with a ribbon, won’t cost more than a few pounds and they’re so well-received as they are a lot more thoughtful than just ordering something online. Check out these 101+ ideas for homemade gifts
Make a list of items for next year
When you are wrapping gifts, cooking Christmas dinner, or decorating the tree, make note of what you have, what you use, and what you’re going to need for next year.
Just because wrapping paper and boxes of ornaments are 70% off after Christmas, doesn’t mean you need to add to your stash. Look at what you will actually use, and buy items based on needs, not finds.
Start Now
Start shopping now instead of waiting until the last minute. If you have your projected spending budgeted, there is no reason to wait until a better sale comes along (unless you know one is coming for sure). Being stressed around the holidays is the exact opposite of what you want! If you use your holiday budget and plan ahead, buying gifts should be a joy.