Save money this Christmas and Say no to frivolous Christmas Spending

It's the most wonderful time of the year.... (hum hum hum hum ....). Yes beautiful people; the time has finally arrived! It's Christmas time again!!! And if you can't already tell, I absolutely love Christmas time!

The holiday season is filled with a lot of excitement. The lights, the cheer, the good tidings to all men. The songs, the charity and the spirit of good mirth and happiness. There are holiday parties, vacations, gifts, spending time with family & friends and a whole lot more that makes us want to jump for joy. *screams excitedly* IT'S CHRISTMAS!!!

Unfortunately, with a season like this; there is a high possibility that we will overspend and wake up the next year dreading our empty pockets. We start wondering where has all the money gone?! This little spending elf likes to sneak in along with the good cheer and happiness. He lulls you into a sense of calm and overspending, only to smack you in the face when the new year comes around. Then as our empty pockets weighs us down, we agonize over how long the month of January seems. And how broke we are in the new year.

Let's face it, it's no secret that during the holidays, people tend to overspend. We probably don't have money like we used to and with the recession continuing undeterred, our financial climate has taken a seriously negative downturn. It's hard. We don't want to disappoint our loved ones; nor do we want to miss out on the festivities but we are truly strapped. So what do we do???

Well never fear, Nella's here and I have got some simple yet excellent ideas to help you save more and still have a spectacular holiday. Below are 5 tips so easy that you would be shocked that you weren't doing them already. 

Last Christmas, I gave you some wonderful holiday gift guides; The Perfect Gift for the Beauty Lover in Your Life, The Perfect Gift for the Travel Lover on your Holiday List and The Perfect Gift for the Book Lover on your Holiday List

But this year, we on some schmoney moves and we're all about saving that paper. So check out this awesome list below to make your holiday spending a trillion times better. Excited??? Well let's begin shall we...

1. Make a list and check it twice

We have all heard about Santa's infamous naughty or nice list; but do you have a list of your own? Every year, jolly old St. Nick (the budget savvy man he is; after all he is providing gifts for the entire world) always remembers to write his gift list. He even checks it twice just to make sure he doesn't miss anyone he wants to gift. This not only helps him keep organized, but it helps him have an idea of what his budget may be like for the holiday season.

This year why don't you take a page out of Kris Kringle's book. Make a list of who you will be buying gifts for and write down an idea of what you intend to purchase for each person. Think about the right things that won't break the bank too much but will definitely make your recipient very happy. Sweeten the pot by setting up price alerts that show you when there's a deal on an item or your list; or by asking others where you can get the best deals. Now we really saving that moolah!!!

Planning your gifts ahead of time not only saves time moving from store to store or site to site, but also saves money.

2. Jingle all the way

Nope I'm not referring to the jingling of bells; but rather to the jingling to your money. Have you worked out your holiday budget yet? A tried and true way to save money on Christmas gifts is to set and stick to a gifting budget. It's always advisable to have a fixed amount saved up for the holiday season and to stick to that amount rather than overspending during the festive season.

Unfortunately, many of us still fail to do that and end up broke into the New Year. So if you haven't worked out the logistics of your budget yet, get it done a.s.a.p.!!!

It's really simple. Just write down a raw figure of what you currently have and what you expect to receive soon if you’re expecting any additional money and from that deduct presumed expenses such as gifts, outings with friends and anything else you may need to spend money on. And voila! Your holiday budget has been made. Now that was the easy part. The hard part comes in your exercising self- control and sticking that budget. But I know you can do it. I believe in you.

Just a Candy Cane Tip:

It's not always about the cost of a gift but rather the durability, estimated use and the long-lasting benefits. If you buy it today and it's destroyed tomorrow then it's essentially a waste of money. Therefore, consider carefully when you are buying gifts. Cheaper isn't always better.

3. All I want for Christmas is........

If you truly don't have the money to spend on gifts, then consider alternative gifts. How about you make your gift instead? No not the cards that we all made for our parents as children (though if you are very artistic this may work for you); but let's think outside the box here.

Make a gift certificate for a nice at-home spa that you set up and operate. How about you cook dinner and give that special person a day off? Or, maybe you could set up a picnic in the park. If you are artistic then do a picture, sculpture, poem, painting or whatever your craft, make jewelry, write and perform a song, bake a cake or muffins or brownies, and even make your own gift basket. There are so many ways to give for less; you just have to get a little creative. Think about it. It's not about the size of the gift but rather the size of the heart that gives it.

4. Jesus, born on this day

It's not all about the parties and frivolous outings, but Christmas is a season of appreciation and giving. Remember the true meaning of Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ Jesus who came to die for our sins. Go to church and praise his holy name.

Forget the commercial aspect and do something charitable this year. Take time this holiday season to give to someone who truly needs it. There are probably things that you have that you no longer use and are in fairly good condition. How about you donate it to charity or better yet donate your time and make a difference in someone's life.

5. Have a holly jolly Christmas

Seek out adventure in the little things. You don’t always have to go to extravagant events to enjoy yourself. A simple Christmas dinner with your family, a movie night with friends, finding new inexpensive or free events to attend or even plan an exciting day trip. The most important thing is to enjoy time with those who matter most to you and enjoy their company into the new year.



All in all, the best advice is to focus on the best ways you can give without hurting your financial future. Plan, prepare and provide memorable gifts that last a lifetime.

Love,

Nella



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