Budget-Ideas for Christmas

Don't get behind on budget Aug - December. Worst budgeting times because so many expenses. Christmas money can accidentally get spent and charging could occur. When Budget is current determine actually dollar amount to be spent. Remember 1997.

These where the budget breakers in our family because they were things that we just thought we should do but didn't really have a plan to do them.  Food for Christmas Eve, gas for Christmas travel, babysitter for Christmas party, the bell ringers at Walmart, Gifts of charity, baked goods for Doug's work (5), Doug church calling (3), Doug's home teaching families (4), sisters I visit teach (6), neighbors (6), Seminary students (12) =36, gifts for friends, co-workers, side note * now I make strawberry jam or salsa in the summer to give instead of baked goods.  Lately don't forget shipping charge for out of state gifts (Send early Nov if international or early December for in state).  Now I'm not suggesting that all this needs to be spent on Christmas but sometimes we think when we are in the moment "Oh wouldn't it be nice is we...gave the teacher a gift, gave the neighbors gifts... and on and on.  I'm just saying if you are going to do that, then you will love Christmas more if you've already budgeted to do it.    

Then, of course, there were the planned kids gifts, gifts to each other, Grandparents, my extended family with nieces and nephews, and cousin gifts.

Our kids wanted to give each other gifts.  Budget for this and give them deep cleaning jobs right before tree goes up. House gets cleaned and kids have money. Help kids decide what to give teachers. Things that are made are fun if made early. Stocking stuffers - buy a little at a time or budget (or don't have stockings).

I like to save a little for after Christmas shopping. If there's a decoration or something that I really wanted this year but couldn't afford, I can get it on clearance and save it for next year. It's a nice surprise to have something new put away.  I get extra lights if needed and replacement bulbs. I also buy wrapping paper after Christmas (maybe color coordinated) and ribbon to save for next year. It's also fun to not spend all the kids money but give them some cash so they can go shopping after Christmas.  On Dec 26 Old Navy has amazing sales, Kmart too. 

Nice cheap items are available at the first of November and sales for Veterans' Day and Black Friday.  For some items you might want to plan to shop late.  Stores reduce winter stuff, gloves and coats, watches, jewelry around Dec 20. If you can wait shop late.  The sooner you get organized the more thought than money can go into the gifts.  We tried to have our list finalized by the end of October.  Now our kids are grown and we mostly give them money or the credit card and tell them how much they have to spend.  Because we know a year in advance how much we intend to spend for Christmas we divide that by 12 and save that much each month.  Christmas is super fun when the money is all in the budget when Christmas comes.  

I like to occasionally remind myself of the quote written on the bottom of a budget I had gone back and 'corrected' in red ink.  “Everything in red written Dec 21, 2000 after realizing we are $600.00 over on budget. Visa is stuck and we can't get the rest of the kids Christmas.”  I only remember that happened because I have it written down and that was the year we made our Christmas budget in January a year in advance.