Christmas Budget
Christmas is coming soon. If you are like I am than you love to give gifts. During Christmas season retailers are doing there best to get us to spend money. They have huge sales and some have special financing available. I was in a store on the famous Black Friday last week. I went to one store and had to park along the road, when I went into the store at 5:30am you could barely walk through the stores. It was a zoo in there, the one item I went to buy from their ad was already sold out. When I walked towards the front they had all the registers going and customers were about four deep at each register. I wonder if all those people had a budget and a plan on what to spend this Christmas?
What is your Budget?
Do you have a idea on what you spent last year on Christmas? I have meet people that went so far in debt for just Christmas that set them back so far they didn’t know what to do. Once the bills rolled in they kept adding to the debt to float there money to pay the minimum bills. It is a snowball that can grow into a huge ball of debt.
First each year I make a plan for who i want to buy for. Also for each person I list a budget of what I want to spend for each person. Then I also include other Christmas costs such as Christmas Cards and postage. Example of a list would be like this:
Wife, Husband, Boyfriend or Girlfriend - $50
Each kid - $50
If dating someone their kids each - $25
Your Mom and Dad each - $50
Your Sister or Brothers, each(List each) - $25
Your Nieces and Nephews each (List each)- $25
Friends and Co- Workers each (List each)- $25
Greeting Cards and Postage - example 50 cards could cost with Postage $30
Once you add it up I have saw some range from $400 up to $3500. I’m sure there are people who spend much more than that.
What is Christmas About?
Christmas should be more than giving expensive gifts. If you are not financially free than you may need to really take a look at your Christmas Gift Budget. I know my self a gift of time with my kids or a back rub or a batch of homemade Nestle Morsel cookies means more to me than a new Nike Seven Wood golf club. But I never refuse a Nike club or new Bowling Ball, Ha, Ha..
Seriously, I think more people remember who they spent there last Christmas with rather than what gifts they were given. I feel Christmas is a time to be with Family and friends. Not a time to go farther in Debt.
So please take a few minutes and list out a plan on who you want to give gifts to this year and how much. You don’t need to try to buy there Love, they should love you for who you are and care about your Financial welfare. I know someone who his last girlfriend was only happy when he was spending money on her and had no concerns for his financial welfare, when they would go out she expected him to pay. But she took more more money than he did. When Christmas came she made him feel like he had to buy her expensive gifts by telling him stories of cheap boyfriends or her past husband. What are we teaching kids about gifts and financial responsibility.
Sorry if I am repeating myself but think about giving the gift of time together and not money. If you have to buy there love and are dating maybe you should find someone new to date. Let me know your thoughts and ideas. Have a great day.
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