It’s safe to say happy holidays, isn’t it?
Given that we are at the onset of the festive season, of course we are prone to spending, and sometimes are susceptible to going overboard. However, in our steps to financial health, that can be curbed by taking some measures.
So, how do we save during the holidays?
First, by now you should have created a holiday budget to know what you are planning to spend, and what is accepted, on your terms. In creating the holiday budget, your spending limit should have been set before starting the budget, where your spending is supposed to be reduced as much as is possible. It is easy to go out of budget, so prioritize sticking to your budget and only getting what you must. During the planning phase, as much as a lot may be unanticipated, it is advisable that you plan for as many expenses as is possible. Remember to save!
Secondly, keep it simple! It’s easy to be tempted to go all out in matters festivities, but do not feed that temptation. Keep it simple. If hosting, try to keep the food menu simple, by making a list and sticking to it. When decorating, get creative and shy away from grand gestures and expensive purchases. For decorations that don’t have to be bought, why don’t you do them as DIY projects yourself? Look at it as a fun activity to keep family members or yourself engaged. You will notice a HUGE save.
Another tip – embrace using cash. With mobile money and cashless systems ingrained in us, we can still embrace using cash! How does it work in saving? After making a budget, allocate cash to the holiday expenditure and stick to it. Once the cash is over, then the holiday allocation is deleted and no expenditure should exist after that – for matters holiday. Try it – it’s a great way to track as well!
It’s 10 days to Christmas, you should have started shopping by now. Look out for holiday deals and take advantage for that!
Happy saving!
