How to Beat the Christmas Credit Crunch
Christmas, aside from New Year, is probably the most celebrated holiday worldwide. It’s a season that brings families and friends together. The said holiday is also made even more memorable by the act of gift-giving.
While it’s not required to give gifts, still giving them and receiving them gives us a different kind of high. Unfortunately, with the convenience offered by credit cards for cashless shopping, a lot of people end up in debt after splurging on their Christmas shopping. And with the current global financial crisis, I bet you certainly don’t want to end up starting the New Year being relentlessly pursued by credit card companies for purchases you bought impulsively. So stay away from overspending this coming Christmas season. But how, you say? Follow the tips below for ways to save on your Christmas shopping.
1. List down the names of the people you plan to give gifts to. A sure way to overspend is to go to the stores without a list at hand and buy items impulsively as you try to recall all your relatives and friends you intend to give gifts to.
2. Draft a budget plan. Yes, that is essential should you want to sleep well at night the following year, not having to worry about your bills and bank debts. It will not only help you organize your trip to the store for your holiday shopping, you will likewise help yourself in keeping your savings intact.
3. Make sure you stick to your budget when you make your way down to the shops. If you start shopping without your list and budget plan, you will have to double your efforts in disciplining the shopaholic in you from putting almost everything you fancy in your shopping cart. So check out the tag price, if it doesn’t fit your budget plan, summon all your willpower to let go of the item and move on to the next rack or the next aisle.
4. Create some of the gifts yourself. There’s nothing more thoughtful than putting some personal touch in the gifts you give away. In essence, you’re giving them a part of yourself. What to do though? Make believe you’re a cookie god or goddess on one of your rest days and whip up some cookie goodness that you can give away to your little nieces and nephews. Next to toys, kids appreciate a box of yummy cookies. How about your friend’s kids? Pretty simple, you can buy a book on do-it-yourself projects, origami, jewelry-making, cross-stitching and scrap-booking. They are not only fun to do, it’s also something that will surely be appreciated by your friends later on knowing that you put a lot of time and effort in creating those gifts.
So bring out your pen and paper so you can start making your list. Remember, the earlier you plan the sooner you can start shopping.
