How To Save Money During The Festive Season
The festive season is nearly upon us, and although it’s known for the time of year where almost everyone downs their tools and spend quality time with friends and family, it can also be known for the expense that comes with it. For some reason, a lot of us will get carried away with the commercial side of Christmas and feel the need to spend a lot of money, so much, so it gets people into debt. So to avoid that happening in your case, here are some tips to help save money during the festive season.
Bring Your Own Booze Dinner Party
Alcohol is very much present at Christmas because it’s a time for celebration. However, when it comes to shopping for food and drink, the most expensive part is the drinks. And unless you’re going around to each other’s and hosting a dinner party each, then that’s a lot of money that you are spending on food and drink. That doesn’t really seem fair to you, and if anything, the food is enough on its own. So to save money, you wouldn’t be causing an offense by asking your loved ones and friends to bring their own booze to the party. As many of us will have a different preference for what we like to drink, it is a good idea to let them bring their own. Otherwise, you’re going to be spending a lot of money on some drinks that you might not even enjoy and then remain in the back of your drink’s cupboard for years to come.
Have A Reasonable Limit Per Person
When it comes to gift-giving, it becomes one of the most expensive periods of the year because we often give so much more through the presents we buy for one another. There doesn’t need to be an excessive amount of money spent per person because it’s often more so of the thought that counts, rather than it being about how much you spend on them. So try to have a reasonable limit for each person, and if you have a lot of family members, then there’s always the option of doing a Secret Santa, where everyone has a certain person to shop for, and you create a budget together on how much you’re allowed to spend. This can be capped, or it can be left to the person on what they want to spend for the person. It’s important though that that fuss not be made too much over money and to not feel guilty for spending less or more than others.
Shop In The Sales
Sales are a great opportunity to get some last-minute items, and if you’re a bit of a last-minute shopper then you’ll probably find it better to wait for some sales to come along before buying a present. If you’ve organized not to see some family members or friends till after Christmas Day, then you’ve always got the Boxing Day sales to look forward to where a lot of Christmas-themed products are likely to be severely reduced because of their festive-themed packaging or content. You can be out the door early morning on Boxing Day and get back to wrap it before the guests arrive. Or if you don’t fancy going out the door, then maybe you could order something from the comfort of your home with Netvouchercodes.co.uk.
Agree To Do A One Present Christmas
If you’ve only got a little amount to work with for the festive period, then ask friends and family if it’s ok to do a one present Christmas. This doesn’t mean you still spend an extreme amount, it just means that one present is enough, and that can be the case for each person in your family. This might also be something that your family were hoping to do themselves, and so when it comes to Christmas presents, speak to them in case you have any worries.
Don’t Waste Money On The Extras
You can easily spend hundreds of extras that might just be going to waste. From paper plates to festive decor, for something that’s going to be used for a brief period, it can often feel like a waste of money anyway. Try to keep to the priorities when it comes to buying things like food, drink, and presents. You don’t need to go wild with home decor for the festive period either. Reuse last year’s decor and just buy anything extra to replace those things that have been damaged from bringing them from the garage or attic space.
Track Your Spending
Tracking your spending is easier said than done, but it definitely helps you to monitor what’s being spent and what’s currently left to buy. Especially when it comes to this period, there can be a significant amount of money spent on transport and the various shopping bits that you get from a week before the big day to the days that follow. Set up a spreadsheet because this will be handy to keep track, and you can also share this with your partner or whoever you share the household funds with. You can also put a limit on things and know when it’s time to stop spending before it becomes too much.
Try To Plan Ahead Next Time
Planning ahead is always great when it comes to Christmas, so get an idea of what people like and would want for Christmas next year. That way, you can get everything over the course of a year, rather than it always being at the end of the year and all in one day. That for some people can be really difficult, and so it’s a good idea to get ahead of yourself where possible so that you can spread the costs a little more easily.
______
Saving money during the festive season can often seem impossible, but you can save here and there so that you don’t enter the new year with any debt or stress.
______
