As stressful as the upcoming holidays can be, there are ways to manage your stress and be ready for the celebration. The holidays can be overwhelming, from seeing family members to spending loads of money on loved ones. However, you can take some time to prepare with these simple steps and be more ready than ever.
start early
The first and most important step is to start preparing early. Sales and items are running out fast, so it is best to compile a list of what you’re gifting your loved ones for the holidays as soon as possible. Whether it is making a chart, jotting down ideas of what different people like, and where to get the items, you’ll thank yourself when it’s December, and you don’t need to scramble to buy everything.
Thinking of gifts and saving enough money to buy them is already stressful. However, you’ll be even more stressed if you leave it until the last possible second. Not only will this be incredibly overwhelming, but you’ll miss out on all the deals, and certain gifts might not even be in stock. This will leave you with spending more money and buying someone something they might not like because you’ll have to buy the alternative. Buy gifts over multiple weekends or days, so you can have the time to find what you want and/or make returns.Â
Not only is buying gifts early important but so is wrapping them since that is just as time-consuming. Each gift takes a few minutes to wrap, which can lead to hours if you leave it all to the last minute. Doing this as you go is a great way to get ahead and save time in the long run.
putting money aside
We all know how expensive it can be to buy so many people gifts while on a tight budget. The best way to avoid this stress is by putting money aside for everyone’s gifts, so you don’t overspend. So many people go overboard when buying gifts, and you don’t want to empty your pockets when trying to save money.Â
You can create a budget for holiday spending. For example, each time you receive a paycheck or more money, put at least a small amount of it to the side. Putting away these small amounts every week can lead to big savings. By starting now, you have about 6 weeks until Christmas. That could be 6 small chunks of money, which ultimately ends up being a big budget. You could also write down the prices of the gifts you will get so you can be sure to save that amount.
take advantage of sales
There are plenty of opportunities to save money around the holidays. Take time out of your day to utilize the sales. Here are some important sale dates: Amazon prime day (7/12), tax-free weekends (February), Halloween, Black Friday (11/25), and cyber Monday (11/28) always have great deals and sales. Even though you might be in a food coma Friday morning, it is worth getting up a few more hours early to save hundreds of dollars.
Buy gifts when you see them. Buying gifts weekends ahead is smart, but if you see something you need on the shelves, buy them the second you come across them. You’ll end up spending that money regardless, so what difference does it make buying it then rather than later? This also prevents you from forgetting about them, and it is out of stock later.
Clearly, there are various ways you can start preparing for the holidays to save you not only stress but money. Following these steps is crucial to be successful and the best gift-giver possible. You will be less stressed and overwhelmed if you start early, put money aside each week, budget, buy things sooner rather than later, and take advantage of sales.Â