It’s December, and Christmas is around the corner. It is also the time you start to realise there is a lot left unplanned; Christmas dinner is missing Grandma to star in it and all the hotels are booked too close to the main day, prices of flight tickets have skyrocketed, and you haven’t gotten gifts for all the family members.
Breathe, before it gets to this stage, these tips would help cut out some excess amount added on things during the jolly season.
- Plan for the Holiday
As random as this sounds, this is one foolproof way to secure your spending during the holidays. Having a plan mapped out means you know what activities are to be set up, key persons required for it, items needed, and so on.
Once you have all these penned out, it becomes easier to start out early. Accommodation crisis can be avoided and secured well ahead of time, and items needed can be bought before they reach their peak prices.
Trust me, last minute details cost a lot.
- Have a Budget
I know you want it fun and have the whole house lit up like a gingerbread house from a fairytale, and you might have a picture of the perfect holiday in your head that makes it really easy to overspend. Let’s not forget the new year comes with its own expenses.
The best way to keep a tight rein on your spending is to have a budget. With a careful plan drafted out, you can tag up the amount you intend to spend on each section to tally up with the specific budget you have in mind to spend for the holidays.
From there on, it is discipline. Resist the urge to buy that thing you are looking at because it is on sale for the holiday unless it is in the plan.
- Book Hotels before the Holidays
If you have family or friends coming over, or you have planned for a trip for the holidays and would need to stay in a hotel, book them well beforehand.
A lot of hotels know the holidays are peak periods and you run the risk of your preferred hotel being completely booked. Also close to the holidays there is a hike in price for the ones you find available and you will be too desperate to be picky.
Save yourself the trouble and book hotels way before the holiday season. This also gives you time to compare prices on various booking sites as well as take advantage of discounts that come your way.
- Group Spending
This works both ways as you can easily overspend or underspend; and here is how to stay on track.
If you have an activity planned with a group of friends, the first thing to do is bring them onboard your spending plan. Holiday outings are the best; you get to see new places or old places look brand new with the colour of the holiday spirit, and it can be pricey during the holidays.
Get your friends together and set a spending budget for your outing. The bigger the crowd, the more the fun, and discounts accessible. It is also an easy way to have a pinch of everyone’s meal and the only way is by ordering platters for the tables. That way you individually spend less.
- Secret Santa Gifting
If you have a big family or a lot of friends, holiday gifting is a nightmare. It means you have to buy gifts for everyone and that is pretty pricey.
The best way to save money on gifts this Christmas is going through the secret Santa approach. It not only makes it more fun, and keeps the anticipation levels on high, it also helps trim a ton in the pocket areas.
If you do decide to send out personal gifts, try the homemade kind of gift approach.
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