10 Tips for Saving Money at Christmas

The busiest time of the year is coming up fast; you might as well be prepared on how to save money. It’s easy to get ambitious and spend more than you can afford on family and friends. If you have a plan ahead of time, you will be much more prepared and far less likely to go broke.Here are 10 money saving tips for you to use this holiday season.

Have A List, Check It Twice.

You can make sure you know who you’re spending on and what gifts you can prioritize. You also will be less likely to forget people and things won’t be nearly as intimidating once you have it written down.

Budget budget budget!

One of the biggest stresses of the season is worrying about how much you are going to be spending on people. You can help mitigate this, and worry less, by knowing how much you can spend. Once you have set a budget you’ll know what you’ve spent and when to stop spending.

Be Sure To Prioritize.

Sure, you probably don’t want to have to rank your loved ones in order of how much you’re willing to spend, but with so much going on they’ll understand. Especially when it comes to your immediate family compared to your extended family, or friends, etc.

Do Your Research.

Know how much everything will cost you and where you can find it at the best price before the season starts. You might find places with better prices than you had thought. You’ll also have a better understanding of travel times so you can map out routes. This way you can stop at everything in order, rather than running around in circles.

Be Efficient.

If you can avoid having to go to small specialty stores, do it. This way you can hit a big supercenter and buy everything you need at once. If you’re prepared for the season, you can beat the rush and get in and out before it gets crowded.

No Impulse Buys!

You’ve made a budget, now stick to it! If you think you see something that someone might like, look at your budget, does it fit? Is this person missing a gift? If you answered no to either of these questions, don’t buy it.

Post-Holiday Sales.

You’ve just been running around like crazy spending money, and you don’t want to spend any more. However, post-holiday sales are happening and they come with huge drops in prices. If you have family far away, you can hit the sales and blame the lateness of the arrival on the mailing company.

Watch Traffic Reports.

A lot of people are going to be driving around out there during the season, and the weather is going to be constantly changing. Do your best to avoid getting stuck in a jam by constantly monitoring the news. You want to get to each store quickly, but safely as well.

DIY Christmas.

Sometimes things are better made than bought. A “Do-It-Yourself” gift could mean more to your loved ones than buying them a gift from a store. If it’s something that you can make, and it’s easier for you anyways, why not do it?

Monitor Your Health.

Even though it’s last on the list, it’s definitely not the least important. You’re going to be on the road a lot, so eating out is always tempting. Try to continue to cook all your meals, and eat in. Make sure you’re rested and alert whenever you’re out and about so you don’t have to worry about medical bills piling up along with everything else!With these 10 awesome tips, you should easily be able to budget for everything you plan on doing this season! Who knows, you might even be able to save some money too this time around. Happy Holidays!