Holiday spending can often cause arguing and discontent in a family and instead of being a wonderful time of the year, it is full of stress and strife. But it doesn’t need to be that way and with some careful planning, it can be a time of giving without breaking the budget. Buying things for the people who are important and loved will bring fulfillment and contentment and when the holiday is over, it will bring wonderful memories.
Careful planning is the key. It all starts with a budget. Some people put money away every month towards Christmas and use this nest egg when the season begins to buy all the presents. It is an easy way to do it and when someone sticks to the budget, they will be able to have plenty of money for all the things they had planned for. A budget is not always a lot of fun, but with some thought, meaningful gifts can be purchased and often they are better then something that was bought quickly without much thought.
Some people like to start shopping for the holidays on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, or Cyber Monday, the biggest online shopping holiday of the year. Others like to start shopping for the next holiday the day after Christmas. They make a list of everyone they need to buy for and as they see things on sale or discounted, they take advantage of it and put it away until the season begins. The trick is to not keep spending. If something is on sale and the price is great, then buy it and use it as the gift for the intended person. Just because there is left over money does not mean it is necessary to buy more. Stop after finding the right present and save the money for a rainy day.
It can be a good idea to have a couple of extra generic gifts sitting around the house for the unexpected. When the holiday arrives often there are last minute gift exchanges or someone who could use a special gift and having something on hand will not only keep the stress down, it will save money. No need to run to the store and purchase some full price item when a great gift is handy and ready to wrap.
Gift exchanges are fun and often a good way to save money and reduce stress. Encourage loved ones and family members to think about doing an old fashion gift exchange instead of buying for each loved one on the list. It is easy and most people are just as happy with one gift instead of several things. Many families are using this system and they all agree it is a great way to give something to the people who are loved and yet not spend a lot of money.
Spending money is not the only way to let someone know they are loved and thought about. If money is an issue as it is for many people, it is possible to try different types of ways saying I love you and care about you. Cards, notes, and pictures can be used as personal ways of communicating sentiment. No one should ever stress over gifts and holidays. Think outside the box and make it a pure time of joy and family without the stress of worrying about gifts. It is a better way to live and makes a lot of sense.