The countdown to Christmas is definitely under way. With less than 7 weeks until the Jolly Old Man comes, it can be a stressful time mentally, physically and financially.
Christmas does not need to be stressful and with a few helpful tips we can help you to manage and save a bit of money over the festive season.
How often do you check your regular bills and the providers to see if you can get a better deal? Electricity, phone and internet to name a few are the ones that you can normally save a bit of money on if you speak to your current supplier and research the competition. Do your research and find out if you can get a better deal, if you can ring your current provider and see if they can match it or better it. Most of the time you will receive an incentive to stay and you can cut the cost of your bills down by a lot.
Have you ever calculated how much you are spending on take away lunches and take away coffees? It never seems like much until you add up a years worth. A few dollars each day doesn’t make a huge impact on your life however when it adds up to hundreds of dollars at the end of the year, that money could have been better spent in other ways.
Start packing yourself lunch and snacks for when you are out at work or venturing out for the day. Even if you start with a few days a week to get into the swing of it.
It doesn’t have to be packed sandwiches, be creative, do a bit of research and find some fun and exciting meals and snacks you can make at home and take with you.
Not only are you saving money but you also know exactly what is going into your lunches.
Spending money at Christmas is a given, there isn’t really anyway around it. But you MUST set a budget. Look at what you need to buy; gifts, meals, travel expenses. Work out who you need to buy for; family, friends.
Then set a budget on the most you want to spend on each person and event. Make sure you stick to your budget and do not go over it. It can be difficult with so many gift options available and the want to see children excited and overwhelmed with lots of presents but sticking to a budget over Christmas is your biggest money saver.
With shops and online stores doing so many sales through the year now, it is a great idea to plan ahead with your gifts. For those who you know aren’t going to have a drastic change in hobby or likes then planning ahead and buying their gifts through the year are a life saver. Running around the shops in the week before Christmas trying to buy all your presents is going to be expensive, stressful and potentially disappointing if you can not find the gift you originally wanted.
Plan ahead and have a goal.
A great way to save money over Christmas is to look into handmaking gifts, table decorations and displays. There are so many art and craft options available these days with a huge Christmas range in nearly every shop you visit. Handmade decorations are not only fun to make with family and kids but also give you a great sense of achievement and most of all – They will be a one of a kind!
Handmade gifts show the recipient the amount of time and effort you have put into them and their gift. Whether it be a decorated photo frame with a special photo in it, or a homemade set of bath scrubs and salts or even a cake in a jar set up – they will appreciate you and your gift for a very long time.
Christmas is definitely a time of indulging and many people (especially at Christmas lunch) over indulge. Cutting back on over indulging and the non-necessity luxuries will help with your budget and savings over Christmas. Before putting something into your trolley this holiday season, stop and ask yourself if you really need it.
Don’t spend money just for the sake of spending money and because you feel you *need* to.
Buy from small businesses that you know that your purchase will help with them enjoying their Christmas.
Most importantly over the Christmas period, ensure you spend time with your loved ones, have fun and make amazing memories for the future.
Christmas is about family and friends and enjoying your time together. Whether you spend $100 or a $1000 over Christmas should not matter when it comes to the happiness of you and your families.
From all of us, have a lovely, safe and festive Christmas