Holiday Spending Doesn"t Have to Be Stressful - Or Does It?
With the holiday season just around the corner, hopefully you've started thinking about how you are going to handle it financially.
But even when you plan, most people still end up spending more than they meant to.
This year, follow these tips to keep yourself from getting into these unfortunate situations.
1) Giving the perfect gift (to everyone)- Most people start out searching for the perfect gift for a select few people: immediate family, significant others, and a best friend or two.
But then you're at the store and you find something that is just perfect for one of your co-workers.
So then you have to get something for all of your co-workers.
Then your aunt gives you something you've been wanting all year, so you have to return the favor.
But then what about your other aunts, and uncles and cousins, and so on and so forth.
You get the idea.
This year, make list of all the people you are going to buy a gift for before you go shopping.
Then when you do go shopping, stick to it.
Deviating from it will only cause a leak in your wallet, which is exactly what we are trying to avoid.
2) Gifts that aren't good enough- You've just returned home from holiday shopping, and you're pretty satisfied with yourself.
You managed to get something for everyone on your list and you are ready to wrap and breathe a sigh of relief.
Until you lay everything out.
You may realize that you spent more money on one best friend than the other, or think maybe I should have just gotten a gift card, what if he or she doesn't like it? It's a little thing I call "wrap time regret".
Unfortunately, it often leads to one more last minute trip out to the mall.
Where you spend all the money you can stand, all over again.
What is the best way to avoid this? You guessed it, make a list.
Before you shop, have some idea of what you want to get each person, or at least how much you want to spend on them.
After shopping, stick to what you bought.
Thinking twice will only stress you out and make your holiday season more complicated than it should be.
Speaking of stress, keep it at a minimum by remembering to get enough sleep, don't eat too many sweets and try to relax this holiday season.
But even when you plan, most people still end up spending more than they meant to.
This year, follow these tips to keep yourself from getting into these unfortunate situations.
1) Giving the perfect gift (to everyone)- Most people start out searching for the perfect gift for a select few people: immediate family, significant others, and a best friend or two.
But then you're at the store and you find something that is just perfect for one of your co-workers.
So then you have to get something for all of your co-workers.
Then your aunt gives you something you've been wanting all year, so you have to return the favor.
But then what about your other aunts, and uncles and cousins, and so on and so forth.
You get the idea.
This year, make list of all the people you are going to buy a gift for before you go shopping.
Then when you do go shopping, stick to it.
Deviating from it will only cause a leak in your wallet, which is exactly what we are trying to avoid.
2) Gifts that aren't good enough- You've just returned home from holiday shopping, and you're pretty satisfied with yourself.
You managed to get something for everyone on your list and you are ready to wrap and breathe a sigh of relief.
Until you lay everything out.
You may realize that you spent more money on one best friend than the other, or think maybe I should have just gotten a gift card, what if he or she doesn't like it? It's a little thing I call "wrap time regret".
Unfortunately, it often leads to one more last minute trip out to the mall.
Where you spend all the money you can stand, all over again.
What is the best way to avoid this? You guessed it, make a list.
Before you shop, have some idea of what you want to get each person, or at least how much you want to spend on them.
After shopping, stick to what you bought.
Thinking twice will only stress you out and make your holiday season more complicated than it should be.
Speaking of stress, keep it at a minimum by remembering to get enough sleep, don't eat too many sweets and try to relax this holiday season.
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