Who hasn’t gotten a little overzealous with holiday shopping? Buying gifts for those you love can be a delight – though breaking the bank, not so much. Despite their best efforts, it seems people surpass their budgets yearly.
So, how does one prevent overspending during the holidays? Believe it or not, there are some tips and tricks one can follow that will make sticking to a holiday budget even easier. Continue reading to learn more.
Set Spending Limits
Setting a spending limit may seem futile, but it is the first step one should take if they’re hoping to avoid spending too much this holiday season. Start by limiting what you’re allowed to buy, how much you’re allowed to spend, etc. The best way to establish this budget is by understanding how much you can comfortably afford and not going over that amount.
For example, one way to do this is to establish the overall amount you can spend on holiday items in a given month. Now, divide that amount by each person you wish to shop for, allocating a certain amount to their gift budget. Don’t forget to leave room in the budget for other holiday shopping, such as decor and food.
Limit the Shopping List
On a related note, one of the best ways to limit your spending is by restricting the number of people you’re shopping for. In other words, you need to limit the number of people you buy gifts for. Many experts advise gift shopping only for immediate family members, plus a few close friends. Try to limit those close friends to five or so to help keep the budget down.
Don’t worry! Just because you’re not buying everyone else a gift doesn’t mean they’re getting left out. There are plenty of low-cost gift ideas you can go with, such as baking cookies or making candies.
Dive into Couponing
Finding great sales is one way to save money while holiday shopping, though it has the added constraint of timing concerns. Another idea is to give couponing a try. Thousands of fliers go out every year, carrying coupons for the items you’re planning on purchasing. Take a few moments to save these coupons, and you’ll be amazed at how much you save.
If interested, you can even take couponing to the next level. There are apps and browser extensions that automatically check your online shopping cart to ensure you get the best deal. This is yet another way to save every penny possible.
Article originally published on EtienneKiss-Borlase.net
