roonee As the festive season fast approaches, so does the pressure to buy wonderful gifts for the whole family, and make sure that Christmas is perfect. This can seem like a really daunting task for many of us, especially those of us who have kids, but luckily there are a few ways to make the planning and preparation for the festive period much more manageable!
- Don’t set unrealistic expectations!
One of the most important things, is not to set unrealistic expectations for yourself! Don’t plan an extravagant festive season that is well beyond your means. Remember, while Christmas is a wonderful time of year, it is only a small part of the calendar year and there are plenty of other things to celebrate at other times of the year that you’ll want to leave a little budget for too.
While there is always a lot of pressure to give gifts, consider whittling down your giving list to just your very nearest and dearest. Additionally, think carefully about the things you plan on gifting – do you need to give extravagant, expensive gifts, or would your recipient prefer something heartfelt and personal that costs just a fraction.
- Budget
One of the major keys to success for many families, is the ability to budget. Budgeting in the months leading up to Christmas can be an amazing tool that frees up some money to spend on having a really wonderful festive season!
Start thinking about the things you want to buy several months in advance, and work out how much they are going to cost – breaking it down into categories can also help keep tabs on exactly where you’re planning on spending your money!
Set a monthly goal with a certain amount of money that you want to put towards Christmas, and do your very best to stick to it. Some families make small concessions in other areas to pay for some of their family festivities. If, come December, you find yourself a little short on budget then it is good to know that taking out a cash advance solution to make up the difference is an option – just make sure you have a financial plan to pay it back as soon as you can to avoid debts.
- Change it up
Finally, a great way of making your money stretch a bit further during the festive period is by switching up the way you celebrate. Instead of staying at home with lots of gifts, could you perhaps go away for a couple of days for a festive holiday and spend time with each other rather than giving gifts? While a holiday doesn’t seem like an obvious way of saving money, it can be a penny saver compared to having to decorate your home, buy gifts, provide food for the whole family, and spend money on all the other hidden costs associated with Christmas!
There are countless other ways of changing up the way you celebrate, so if you find yourself on a budget, have a think and get creative!
*this is a sponsored post – all thoughts and opinions are my own
