The holiday season is a very special time of year, and it’s rapidly approaching. It’s a time when we can get together with friends and family and enjoy one another by celebrating and indulging in beloved traditions.
But the holiday season is also a very expensive time of year. Fortunately, you can avoid the shock of end-of-year spending by creating a holiday budget.
4 Tips for Holiday Shopping on a Budget
Look at Last Year
The best place to start when making a budget for this year’s holiday season is by taking a look at how much money you spent during last year’s holiday season. If you don’t have a budget or receipts from last year, then don’t worry. It’s still possible to formulate an educated guess.
Write a list of the gifts you gave and their costs. If you can’t remember their cost, then you’ll still probably be able to look up the prices of many of the gifts you gave.
Calculate Any New Costs
Once you have a pretty good idea of how much money you spent during the holidays last year, it’s time to take a look at this year’s events and activities. Discovering these added costs are easy if you ask yourself the following questions:
- Is there someone I’ll need to buy a present for this year that I didn’t last year?
- Am I hosting or co-hosting a party or event that I didn’t last year?
- Will I be traveling to places that I didn’t visit last year?
If you answer yes to any of the above questions, then take a moment to calculate these costs. It’s important to get a realistic idea of any additional funds you may be required to spend this year.
Assess the Budget You’ve Created
Now that you’ve added together last year’s costs with this year’s estimated additional costs, it’s time to take a moment and ask yourself if this budget is realistic. If the answer is yes, then great. You now have a plan you can work from.
If the answer is no, then that’s okay too. It just means you’ll need to readjust a few things. It’s an opportunity to get creative and think up some homemade gifts you can give to loved ones. You might wind up thinking of something more thoughtful and special than anything you find in a store.
Start Saving Today
The most common mistake made when planning for holiday spending is failing to start saving early enough. When it comes to holiday saving, there is no time like the present. Whether you start stuffing money in a coffee can or open a special checking account just for the holiday season, the only important thing is that you’re actually saving.
Utilize a Payday Loan
Is there a present you’ve been meaning to buy? Is it on special discount? Then purchase it before the sale is gone!
If the sale is going to be over before your next paycheck, then you may want to taking out a payday loan so you can take advantage of the sale. These loans are quick to obtain and don’t require any sort of credit check. Contact Cash Fast today and learn more about how a cash advance can help you with your holiday budget. We have locations in Fort Mill and Clover, South Carolina, an easy drive from anywhere in the Charlotte area. Come see us today.