Holiday Spending
Since holiday spending will likely be a major expenditure for all of us, it's a good idea to start planning now. American households generally spend between $1000-$1500 on holiday gifts. How much are you going to spend? Think about how many people you will be buying for and how much you like to spend per gift. If you add it all up, it's probably more than you initially guessed. You may also be shopping for decorations, Christmas party clothes, gift wrapping, or Christmas cards & postage. I have 13 people to buy for. If I average $35 per gift, that's over $450.
I'm not going to tell you to make all your gifts at home, although you certainly can if you like. I feel the most important thing is to know what you are getting into and plan for it. There are 7 weeks until Christmas. Determine how much you need to be setting aside every week to fund your gift giving. Don't rationalize spending more than you can afford just because it's Christmas.
Some tips:
-Don't rely on a Christmas bonus that you may or may not get.
-Do consider that you may be getting 3 paychecks in December instead of the normal two. There are 5 Fridays in December. If you get paid on the first Friday, you can count on three paychecks.
-Buy any online gifts far enough in advance so you don't have to pay for rush shipping.
-Avoid buying for yourself while you are shopping. Instead, put the coveted items on a list for any Christmas money or giftcards you might receive. If you can leave the items behind the first time, chances are you won't feel the need to go back.
-Before making purchases online, search for coupon codes. Here are two coupon code sites:
http://currentcodes.com/storelist.php
http://www.ecoupons.com/stores/
And finally, some good gift ideas that won't break the bank...
Ideas:
Photo stamps -- Real postage customized with any photo you choose. Sheet of 20 stamps for $17.99. Buying larger quantities reduces the price. You could pair this gift with some fun stationary or notecards.
Art Memory Game -- A much more sophisticated version of the game you played as a kid. $25
Personalized TShirts -- Personalize Tshirts, tank tops, coffee mugs, etc or browse the large collection of clever items other people have already made. Generally less than $25.
Octomat Camera -- cute film camera that takes 8 consecutive shots and prints them on one
print. $38.
20Q Game -- This game has amazing artificial intelligence. It will guess nearly any word you can think after it asks you 20 questions which you can respond 'yes', 'no', or 'maybe'. $30.
Fun/Active Giftcards -- Movie theater, comedy club, yoga classes, Netflix (pair with some microwave popcorn), ceramic painting studio
Steak Branding Iron -- people who love to grill can now sear their initials or favorite team's emblem into their steaks. $15-$40.
Cash -- ask banks for $2bills, $1 coins, and 50 cent pieces
Posh Pig -- Piggy bank, choose from seven designs, $19
Anti-Monopoly -- Choose to be either a monopolist or a free-enterprise competitor. $25
Atomic Clock with Indoor and Outdoor Temperature -- $31
Magazine Subscription -- Money, Wired, Real Simple
I'm not going to tell you to make all your gifts at home, although you certainly can if you like. I feel the most important thing is to know what you are getting into and plan for it. There are 7 weeks until Christmas. Determine how much you need to be setting aside every week to fund your gift giving. Don't rationalize spending more than you can afford just because it's Christmas.
Some tips:
-Don't rely on a Christmas bonus that you may or may not get.
-Do consider that you may be getting 3 paychecks in December instead of the normal two. There are 5 Fridays in December. If you get paid on the first Friday, you can count on three paychecks.
-Buy any online gifts far enough in advance so you don't have to pay for rush shipping.
-Avoid buying for yourself while you are shopping. Instead, put the coveted items on a list for any Christmas money or giftcards you might receive. If you can leave the items behind the first time, chances are you won't feel the need to go back.
-Before making purchases online, search for coupon codes. Here are two coupon code sites:
http://currentcodes.com/storelist.php
http://www.ecoupons.com/stores/
And finally, some good gift ideas that won't break the bank...
Ideas:
Photo stamps -- Real postage customized with any photo you choose. Sheet of 20 stamps for $17.99. Buying larger quantities reduces the price. You could pair this gift with some fun stationary or notecards.
Art Memory Game -- A much more sophisticated version of the game you played as a kid. $25
Personalized TShirts -- Personalize Tshirts, tank tops, coffee mugs, etc or browse the large collection of clever items other people have already made. Generally less than $25.
Octomat Camera -- cute film camera that takes 8 consecutive shots and prints them on one
print. $38.20Q Game -- This game has amazing artificial intelligence. It will guess nearly any word you can think after it asks you 20 questions which you can respond 'yes', 'no', or 'maybe'. $30.
Fun/Active Giftcards -- Movie theater, comedy club, yoga classes, Netflix (pair with some microwave popcorn), ceramic painting studio
Steak Branding Iron -- people who love to grill can now sear their initials or favorite team's emblem into their steaks. $15-$40.
Cash -- ask banks for $2bills, $1 coins, and 50 cent pieces
Posh Pig -- Piggy bank, choose from seven designs, $19
Anti-Monopoly -- Choose to be either a monopolist or a free-enterprise competitor. $25
Atomic Clock with Indoor and Outdoor Temperature -- $31
Magazine Subscription -- Money, Wired, Real Simple
"The Christmas season has come to mean the period when the public plays Santa Claus to the merchants." -John Andrew Holmes
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