Christmas is not all that far off – we might halfway through the year, but before you know it, it’ll creep up and you’ll start seeing decorations in store.
Now is a GREAT time to talk about Christmas – but why?
So many people wait until October, November and December to buy gifts. A good majority have no money saved, and turn to credit cards or layaway to pay for Christmas – they put it on credit and hope that their tax refund that following March will be enough to cover the damage they made from ill planning months earlier.
It’s always great to know where to start .. the earlier the better, as you can get ready for Christmas little by little. Right?
Here are 5 tips to help you get a jump on your Christmas savings early.
Look for Deals Now
Look for inexpensive bargains NOW – if you find great deals on Amazon, or online with free shipping that are on clearance, tuck them away for the Christmas holiday. When you look out for gifts early, you can eliminate the need to spend at the last minute.
You can also budget a small amount each week JUST for this purpose – don’t use it? Then tuck it in the savings so you can have the cash for later on when you do spot something.
Save a Set Weekly/Monthly Amount
Start your Christmas slush fund now – not later. If gifts are your goal, then determine the weeks until Christmas, and divide it by the number of weeks left until Christmas, and tuck that money away.
Use your Leftover Cash or App Earnings
If you budget for certain things through the year, and you end up under budget, then use that difference towards your slush fund. Or, if you are doing a time spent Christmas instead of a material gift Christmas then use that money to shove into your cash fund.
Opt to Forego the Gifts for Experiences
Gifts are great, but experiences are SO much better ~ challenge yourself to forego the gifts this Christmas for experiences and time spent over material items. Children are resilient – although they may not understand at first, with time and some sit down with them, they may opt to spend time WITH you other than time with gifts.
Use this time of the year as a teaching moment to teach the Joy of the Holidays to your children.
We love to try to do things together as a family where our kids can remember places and activities, spending time with family who come in from out of state, and even by doing things for others – it tends to be those things they remember versus plastic toys given as gifts.
Some of the best holiday gifts can be given without ANY cost at all.. many of which can lead to the most fulfilling experience.
Here are some popular ways to teach Holiday Joy to Children without spending large amounts of money or purchasing gifts.
If you opt for Non-Traditional Gifts this holiday, plan early. We rounded up some ideas for Non – Traditional Gifts on our last post that you can enjoy with the family. For those who are outside of Arizona, look for places in YOUR area that you can travel to for a fun and exciting experience spent with your children that they will likely remember far greater than toys.
Involve your children – ASK them where they’d prefer to GO instead of what they would like to get in gifts. They will appreciate being involved.
Use your Savings Apps
Redirect your money saving app earnings to your slush fund for Christmas so you can still save, WHILE saving. Find the most popular money saving apps on our last post.
Note: Some people may like to do Online Surveys to pack away money for Christmas – they can be a great way, too. I would be careful doing online surveys though too – as helpful as they can be, they can also be very time consuming! As someone who belongs to several survey sites, it’s not a realistic way of saving for Christmas unless you dedicate large amounts of time each day (time that can be spent with your kids!)