It’s a little less than a month till Christmas…. I cannot believe how fast the year is going!
While I would love to say I implemented my Christmas budgeting system back in the summer or even right after last Christmas…. I think we all know that did not happen!
So, what’s a girl to do when there are parties to host, decorations to put up and presents to buy, all at the last minute?
Party/Dinner Tips
There’s Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years, and –ahem- birthdays all going on right now. Not to mention all the little get togethers that inevitably pop up on the fly. How do you make it through the season without going broke?
Find sales on holiday meals
This time of the year is great for finding sales on turkeys and ham (hello, free turkey with purchase!) You just have to check the sales to find what works for you.
Host potlucks
Maybe you can’t afford a four-course Thanksgiving dinner for 10. That’s ok! Most people find just spending time with friends and family is what’s important, not what is served for dinner! If you’re the host, cook up that free turkey you scored and ask everyone who’s coming to bring their favorite side, drink or dessert and you’ll be all set!
Buy drinks in bulk
Most grocers these days will give you a discount (10% is pretty standard) when you buy 6 bottles of wine at once. So instead of buying for each occasion separately, just get enough to cover all your seasonal events at once! You can still buy budget priced wine; there’s no minimum purchase required.
Decorations
How do you save on all the little things that make your home feel all cozy and warm this time of year?
Shop the dollar section
You can go to the dollar section of stores or even dollar-only stores to find a ton of door hangings, knick-knacks, and table decor for cheap. Just try to only buy what you need. Even items purchased a dollar at a time add up!
Check out yard sales/Craigslist
Christmas trees and lights are always up for grabs at yard sales and online. People want new ones or don’t want to try and untangle to lights and will practically give these items away! You just have to know where to look!
Make your own
One of my favorite things to do while I wait for the turkey to cook is to grab some pinecones that I’ve found on walks, etc. and decorate them with glitter or spray paint. They can fill bowls or be hung from the tree as ornaments. I’ve seen a bunch of other cute things on Pinterest, too that I’m dying to try out this year!
Saving on Gifts
No matter how much every year I say I’m not going to go crazy on gifts, I find that I almost always inevitably overspend when I find that “perfect” thing for each person! How can you say “no” to PERFECT???
I am determined to make this the year that I define perfect differently and stick to my budget. If I buy something, then find something better, I will return the first gift if it can’t be switched to a different person.
I’m also going to work on thinking ahead and not just browsing. I try to make a mental list of things that my person has said they need or want, oohed over at the store, complained about not having, etc. That way, I have a strong idea about what I’m looking for before I start looking.
Then there are the sales. There are so many “early Black Friday” sales right now, it’s been pretty easy to find what I want on sale. If it’s not on sale now, I save it to my cart and will check again in the next round of sales.
Here’s a list of sales going on this year:
So how are you going to save and make this year the year you FINALLY stay in your budget??? Let me know in the comments!
