Thanksgiving has been and gone, and Black Friday is over which means one thing – we’re in the home straight for Christmas. The holiday season can be an expensive time of year that leaves many of us stressing about how much we’re spending on it, especially in the run-up to Santa’s sleigh arriving.
Every little saving that you can make between now and Christmas will give you more to spend on ensuring it’s a magical occasion this year. With that in mind, we’ve put together this list of ways that you can save money to boost your spending power for the holidays.
Use the 24-hour rule
You see a present that you think somebody might like – but will they really like it or are you just getting swept up in the heat of the moment? This is where the 24-hour rule comes in. The 24-hour rule can be applied to many areas of life, such as waiting before firing off that angry email or going in to confront a work colleague about an issue. In this case, it means giving yourself a day to consider whether the purchase is a sensible one. If 24 hours later, you still think Grandad would like that Justin Bieber Calendar, then, by all means, buy it. If, however, you’ve realized what a terrible idea it is, then you’ll save yourself money to invest in a proper gift that will be truly appreciated by the recipient.
Start walking places
It might be cold out there, but how much money do you spend on gas for unnecessary journeys to places that are a walkable distance from your home? By hitting the pavements rather than taking to the roads, you’ll be saving cash from your fuel budget which could go directly into your Christmas budget. Walking places also has the added bonus of getting you fitter and helping to shift weight before the big holiday eating season begins. A one-mile walk burns around 100 calories alone.
Give up alcohol for a month
Christmas is a time for overindulgence and no doubt many of us will enjoy our fair share of wines and spirits over the holiday season. Knowing that a week’s worth of overindulgence is coming up if you stopped drinking alcohol between now and the big day you could save yourself a decent amount of money to invest in the holidays. If you don’t think you could give up alcohol for the next month, then you might be in danger of having an addiction. If that is the case, then click here to learn about this plan which can help you give up the drink.
Set up a Christmas cupboard
Clear out a cupboard in your kitchen and dedicate it to Christmas. Plenty of grocery stores offer discounted goods promotions which change on a weekly basis. If you see something discounted that you know you are going to need for the holiday season, buy it there and then and place it in your cupboard before it returns to a normal price. You’ll be saving yourself money in the long run by avoiding getting everything at full price in one big shop at a later date.
