December 2018
The three principles of thoughtful yet budget-friendly Christmas shopping
Although we love Christmas, the lead-up to the big day can be stressful – especially if you’re on a tight budget. But you can still make Christmas shopping a pleasure when your finances are less than ideal, so long as you follow a few simple rules. Here are our three principles for thoughtful yet budget-friendly Christmas shopping.
- Budget
Before you buy anything, it’s important to decide how much you can comfortably spend overall. After all, your loved ones wouldn’t want you to end up in the red just to buy them gifts! When you have a number, divide it between everyone you need to buy for as you see fit, treating this amount as a limit, rather than a target – if you happen to find the perfect thing for less than you budgeted for, then that’s even better! - Make the most of the sales
Holiday sales should be your favourite thing this Christmas. Who doesn’t love a bargain? Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the obvious choices, but individual stores may have their own events to look out for. Make sure you decide what you’ll want beforehand and stick to it – we know there’s a lot of temptation but try not to use sales as an excuse to buy more than you planned. - Start early
When you’re up against the clock, it’s easy to find yourself panic-buying and going over budget. Starting early will give you the time you need to find thoughtful gifts that people will love, at the right price. You could also use the time to create more innovative gifts yourself that cost little to no money – perhaps some artwork, home-made truffles and other baked treats, or even something as a homemade photo album of your favourite memories together.
