If the approach of the holiday season causes you more financial stress than joy, getting (and keeping) control of your spending may help. When you know how much you have to spend, keep track of your purchases and plan ahead, you can focus more on finding the right gift for each person on your list – and hopefully cut out some stress at the same time. Consider these ideas for surviving – and enjoying—this gift-giving season:
1. Actually have a budget: If you don’t know how much you have to spend, you could get a nasty surprise when you start perusing your shopping list. Take a look at your monthly budget and decide how much money you have to spend for holiday gifts. Include any money you plan on withdrawing from a holiday club bank account, or that you have earned and earmarked for gifts. Once you know how much cash you have over all to spend, you’ll be able to plan out your purchases, without the risk of running way over your budget.