Advance planning and shopping can reduce stress when the holiday season starts.
Its summer the season for cookouts, gardening, going to the pool, and a time to begin setting aside money for the holidays. As with many things in life, preparing and planning before you begin makes things easier. It is no different when preparing financially for the holidays. The holidays are a time to gather with family and friends, and many times we find ourselves getting caught up in the excitement, and spending more than anticipated. Planning ahead can save you financial and emotional strain.
Budgeting for parties and gift giving in advance can help you control your money rather than the money or the season controlling you.
Gift giving
Begin creating a budget specifically for gifts by making a list of all of the people to whom you want to give a present. Assign a sum of money and slowly start saving by putting money in an envelope that says the name of that person.
Observe what your children and others like. Or ask them now, If someone gave you $30, what would you buy with it? By asking months ahead of time, the surprise effect could still work since the holidays are so far away. Shop throughout the year and take advantage of sales in stores or online.
One of the benefits of starting now is that you can create some of your gifts. Some gift suggestions:
For a child who likes to cook, gradually buy a cookbook with simple recipes and the dry ingredients for one recipe, put them in a mixing bowl and wrap it with cellophane;
For budding artists, gradually buy brushes, paint, and a canvas, and put them into a decorative bag;
A good gift for grandparents or a neighbor is for children to create coupons of volunteer time: shovel snow twice, wash the car three times, yard cleanup twice, or a plate of something you can cook twice are some examples;
If you or your kids like photography, grandparents often appreciate receiving framed photos;
Use a clear jar and put the mixture of dry ingredients of a soup recipe in a decorative way. Dont forget to include the recipe and any other necessary instructions.
Another idea to save money on gifts is to only purchase gifts for your children or partner and have a gift exchange with other family and friends. This way, price limits can be set for gifts and removes the stress of having to find the perfect gift for multiple people. When suggesting this to your family and friends now, explain that youre proposing exchanging names in July so everyone has time to shop or make gifts ahead of the holiday rush.
Remember that not all gifts have to be items. You can also give the gift of experiences. It may be a family pass to the zoo or movie tickets. Maybe it is a night of board games or looking at Christmas lights. It is an opportunity to enjoy doing something while spending time with family or friends.
Holiday food shopping
