With the prices of just about everything on the rise, you may find yourself wondering exactly how you will shop for your loved ones this season.
Before you hit up any Black Friday deals, take a minute to read these tips that we hope will help you prioritize your spending!
1. Budget
Unfortunately, the holiday season doesn’t give us a pass to ignore our regular bills. It’s important to make sure all your usual expenses are covered before you consider any extras. Once you have an idea of what those are, then you can start to look at all the other things you may want to spend money on this season. Make sure you have a plan for things like gift giving, food for parties or holiday celebrations, holiday party expenses, and clothing for different events, so these things don’t take you by surprise later.
2. Prioritize
Once you have a picture of your upcoming expenses, you will be able to more clearly see what you are able to spend. It’s never a good idea to go into debt for holiday spending, so if you don’t quite have enough to cover your whole wishlist you may need to prioritize.
Decide what is the most important for you to spend time and money on this season and start there.
3. Get creative
If your holiday plans are loftier than your income allows, don’t despair. There are some ways to get creative to boost your income.
- You could sell some of your gently used items that you are no longer using on Facebook marketplace, eBay, or maybe even sell to consignment stores.
- Another good way to cut back is by taking a look at some of your monthly subscriptions. Are there any monthly subscriptions you pay for like streaming services, gym memberships, or anything else you could put a pause on to save you some money in December. Plus, this is a busy season, so you may not have as much time for those things anyways.
- Tap into your talents and find odd jobs to boost your income. Are you a master at baking? Maybe you can sell some baked goods. Perhaps you can take on babysitting or yardwork? Maybe you are good at odd jobs? Here is a list of side hustles to help you brainstorm.
4. Plan
With a plan, you are empowered to save money. Rather than picking one store, take your time browsing online to compare prices. You can also check big retailer flyers to see when their best sales are coming up. Everything isn’t always cheaper on Black Friday!
With more time, you also can take advantage of resale sites like Facebook Marketplace or thrift stores. This is a great way to get a good deal, and those big stores will always be there if you don’t find what you are looking for on a sale site sooner!
Shopping online can also help you avoid impulse purchases, but even if you choose to shop in person, just know that stores are set up to encourage you to buy extra!
We hope some of these tips can help you keep your spending stress down this season!
