It is hard to believe that it is the beginning of October as the days become shorter and the air becomes crisper each day. As the summer quickly turns to fall, I start thinking ahead to the holidays. Christmas is one of the most amazing times of the year for my family. There are beautiful decorations, great food and wonderful opportunities to enjoy time with friends and family.
With the changing economic climate many people are reevaluating how they are going to handle the upcoming holiday season. It is not too late to plan your low stress holiday season by following a few easy tips.
- You can create a Christmas fund with the money you save using coupons. You can learn more about how to save money by using coupons HERE.
- You can often earn $60 or more of extra money through completing surveys. Learn more about my favorite survey companies HERE.
- You can by earning Swagbucks. learn more about Swagbucks HERE.
- Save your rebate funds for holiday shopping. There are some great rebate programs like the Rite Aid single check rebate, Shopko rebates and recently the Kraft food rebate program. If you love free items, then rebates are a great way to save money. If you want to avoid pitfalls of rebates, see these tips. If you are a seasoned pro at maximizing rebates, then one way to spend your rebate funds is on the holidays. Be sure to cash the rebate checks as soon as you receive them to be sure that they they are cashed before the expiration date. You can then place the rebate money in an envelope or deposit t into a special saving account or Christmas club account.
- Many credit cards offer rewards programs. One way to fund some of your holiday fun is to redeem your points for gift card for stores where you plan to do holiday shopping. You may find you have more rewards than you expected.
- Many stores have brought back layaway and Christmas Clubs. Christmas clubs are offered through some credit unions and banks, but also through stores directly. Basically the Christmas clubs are saving plans where you can set aside a specific amount of money for the holiday season. This is a great way to avoid the after Christmas credit card surprises. This year Kmart and Sears have brought back their Christmas clubs and they will offer a 3% bonus to any funds added by a certain date. Thanks pinching your pennies for the great info.
- Another way to budget your money is to use layaway plans. Layaway allows you to set the items aside at the store, then make payments until the items are paid in full.
- Some years I am better than others at collecting gifts throughout the year. Often when I see an item that is a great fit for someone I will pick it up and store it in my gift closet. This spreads the expense of holiday shopping throughout the year. I also buy holiday decorations, gift wrap and gift items right after Christmas to lock in 75% to 90% savings over regular prices.
- One way to simplify the holiday season is to agree upon some gift guidelines in advance. Some families are choosing to make gifts for each other to exchange rather than buying gifts. This inspires creativity and is a great way to enjoy the holiday season.
- Another option is to limit the value or number of gifts purchased.
- Utilize the decorations and food items that you already have in storage.
- Organize your holiday items early so you do not buy duplicate items. Set realistic limits
- It is easy to get wrapped up in the spirit of the holidays only to be surprised by your credit card statements after Christmas. Set a budget for the holidays and try to stick to it.
Posts
Comments (0)
Post a Comment