Have over $2,000 by Christmas
Christmas is a time of joy and celebration, but it can also be a time of financial stress. To avoid the stress of holiday bills, it is important to start saving for Christmas well in advance. Here are some tips for saving for Christmas throughout the year:
1. Set a realistic budget: Before you start saving for Christmas, make sure you understand your financial situation and set a realistic budget for the holidays. Calculate what you can afford to spend on gifts, decorations, food, entertainment and other holiday activities.
I offer a free budgeting spreadsheet that will help you with this!
2. Start early: Start saving for Christmas as soon as possible. Even if you can only save a small amount each month, it will add up over the course of the year.
If you put aside $45 each week this year, you'll have $2,070 for Christmas shopping by Nov 15th to start your shopping.
If you save throughout the year, it won't destroy your Nov & Dec budget like it does for many of us.
I created a fun Christmas Savings Tracker that will help you stay on top of this!
3. Automate your savings: Automating your savings will help to ensure that you don’t forget to save each month. You can set up an automatic transfer from your checking account to your savings account each month.
4. Take advantage of sales: If you shop throughout the year, you can take advantage of sales and discounts. This will help you to get more bang for your buck and save money in the long run.
Amazon always has great sales throughout the year and saves you a trip to the store!
5. Put any extra money towards your Christmas fund: If you find yourself with extra money at the end of the month, put it towards your Christmas fund. Any extra money can add up quickly and help you to save more for the holidays.
By following these tips, you can save for Christmas throughout the year and avoid the financial stress and guilt shopping of the holidays.
