Stick to that Holiday Christmas Budget This Year

In this economy, the last thing we want to do is blow our spending budget on Christmas. But it's so darn easy to do, isn't it? Before you know it, you're bugging your eyes out at the cash register over the total cost of your items, and you're not even done holiday shopping yet! Yup, been there, done that, and totally not falling for blowing my budget again this year. Here are some great tips to keep on track and not blow your holiday budget this year for Christmas.

Cash spending only. Debit and credit cards are all too easy to go over your budget with, because you can't physically see the transaction (monies) leaving your hands. Plus, a debit card or credit card can be used until it's maxed out or beyond, leaving you running wild spending like crazy. Leave the house with a set amount of cash so you have to budget yourself automatically. If you leave the house with $300 cash and no other monies, then guess what? You have to budget for $300 cash. Easy way to budget yourself, even for the most hardcore spenders at Christmas.

Make that list, check it twice. I shop blind, and it sucks. Hubby creates a list, complete with tearing out the pictures of the item he wants to buy for so-and-so from the advert so he doesn't get distracted from it whilst shopping. His goal isn't to save money or stick to a budget, not by any means. His goal is to find the nearest rep in the store and point to the item in the ad and ask where it is. But this creates a great way to stick to a budget as well. With a list in hand and a visual of the product you want to buy, you can beeline to it and get out without distraction. We shopped for nearly everyone on our list in under an hour this year, without the fuss and hassle of trying to compare prices or items to eachother. Done. For that matter...

Shop like a man. Really. Men don't browse, they don't wander or dawdle, they get their holiday shopping done and go. Women tend to get distracted, and therefore easily blow their Christmas budgets on things that are on sale and not on the list. Take a cue from the man in your life- if you are shopping for a candle, buy a candle and leave the store. It's a great way to stay on track, which is essential to keeping your budget. No offense to any ladies out there who enjoy browsing and dawdling (like me).

Be prepared to downsize or reassess your budget at any time. You need to almost daily compare your budget to your finances, because even a few dollars of sideline shopping can throw you off track. Constantly review the items you have bought, what you need to buy, the monies you have left, and don't forget to buy those emergency presents- the ones you'll wish you had when your coworker shows up with a gift at your door.

Have backup gifts in case the budget doesn't work out. Oops- you chipped a tooth on that fruit cake and now you are $200 shy in your holiday budget. In this case, you should have that backup (meaning, less expensive) gift for those you haven't shopped for. Looks like you'll be baking cookies for your kids' teachers this year instead of getting them those #1 teacher mugs and that WII game you were going to get as a family gift? Gone. Be prepared to alter gifts and have a backup plan in case you end up spending your holiday budget on something else.

Only hit the dollar/thrift/discount stores if they are on the list. My local dollar store has everything for $.88 until Christmas Eve. Tempting as this is, I don't need anything there because everything on my list takes me elsewhere. Even when the stuff is cheap, wandering into a discount-style store can be murder on your budget. Case in point? Last night we went shopping for dog food and coffee. Albertson's has a bargain bin, which we just had to check out. Yes, we got a bunch of great deals on groceries and medicine, but our $20 budget cost us $50 in wandering. Yikes- imagine letting yourself loose in a dollar store with cash. Unless you have an iron fist on that wad of dough and an actual budget to fulfill there, keep on moving.

Realize that despite your best efforts, you will go over budget. Unless you are an extreme couponer (ha- I saw one of those in Albertson's last night, go figure), you will go over your holiday spending budget despite your best efforts. Be prepared for this- so when you're budget is $300, be prepared to cover $500. I always assume I have less left in my budget than I do for holiday shopping to avoid going over. Convince yourself that your budget is less than it really is (you'll meet your real budget anyhow) and you have less of a likelihood of going over.

It's not easy to stay within your Christmas shopping budget, but it is totally worth not having to worry about the holiday shopping hassle. Follow these tips and create your own that work great for you (you know what else works? Shopping alone- you have less encouragement to spend this way) and you can stay as close to your holiday budget as possible. Yay!

Merry Christmas!

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how I play stingy Scrooge for Christmas shopping