One of the best ways to control your spending during the Christmas season (and to spend meaningful time with your family) is to plan Christmas ahead of time. You can get much better deals on presents, baking goods, wrapping paper, etc, if you plan ahead....in addition to saving your sanity.
Here are some of my tips on Christmas planning:
- Purchase Christmas gifts ahead of time when items are on clearance. See my post here about buying toys.
- Keep a running list throughout the year of what you've purchased for whom, and how much you've spent. That way to don't buy too much for one person inadvertantly. Also, keep all your receipts in one spot, like an envelope.
- Purchase Christmas accessories (gift wrap, gift tags, Christmas letter stationery, envelopes) during the after-Christmas sale for the following year.
- Get your Christmas cards done early. I was able to get a big discount on printing my Christmas cards last year by having them done before Thanksgiving. Plus, you're not rushed for time in trying to get them mailed before Christmas.
- Plan any homemade gifts that you plan on making and get them completed early, so you don't have to stress about them, and possibly end up running out to get an expensive gift at the last minute.
- Plan all your holiday baking and stock up on supplies during sales. Also try to bake in bulk and cover several events at once.
There are several good sources out there for planning Christmas. I know that the Flylady does a plan each year that I've loosely followed (although she doesn't seem to have it on her website yet), and there is Organized Christmas.
What are some things that you do plan for Christmas? How do you cut down on the spending and the stress so you can spend more meaningful time with family?
Kristin
I have planned to use the Holiday Grand Plan for the past three years. I print everything out, start getting everything planned, then forget about it! I am already behind this year, but I'm really hoping to get it done.