I know this year is probably going to be a little tight for many people. It certainly will be for me. So, with that said, I remind myself of how I saved way back when I was in my mid-twenties and a single mom. Here is the simple answer: Start early. 364 days early – and plan to be frugal for Next Year’s Holidays.
Make purchases this year for next year. You can get great deals on gift wrap, holiday cards, decorations and even gifts this year. No not today, but on the 26th. It may pinch a little this year if you haven’t budgeted for this expense, but it’ll help you so very much next year you’ll be thrilled you did it.
How to pay for it? Skip that special/national brand coffee house for three weeks and you can save $75 right there if you’re buying one every work day of the week! $25 a week easy!
The day after Christmas the stores have HUGE sales. And by huge I mean HUGE! Better than “Black Friday” after Thanksgiving! I use to go to Hallmark and scoop up their wonderful wrapping paper at 75% off. Same with their labels and holiday cards. Then next year, I’m all set and at a fraction of the price.
Just like the stores have piles of candy for sale the day after Halloween, they’ll have piles of decorations on sale the day after Christmas.
Those awesome lights that were $20 a strand last week? Now they’re on sale for $5 to $10!!
And don’t buy just the exact amount you need to put up around your roof line. Buy two to four extra boxes if you love them. Trust me. Two years from now you’ll need replacement parts and those fancy lights won’t be anywhere to be found in stores because the newest fancy schmancy lights are now on the shelves.
Go find neat and less expensive decorations at your big box hardware stores. Lowes, Home Depot and others have lots of great decorations and are often overlooked when we want to buy holiday decorations. Go there to buy special timers along with your tree ornaments! They have it all and often for less. Especially in the days following Christmas Day.
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I found a helpful article (a reminder to use all year) so that you will be prepared to give all year… but within your budget:
Make a list, plan it out and set a budget. Then get out and buy wisely so you are all set for next year. If you have a plan and a list you’ll be less likely to overspend.
So, you dread the thought of having to buy gifts for Christmas. Friend or family member has a birthday or anniversary coming up, and you still dont have a gift? Well, weve all been there and done that. None of us want to do it again. Yet we always seem to be in the same sorry spot each year.
As Mark Twain said:Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow. That may be great advice for yard work, but it is terrible advice for gift giving. Waiting too late to buy gifts can cause several problems, including stress, choosing less than stellar gifts and experiencing holiday shopping misery. Le look at several ways to avoid those problems.
1: Start thinking of gift giving as a regular part of your day-to-day life. Dont think of it as a rare, necessary evil. You need to adopt a new mindset: one that tells you that any day could be a great day to find that perfect gift for family or friend. Once you get in that frame of mind, there are several things you should do to make gift giving fun for you and great for the recipient:
2: Make a list of the people you exchange gifts with and a calendar of the dates you expect to give them gifts. When you receive an invitation to a wedding or party, mark that date on your gift calendar. This will help you get organized, which is usually the first step in any worthwhile endeavor.
3: Keep that list in a handy, convenient place in your home or carry it with you. That way you can easily access it when you need it.
4: Have an idea? I funny how youll get one right after holidays, birthdays or other gift-giving occasions. Of course, by this time you have spent quite a bit of time thinking about your gift(s). When you have an idea, write it down on the handy list mentioned above, so youll be one step ahead of the game next year!
5: Listen year-round for that friend or family member to say or do something that tips you off to the perfect gift! When you pick up on it, youll have a place to write it down. This will help you buy that just-right gift and prevent gift panic, or worse, the dreaded Christmas rush.
6: Buy the great gift you just wrote down! There is absolutely no reason to wait to buy a gift for any occasion if you have an inspirational (or just good) idea, unless you think it may later go on sale. Otherwise, buy that gift as soon as you can! To make gift buying even easier, buy your gifts online and have them shipped to you. In many cases you can even have them wrapped for you by the merchant.
7: Buy a generous gift WITHIN YOUR BUDGET! Two things you want to avoid, in decreasing order of importance: being seen as a cheapskate (or worse, having no gift); or going overboard on a gift, which usually means spending more than you can afford and probably making the recipient uncomfortable. I also easy to spend too much on someone (like your spouse or kids) and then find that you have little or nothing for other important people in your life (like your parents, siblings or friends). So set a budget for your gift buying and stick with it.
8: Once youve purchased your gift(s), you need to have a place to put it (or them). So, make room in your house, apartment, condo or whatever, and create a gift closet. Keep it stocked with the great gifts that you wrote down on your handy gift list and then purchased (within your budget).
Presto! You will suddenly rise to the occasion with a great gift, or an armful of great gifts, and you and your recipient(s) will be much happier for it.
œYesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. And today? Today is a gift. That’s why we call it the present. ~ Babatunde Olatunji
Did you find this article useful? For more useful tips and hints, points to ponder and keep in mind, techniques, and insights pertaining to Christmas, celebrations, recipes and gifts , do please browse for more information at our websites. www.infozabout.com www.Christmas.infozabout.com
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