| With Christmas just around the corner, our focus is | | | | Shopping6. Take your Christmas Dinner budget and |
| slowly starting to shift from our work commitments | | | | make a shopping list.7. When you are doing your |
| to Christmas and with it comes the annual Christmas | | | | shopping use a calculator to make sure you stay |
| spending spree.Unfortunately many families don't set | | | | within your Christmas budget.8. Save money by |
| a Christmas budget and they rely on their credit | | | | looking for the cheaper priced goods on the top and |
| cards to get them through the festive season.Shortly | | | | bottom shelves. Try not to buy items that are on |
| after Christmas these same families will also develop | | | | shelves at eye level, these are usually the higher |
| symptoms of the "Christmas Giving Blues" which can | | | | priced items.9. Try not to buy items that are located |
| include an upset stomach, lack of sleep and | | | | in the displays at the end of the shopping aisles, |
| anxiety.You know that feeling. You spend up big, | | | | these items are usually more expensive than the |
| charge it on the card, and then spend the next | | | | items located in the aisles.10. Compare prices of |
| couple of months worrying about how you are going | | | | similar items and buy the cheaper item.11. Remember |
| to pay off your Christmas debts while vowing never | | | | that Christmas is only one day a year. You don't |
| to let this happen to you again.Unfortunately, this is a | | | | have to spend a weeks worth of grocery money on |
| reality for a lot of families every Christmas and they | | | | one day.12. Ask each relative to provide a food dish, |
| just don't seem to be able to break out of the | | | | drinks or dessert.As soon as Christmas is over and |
| cycle.This year, give yourself and your family a | | | | the pain is fresh in your mind. You need to take |
| Christmas gift and take the "Christmas Budget | | | | action and put in place the second part of the |
| Challenge" and enjoy your Christmas without the | | | | "Christmas Budget Challenge". This next step will |
| suffering the Christmas Blues.There are two parts to | | | | ensure that you have enough money for next |
| the Christmas Budget Challenge:1. Put in place a | | | | Christmas1. Add up all your Christmas expenses |
| strategy that will help you survive Christmas with as | | | | including gifts, food and any other costs.2. Take the |
| little pain as possible.2. Put in place a strategy that will | | | | total of your Christmas expenses and divide it by the |
| give you a plan to enjoy your next Christmas. This | | | | total amount of pays until next Christmas.3. Open |
| plan will also run itself without you even thinking | | | | high interest bank account with the following |
| about it.Let's start by putting in place a plan that will | | | | attributes:- No minimum starting balance- Interest is |
| hopefully make this Christmas a little easier on your | | | | accrued daily and billed monthly- Interest rate on this |
| hip pocket:1. Have a look at your finances and set an | | | | bank account must be higher than the inflation rate.- |
| upper limit that you can afford for your Christmas | | | | No bank chargesING Direct and Citibank have an |
| spending. Allocate a certain amount to Gifts and a | | | | online banking account that may be suitable for your |
| certain amount to other Christmas expenses. This is | | | | Christmas Budget account.4. Organize an automatic |
| the start of your Christmas budget.2. Leave the | | | | bank transfer from your bank account to your |
| credit card at home and pay for Christmas with | | | | Christmas Budget account. This transfer will be on |
| money wherever possible.3. Keep track of all your | | | | each payday for the amount you worked out in step |
| Christmas spending. A good way of doing this is by | | | | 2. It is important that this is automated because |
| carrying a small notebook and pencil and writing your | | | | most people will not stick to this plan if it is a manual |
| purchases in it.Gift Buying4. Call your relatives and | | | | process.5. When next Christmas comes around |
| agree that Gifts will only be purchased for the | | | | withdraw your money and repeat the process |
| children5. Take your Christmas Gift budget that was | | | | again.This plan is very simple and surprisingly effective |
| allocated in step 1 and divide it by the number of | | | | and you will be able to enjoy your next Christmas |
| gifts you need to buy. This number will be the | | | | without the suffering the Christmas Giving Blues. |
| maximum you can spend on each gift.Christmas Food | | | | |