Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Some Information About How to Spend Less on Christmas Gifts

By Toni Goldfarb


When it comes to the holidays many of us begin to sweat and break out in hives at the thought of purchasing gifts and the amount of money we will spend to achieve the perfect holiday. This doesn't have to be you, however, if you learn how to save money on Christmas gifts. You can create the perfect holiday, give to those you wish to bless and still have the peace of mind that come January you can open the credit card statement and not fear.

You may be saying to yourself you are not crafty or don't know where to begin when it comes to something hand crafted. You don't have to be crafty to create something heartfelt and worth giving. Christmas is an opportunity to dig deep into your heart and ask yourself how you can give and impact a life. Maybe you have an elderly neighbor that is always doing something kind and you would like to give a nice gift. Think about the gift of your time. Maybe preparing a nice meal for them and delivering it. Offer to go do the grocery shopping for them. Maybe providing a gift wrapping service to that person. Giving of ourselves and our time can be far more impacting than a store bought gift they they will most likely not even use.

It is never to early to prepare for your Christmas gift giving. As a matter of fact the earlier you prepare the more money you can save. One of the ways to begin is by making a list of the people you intend to give to and what you are anticipating giving. When making this list include what you are prepared to spend on the gift keeping in mind your budget. Making a budget for your gift giving is crucial to not overspending for the holidays. Purchase your gifts with cash and not your credit cards. When you put it on a credit card you are not only paying the cost of the gift but the interest as well.

If you are creative in nature and like to make gifts then sit down and make a list of the gifts you would like to make and for whom you will make them. Make it personal for that family or person you are creating it for. A homemade gift is always well received and appreciated, much more than an expensive gift that the person either doesn't need one more of or simply will never use. If you are considering creating food gifts and you have to wait until just shortly before the holiday so the items are fresh, then consider shopping ahead of time for ingredients as well as any special containers you may be needing.

If you are purchasing your gifts and have allowed yourself enough time ahead to the holiday you will be able to set a monthly budget for gift giving and buy a couple of gifts at a time. This not only allows you to shop in small doses, it allows you to shop sales and price compare. You will also have your gift shopping done with time to spare and will save yourself valuable money in the long run. Waiting until the last minute will generally cause us to overspend on the gift in the end.

One of the most important tasks however is to stay on budget. Don't let the pressure of having to buy a gift for someone make you spend money you don't have. Now more than ever people are struggling financially and need to find ways to rethink past habits where it concerns giving. Allow yourself the opportunity to do something different and give in ways you not have considered before. You may find you are a much more creative person than you give yourself credit for.

In the spirit of Christmas make your gift giving stress free and fun. Give gifts that bring joy because they come from your heart. Shop wisely, get creative and think outside of the box. You can give to those that you wish to bless and not go broke if you prepare for the holidays and learn how to save money on Christmas gifts.




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