Christmas is Coming

I walked in to Wal-Mart yesterday and there were already rows and rows of Christmas trees, lights, stockings, and all the other items that we love to adorn our homes with. It is official, Christmas is on the way!  It’s funny how every year Christmas seems to sneak up on us. Even though it is on the same day every year we still manage to be surprised by it, especially when it comes to paying for all the gifts we give.

I don’t think that anyone should go in debt for Christmas. It should be more about spending time with family and friends than giving gifts. If you choose to give gifts, give things you can actually afford. That means if you can’t pay for it in cash (or debit card), then you should not be buying it. Any reasonable person would understand that you couldn’t afford to give them the thing they had to have so you had to get them something that cost less (remember, children are not always reasonable). It is time we take control of Christmas and stop going in debt buying what we CANNOT afford only to spend the rest of the year paying them off. Here are a few things that may help you have a better Christmas, one that doesn’t leave you burdened with more debt.

Budget- Figure out how much you can afford to spend on Christmas ahead of time and stick to that amount. It can be very difficult, but it will ease your stress later. If you’re smart you’ll put away a little every month that can be used at Christmas. Starting in January, set an amount of how much you’ll spend and then figure out how much you’ll have to save each month to have that money when Christmas comes.

Set Expectations- Involve the whole family in the process so that they know the budget and how much will be spent on each person so that come Christmas morning, they aren’t as disappointed that the Nintendo Wii isn’t there. They will have known from the start that it isn’t within the budget.

Be a bargain shopper-This is the best time of the year to find great deals! Spend time digging through “Black Friday” flyers, searching for bargains online, and even checking out online auctions for the best deals. If the gift you want to give someone is just out of range then you may be able to find it for a better price if you just take some time to search.

Make Christmas about family- Instead of having Christmas be only about gifts this year, let it be more about spending time with family and friends. Spend time together. Have fun together. Help others together. Go to church together. Christmas is about much more than gifts and reminding your family of that could help ease the pain in the pocketbook and improve your family life.