The number one rule of good finances is making—and sticking to—a budget. Do this for Christmas and you’ll be set! To start, list out the different areas of your Christmas budget: gifts, decorations, baking, and anything else you always spend money on. List a realistic amount that you are able to spend on each area of your budget. Keep track of the money you spend on Christmas items and list it on your budget. When you hit the amount you budgeted for, you’re done! You can’t spend any more money without taking some from another area of your Christmas budget.
When you get to gifts, you have to break it down even further. Make a comprehensive list of everyone you need to buy gifts for. Look at the amount you have budgeted for gifts and give a dollar amount to each person on the list. That will keep you from spending more than you planned and it will keep you accountable for everything you buy for Christmas.
After Christmas, assess your budget and find any areas that you didn’t stick to it. If you overspent in one area, think about budgeting more for that area next Christmas. Once you’ve followed a budget for a few Christmases, it will be like second nature!
Here is a Christmas Budget Worksheet you might want to download.
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- View the whole 100 Days of Saving on Christmas here.
- Day 1, Shop Groupon and Other Deal Sites
- Day 2, Use FFD and Other Deal Blogs
- Day 3, Use Kohls Coupons for Freebies
- Day 4, Use Swagbucks
- Day 5, Save Your Change Throughout the Year
- Day 6, Recycle for Cash
- Day 7, Sell Old Items on Ebay or Craigslist
- Day 8, Have a Garage Sale
- Day 9, Create an Etsy Store
- Day 10, Eat at Home
- Day 11, Buy From the Thrift Store and Save the Difference
- Day 12, Shop at Garage Sales for New Items
- Day 13, Make Lunches to Take to Work
- Day 14,Turn Your Thermostat Up or Down
- Day 15, Shop the Dollar Store for Gifts
- Day 16, Bake or Make Gifts
- Day 17, Give Acts of Service
- Day 18, Start a Family Tradition of Volunteering
- Day 19, Stockpile Gifts Throughout the Year
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