Tips For Sticking to Your Holiday Budget

It seems there are two kinds of people at the Christmas. The ones that start early and those that wait until the last day. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Early starters often buy more. They finish early then just keep on shopping. Late starters often pay more finding that all the best sales were last week and now it's 3 days before Christmas and the only store that has the special item is a high end department store for 3 times more than you expected to spend.

No matter which kind of shopper you are, Here's a few ideas I've found over the years that have helped me stay on task.

1- Make a list. Start by deciding how much you're going to spend this season. Then set a monetary limit for each person on the list. You may even want to keep the amount allotted for each person in a separate envelope with that persons name on it. Don't forget to leave room for neighborly gifts, co-worker gifts and the tips and gifts you may give to the people that service you year round like your paper boy, letter carrier and hairdresser etc. These kinds of items add up and if you haven't made room for them you can get way off budget.

2- Get your kids in on the action. If you have kids old enough they should make a list too. Help them with a budget and make them stick to it. You'll be teaching them lifelong lessons on spending and saving. Making them stay on budget, means you have to set the example and do the same.

3- Coupons, coupons, coupons! Start collecting them now or last month even, match them to people on your list. Try to use at least one coupon for each person. It could be a paper coupon or a coupon code that you used online. The savings will be dramatic. Remember the trick here? Don’t be tempted to buy more just because you saved money.

4- Comparison shopping is key. Do comparison shopping both online (I like to use Amazon as a guide) and via sale ads and even mail order catalogs. This is easier to do if you already have a “Santa” list to go from. Start comparing prices now so when the best deal comes along you'll know it when you see it.
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5- Don't over fill the sock. It sounds silly, but I can't tell you how many times there have been 2 or 3 gifts that were meant for stocking stuffers that ended up dangling off the toe or sitting next to the sock. Add up those extra silly stocking stuffers and it could be as much as $10.00 to even $30.00 or more. Multiply that by the number of stockings….Ouch. I wrap my stocking stuffers when I bring them home then put them in a separate small grocery sack for each person. When the stocking is full. I stop.
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6- Don't grab every deal. The competing nature of companies right now, there are going to be tons of great buys this year. And with so many deal blogs like this one out there it's easy to get more than you budget for. Keep in mind a good deal, isn't a good deal at all if it's money you wouldn't have normally spent and sends you over budget and reaching for your credit card.
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7- Homemade gifts! They are often the most treasured. Recruit your kids to help you here and you'll be making great holiday memories as well. If you and you kids are making a gift for a loved one like Grandma and Grandpa, take pictures while you making the gift and put it in a cute frame or in the card, to go with that special home made gift. It will be treasured for a lifetime.
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8- Last but not least. Set goals for yourself. Write them down so they become real. Then stick to them.

a. I will have the house decorated by December 1.
b. I will have my Christmas cards in the mail by December 10
c. I will have my neighborly gifts done by…. and so on.

Making lists and setting goals for yourself this holiday will save you time and stress and allow you to enjoy the season they way it was meant to be. The holidays are a time to enjoy family and friends.
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Happy Holidays!