Oh, the holidays. The time of year when shopping takes over your life, resulting in the seemingly inevitable reality of having spent way too much money. To keep you from having to work overtime all of next year to pay for this year’s indulgences, we’ve put together a few hints to keep your holiday spending in check. We’re not trying to Scrooge out on you or anything, just think of it as a gentle reminder that your wealth is not limitless even if your generosity is.
First things first—you must make a budget. Take the advice of Florida CFO, Jeff Atwater, “Waiting until the last minute to make travel arrangements or do your holiday shopping often results in making impulse purchases and paying higher prices. Creating a budget can help avoid those unnecessary costs. To create a budget, evaluate your primary spending needs such as gifts, entertaining, meals and travel, and estimate how much you can afford.” We’ve outlined a few holiday budgeting tips you may not have considered.
1. Make a List
Santa’s not the only one who needs a list. Write down everything you need and don’t splurge on extras. This really is rule number one when it comes to holiday budgeting tips.
Read Related: ‘Tis the Season: Plan Your Holiday Spending Now
