The next few months are full of holidays and celebrations. It can feel difficult to juggle your normal budget with enjoying the season. Here are some tips on how to properly prepare for those big spending months.
1) Start saving money now
The holidays aren’t called the most expensive time of the year for nothing. Make it easier on yourself by beginning to save your money now. Cutting back in October means November and December can reach their full potential.
2) Make a list of everyone who needs a gift
Create a comprehensive list of every person who you’re giving a gift to. Be thorough, and decide how many gifts they’ll receive, and of what quality those gifts will be. Older kids generally want fewer gifts, but those gifts are more expensive purchases. Some people are content with doing something together rather than a physical gift. Accounting for everyone shows you where to save, and where to spend.
3) Track your spending
It’s easy to get carried away in a store when you’re buying gifts. It’s even easier to use your saved credit card info to buy anything and everything without even getting out your wallet. Avoid this trap! Tracking your spending and using cash to purchase gifts will avoid any impulse buying and force you to be realistic about what you can buy.
4) Shop sales strategically
Black Friday may seem like the best day to do all your shopping, but many stores steadily raise their prices in the months before, to create the illusion of a better deal. Buying gifts on sale before the holiday months saves you both money, and your sanity by avoiding the blowout “sales”.
5) Plan your travel accordingly
If you travel for the holidays, it’s best to create your travel plans now, before holiday prices become the norm. Plane ticket and gas prices skyrocket during the holiday months, so buying tickets now and saving up gas money is a good idea.
For more money saving and budgeting tips, browse our CreditAssociates blog! If these tips aren’t enough for you, and you’re concerned about managing your debt, give our certified Debt Consultants a call. We can review with you your financial situation and see if our debt-relief program is right for you.
