It is that time again, days of insane shopping, never-ending Christmas music on all radio stations and immense credit card debt! Aw the Christmas holidays, you have to love them.
What if you could experience a better holiday this year?
How would it feel to experience New Years with no remorse for the money spent on gifts?
Christmas savings is possible and even very plausible if you will follow a few simple rules.
Budget
Everyone would love to hit the mall with an unlimited budget and purchase any and every gift possible. The reality is the only people who can do that are Warren Buffet, Bill Gates and a few others, but guess what? They do not even shop like this! Therefore, it is important that you set your Christmas savings budget before you even make a list of gifts and then stick to this budget as if your life depended upon it.
Small Children
Have you ever noticed that toddlers will spend more time with the boxes their gifts came in than with the gift itself? This should be a clue about what is important to a young child. Children of this age are not picky and they are not concerned about what the toddler next door got for Christmas, so get them something nice, but do not break the budget.
5-11
This age group is a little more conscious about the gifts they receive. That does not mean that you cannot enjoy Christmas savings on their gifts. If they have their hearts set on an IPod, you may be able to provide their gift wishes, but be smart about it. Look online for potential deals and watch the upcoming sales ads. Retailers are going to be offering serious deals this year in light of recent economic woes and you can benefit from them.
Teens
This is the one age group that can really break the bank, however you should keep in mind that they too could enjoy simple gifts. In fact, instead of showering them with expensive toys offer your time. Set up a special “date” night where your teen will have your undivided attention! Of course, also get them a nice gift or two also!
Adults
If you have a very large family, you can quickly spend hundreds of dollars before you even get to the adults on the list. One simple way to keep costs down and enjoy Christmas savings is to draw names among the adults.
Decoration
Some people spend hundreds of dollars every year on decorations, but if you are thinking about Christmas savings, there are several ways to decorate on a budget. Have an old-fashioned holiday where you decorate the tree with strings of popcorn and cranberries! You can also spend some quality time with young children creating stars, angels and other figures out of pipe cleaners! Your tree will look fantastic!
Food
Christmas comes with lots of gifts and huge dinners, which can cost you a fortune. This is a perfect time to test your bargain shopping skills. Watch for cheap sales on turkey and trimmings and then take advantage of any store that offers to meet or beat competition ads. Wal-Mart’s all across the country offer to honor competitor advertisements. You can also set up your dinner as a potluck, make a list of popular foods and your guests then ask each to bring a specific dish.
Christmas saving does not have to be difficult; all it requires is some rational thought and a little creativity. There are many places online where you can find great food, gift and decoration ideas to keep you in the black this holiday season.
Posts
0 Comments