Holiday parties, family get-togethers, charity auctions, and dinners of all types are plentiful during the next two months. If you do not have at least one on your calendar, you are certainly the exception. In fact, some people have two or more holiday events scheduled every week from now until New Years! With all those festivities, you may be wondering how you can look your best without breaking your budget. Here are some tips for looking great this holiday season- for less.
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There are three popular video games on the market at this time. Each one sells its game disks for $50 or more a piece, when new. I don’t know about you, but the idea of spending that kind of money for a game actually offends my sensibilities.
Now I will admit that I don’t actually play these games, but my children do, and that means come holidays and birthdays, they all want something new. I found some great ways to save money and still give them video games they want.
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A while ago Miranda blogged about the difference in spending styles between herself and her husband and what they preferred to spend money on. This dichotomy in fiscal compatibility was also noted over at Get Rich Slowly in a post discussing a study which found that spendthrifts and tightwads often end up paired with each other–despite their very different attitudes towards money and spending.
I can vouch from personal experience: my spendthrift Mom and tightwad Dad have been married for over fifty years.
Go figure.
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Knowing how to budget is incredibly important. Creating a realistic budget and sticking with it can save us from making major financial mistakes, including living beyond our means and incurring credit card debt. I wish budgeting was taught at school, but as far as I know it isn’t, and so it’s up to us parents to teach our kids how to budget. Fortunately, life creates many opportunities for us to do so.
This is what we do with our own kids to help them learn the concept of budgeting:
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Growing up, I always went to the Black Friday sales with my mother. She would scope out the flyers, make lengthy lists and even scope out store layouts to make sure that she could get everything she wanted. My mom would team up with friends to make sure that someone in their group was at each of the most important stores when doors opened. She’d drop me and my sisters off in different parts of the mall with a cell phone and instructions to report back. It was an experience that I will likely never forget.
And yet, when the morning after Thanksgiving rolls around, I’m not going to leave my house.
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Chances are, you are probably trying to get your Christmas list together for the year. The last thing you are considering is what you will do for Christmas next year. But, if you want to reduce the financial stresses that can come with the holidays, planning now is a good way to get ready for next year. Here are some things to do this year as you get ready for the holidays, and consider preparing for next year:
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