Health
Go easy on the budget and enjoy the season even more
Christmas is a challenging time of year when it comes to your finances. If you don't plan ahead and get organised, it's very easy to blow your budget – that's if you even have one! With a little bit of thought, however, you can ensure your money goes further and avoid the post-Christmas financial blues.
Celebrate with ease
Get creative for your Christmas parties. Some ideas are:
Make do with last year’s decorations or swap with friends.
Create a menu plan in advance so you know how much you need to spend on groceries.
Have a pot-luck dinner instead of an elaborate feast that requires you do all the work (and grocery shopping).
Keep an eye out for sales and buy the non-perishables in advance.
Gifts galore
The fewer people you have to buy for, the less you need to spend. Some people only shop for close family and friends. Others put together presents for coworkers, the cleaner, the dog walker, hairdresser, plumber, poker buddies, kid’s teacher and more. Decide on what you are comfortable with and what works with the funds you have available. Some ideas are:
Trim your gift list, then only buy for who is on your list.
Agree to exchange cards instead of gifts with friends.
Persuade your extended family to draw names from a hat, then you will each only need to buy one gift rather than a pressie for everyone.
Only give presents to the children.
Buy gifts through the year and keep an eye out for sales, but make sure you are only buying for people on your list.
Check your credit card or other loyalty programmes to see what you can buy using your points.
Scope out your job perks – does your company have any deals that you can utilise at Christmas?
Look for two-for-one deals – are there any that would be ideal for gifts, such as buying one magazine subscription and getting another one free?
Give the gift of photos. If you have doting grandparents on your list, make photo albums with pictures of your kids.
Re-gift – carefully, of course! How many of us have bought things we’ve never used? Maybe you have something in storage that will make a great gift for someone? The item has to be in perfect shape and ideally it has to be more suitable for who you are giving it to than it was for you.
Get online and see what bargains you can find. This will save you money on petrol and potentially time.
Show your culinary skills. People love homemade baking, preserves, fudge and jams.
Consider giving the gift of service – cleaning, babysitting, lawn mowing or general handymandyman jobs. While this will take up some of your time,ime,me, it’s a very thoughtful present that doesn’t cost you money.
A relaxing break
Spending time with loved ones is what Christmas is all about. You don’t have to indulge in an expensive break away that blows the budget. With a little thought, you should be able to match your holiday plans to your budget. Some ideas are:
Have a stay-cation and holiday in your hometown. House-swap with a friend. Google free events and activities in your area.
Look for activities that don’t cost a lot, such as walks and picnics at the beach.