Now is a great time to really take control of your money. With the current inflation rate, Christmas and holidays almost on our doorstep, if you don’t manage your spending, it will be really easy to end up in a hole financially.

So here is what has worked for me in the past:

Gifts

  1. Write a list of all the people you want to buy Christmas gifts for.
  2. Allocate a budget to each person.
  3. Write down some gift ideas for each person that fit into that budget.
  4. Get online and start looking for options (especially with Black Friday sales coming up very soon).
  5. Stick to your budget!

Christmas

  1. What special events do you need to cater for? (Do you have multiple events for different family members? Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, early Christmas with second cousins twice removed?)
  2. Meal and drink plan – what are you going to cook/serve for each event?
  3. Do you need any extra decorations, cutlery, crockery, glasses, serving platters?
  4. Allocate a budget and start looking for sales.
  5. Stick to your budget!

Holidays and outings

  1. Are you planning a trip away over the Christmas/summer break? Or special outings or events to keep the kids busy and entertained?
  2. Allocate a realistic budget for your trip away and entertainment that is over and above normal activities.
  3. Start looking for discount vouchers on sites like Groupon for holiday activities and restaurant deals.
  4. Allocate a small “emergency fun fund” to your budget so you have some room for spontaneity.
  5. Stick to your budget!

This time of year is all about fun and getting together with those you love. A bit of planning, budgeting and forethought can take the stress out of it all so all you have to do is relax and enjoy.