The holiday season is a favorite time of year for a lot of people. The lights, the decorations, the food, and family gatherings. It’s a great time, but underneath every smiling face and ugly Christmas sweater is a lot of stress. The pressure to get it right and keep up with chaotic schedules can be too much.
According to a survey, 31% of the country describes the Christmas season as ‘frantic’. 41% say they work way too hard to create a ‘perfect Christmas’. A survey conducted by NBC News found that 45% of Americans would rather skip the season altogether. There’s a lot of social and financial pressure that comes with the holiday season.
In total, around 47% of people feel a sense of ‘dread’ when they think about the amount of money they might spend. And if you’ve been spending any time with us, you know budgets are short. Millennials are especially in a tight spot when it comes to Christmas celebrations.
http://financialhelpers.com/3-simple-ways-to-improve-the-value-of-your-home/
A lot of people often spend way more than they can afford on Christmas. They’re not afraid to take out loans and max out credit cards. Rather than wrecking your brain with holiday stress, there are several ways you can relax. You can survive Christmas if you plan it outright. Let’s look at 10 ways you can save money:
1) Create a Spending Limit
Listen, you know what you can afford and what you can’t. I know, you have a lot of family and friends to buy gifts for. But there’s no reason to go into debt or to destroy your budget. The way around that is to actually look at your budget and designate exactly how much you can spend. And don’t a penny more!
2) Create a List and Check It Twice
After you’ve decided how much money you’re going to spend, create a list. Write down all the loved ones, friends, co-workers, and anyone else. Then, budget out your money. Decide who gets what amount. It’s also important to keep in mind that maybe not everyone gets a Christmas gift this year. They’ll completely understand if you’ve had a rough year.
3) Use Cash
Another trick to prevent you from overspending is to use cash only. Once you’ve decided your budget, pull that amount out of your account. Once the cash is gone, that’s it. So is your Christmas budget. Put away the credit cards and save yourself the hassle and stress that will come the following month.
4) Buy Christmas Gifts Early
One downfall about everyone buying gifts online is the time it takes for those items to ship. Are you afraid you might not get something on time? That can force a person to pay extra to expedite the item. Save money by buying early!
5) Go About Christmas Differently
If you don’t have the money for a bunch of expensive gifts, that’s fine! Maybe you have some money to bake a bunch of Christmas cookies and hand those out instead. Hey, they’ve always said the way to a person’s heart is through their stomach. Consider making a special Christmas breakfast. It’s the thought that counts!
6) Teach Different Christmas Traditions
Kids really get spoiled throughout the year. Most of the toys they want will become theirs. We spoil them on their birthdays as well. Make the holidays about something else. Sure, you can still get them presents, but in a month, they’ll forget all about them. Why not do a cheap Christmas and do something else instead? Find a way to serve the community. Teach the importance of giving!
