Avoid
the Christmas Budgeting Blues!
Are
you just now getting your Christmas bills
paid off, from last December? Try this shopping
tip instead and ease those gift purchases
into your budget painlessly!
If
you're like most people, it probably takes
you several months to get your bills paid
off after the joyous Christmas season. Try
this shopping tip instead and ease those
gift purchases into your budget painlessly...
don't wait until December to do your Christmas
shopping, collect those special gifts all
during the year!
"You've
finished Christmas shopping, in October!"
Well yes, I'm proud to say, I did that last
year for the first time in my life. It wasn't
easy, but the shocked look on people's faces
when I told them I'd finished my Christmas
shopping so early made it even more glorious.
Especially, when I'm usually the one being
shocked by someone else bragging about his
or her own such accomplishment. Maybe that's
why I did it; I just wanted to see if I
could. It's not like I have a small shopping
list either, we have a large extended family,
and add to that, my own 4 children.
You're
probably wondering how I got it all done
so early, or maybe you've already decided
I'm one of those crazy, completely over-organized
women who get everything done ahead of schedule.
Well let me assure you, that is not the
case, at least not the crazy part.
I
had a great reason for getting my shopping
finished early, besides just seeing if I
could do it. I wanted to be able to enjoy
the holidays with my family just a little
bit more. Three of our children are in school
now, and we're busier than ever. The holidays
tend to be so stressful for me, preparing
for company or taking a trip to see relatives.
The school programs, church programs, picking
out Christmas cards (which can take me several
shopping trips just to find the right ones),
hand addressing the cards (I try to send
them out 2 weeks early), trying to put together
a family newsletter and photos of the kids
(to enclose inside the cards), planning
menus and grocery lists, office parties,
school parties, etc… I'm getting exhausted
just thinking about all of it.
With
all the preparations for Christmas, not
to mention Thanksgiving just 4 ½
weeks prior to that, how in the world do
we manage to choose wonderful, meaningful,
gifts for our loved ones? Maybe this is
only a problem for me, being a busy mom
of 4, but I think most people can still
benefit from my plan. It's never too late
to get started, but I do recommend starting
in January if you can. As the months go
by, keep a list of who you've found that
perfect gift for and who's is still yet
to be found.
This
is especially great for people who love
to shop anyway, but really don't have the
extra money to buy anything. Because shopping
for those special Christmas presents doesn't
count, you can actually save money by purchasing
your gifts early. You can often find these
wonderful gifts on sale, and I highly recommend
doing so. For a true frugal shopper, nothing
is worse than paying full price for something,
only to see it go on sale a month later.
I try my best to avoid this spending nightmare,
and for the most part, I do pretty well.
Sometimes,
once I decide what the perfect gift for
someone is, I will postpone the purchase
if I suspect a future sale. However, there
are those "hopefully perfect"
gifts that are not on sale, and may never
go on sale. As well as those *one of a kind*
items, that if you pass up for another day,
might be gone forever. Sometimes you just
have to go ahead and make that purchase,
if it's within your budget for the month.
And this brings to light another reason
for shopping so early... by purchasing just
a few gifts at a time, we've paid for them
a little each month (interest free), instead
of all at once!
I
hope this shopping tip has been helpful,
though giving gifts is not what Christmas
is all about, it is a very special part
of our tradition. It's wonderful to give
those special gifts that you've put some
time and thought into. I wish you a wonderful
Christmas shopping season (all year long),
and may all your gifts be well received!
|
