Tips for Getting Ready for Christmas
It may seem early, after all there’s still quite a few months left before Christmas, but the truth is many of us leave Christmas shopping until the very last few days before Christmas. Not only does this add a lot of stress, dealing with crowded malls and busy shops, but it also adds a lot of financial pressure. As such, I’ve made a list of things you can do in advance to get ready for Christmas.
1. Have a Plan
With a plan you’ll be able to choose about when you should start shopping for each person. You can make a list of all the people you would like to buy gifts for, what you’d like to buy them, and an estimation of how much their gifts will cost. I suggest doing this around July or August of every year, as that way it’s unlikely the kids will change their minds too much by Christmas. Having a clear plan of what you want to buy and for whom will allow you to adjust your budget properly to be best prepared. However if you forget to do this step and find yourself with no money right before Christmas, no credit check payday loans – Swiftmoney could be the answer for you. We all know it’s the thought that counts, but who doesn’t love to spoil their loved ones at Christmas?
2. Think About Food
Will you be hosting the Christmas lunch or dinner this year? If so, how many people will you need to feed and how much will this cost? To minimise the financial strain on Christmas, I prefer to buy the meat around a month in advance as things such as the Christmas leg of ham can end up costing a lot more than we planned. In addition you can also buy any alcohol and drinks you would like in advance as well to minimise the actual cost the week of Christmas.
3. Think of Others
For many of us, Christmas is a very special time, however for many people it is a time of loneliness and heartache. If you know of someone who has no family to pass Christmas with, consider inviting them over to your family’s Christmas. Likewise if you know of a friend or a family member who recently lost a loved one, perhaps send them a card or something to let them know you’re thinking of them. As a child my family would always give a present to a family less fortunate than us and it was a really special family tradition. Take a little time to think about how you can brighten someone’s Christmas.
Below is an infographic all about people’s#OccasionalSpending, check it out for more information how people spend for the different holidays:
