Financial Stress is one of the main reasons for Divorce, Illness, Depression and Family Squabbles. You can be a great budgeter, but if you don’t have plans for a sinking fund or holiday fund, it can put you in financial ruin.
Organization Helps Financial Stress
Being Organized and planning for events that seem far off is the best defense strategy you can have. In this post, I share how you can save and get on a holiday budget.
The best time to start planning for your holiday budget was December 26th. The 2nd best time to start planning is today.
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This is a habit that you can start preparing for and each year you will be better organized and prepared.
7 Tips to Avoid Financial Stress at the Holidays
- Tip 1: Know how much money you have to spend in advance during the holidays by creating a budget and add 10% on to it for last-minute emergencies.
- Tip 2: Talk to your spouse and children about what you can and can’t do during the holidays. Tell extended family you will not be doing extra gift giving. No extra spending, no extra eating out. Communication can be fun if you approach it that way. Be honest and open about expectations and compromise.
- Tip 3: Don’t wait Until December to do your shopping. December is already a stressful month. There are school activities, holiday parties, out of town guests arriving, etc. Take advantage of sale days throughout the year and shop them. The budget and holiday savings account will allow you to shop early.
- Tip 4: Use programs like Ebates throughout the year, so you can have some added savings available.
- Tip 5: Plan a no spend day: Have everyone in your family spend the day making a gift for each other. You will need to create this gift out of what you already have. This can be a great day of selflessness and creativity.
- Tip 6: Stand firm on your boundaries. Have a No Guilt Holiday. It is easy to let guilt from your past deter you from your goals. There are no rules that say you have to spend a lot of money during the holidays or that you have to buy a lot of gifts. Another great tip is if it stresses you out to spend time with certain family members, excuse yourself from the event this year.
- Tip 7: Cut your budget this year, by combining your budget and taking a small family trip instead with no gifts. You can save money this year and avoid all the financial stress. I mention this every year to my family. This is my favorite tip.
- Tip 8: This is an added bonus. Make sure you are eating right, exercising and getting enough sleep during the holidays. You must take time for self-care to avoid added financial stress.
- Tip 9: Avoid unnecessary small purchases like gift tags, which you can print yourself at home.
More Ways to Be Organized and Avoid Financial Stress
- Keep a notebook during the year along with your budget, so you can be writing down and keeping track of your spending, shopping, tips for next year.You can also use these free printables to get organized.
- You can also create a binder or file folders that you can keep articles you find, sale dates, ideas your kids mention that they would like to have. Try making a secret Pinterest Board to add tips for the holidays.
- Another great idea is to enlist a good friend to be your accountability partner if you choose. You can help each other find ways to save and share great deals you find. Make a challenge out of it.
Remember to enjoy the season. Spend time with loved ones. Don’t overspend and Stay on budget.
Check out a few homemade gift ideas:
from left to right:
- Make Your Own Christmas Crayons
- DIY Flannel Coasters
- Peppermint Sandwich Cookies
- Gingerbread Sugar Scrub
- Sharpie Project Gift Ideas
- Mocha Truffles
- Snowman Mason Jar Gift
- Peppermint Sugar Scrub
Amy Anderson says
Great list of tips - I need them ;D And good list of gift ideas too!
Clarissa Rayward says
Great tips that everyone can follow!