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Monday, December 3, 2012

Shopping for the Holidays - Do you have a Budget ?

 The holidays are here in full swing. Everyone is having a sale. There are bargains to be had everywhere.

Are you getting carried away?  Are you over-buying?  Just because it's on sale?

Come on.... be honest. It's hard not to get caught up in the shopping frenzy.

But....there will be a post-holiday letdown. It's called "getting your credit card bill"!

So take a step back. Find a quiet place - I mean away from the mall!  Sit down and take a realistic look at your finances.

Christmas is a time for family and friends. A time for giving of your "time" -  not necessarily spending money. Especially if you really don't have the money to spare. The economy is bad and everyone understands that.

So be realistic about the amount of money that you can actually spend on "gifts".

Set a "per person" budget. Also set a "holiday budget". That would include gifts and all the extra's that go with it (wrapping paper, cards, going out to parties....).

Think about the person when you are buying your gift. Will they really like it? Can they really use it? Remember, don't just buy a gift that you will like, buy one that they will like.  There is a big difference. And it's take a lot more time to find the perfect gift for each person. If you just buy a gift so that you can say that you gave them something - it will most certainly end up in the "clutter pile" and they will never use it.

Leave yourself plenty of time to find your gifts. Don't wait until the last minute. You will feel stressed and end up buying whatever is in front of you instead of what you really wanted.

Being organized for the holidays take a bit of planning. But if you plan things out and think of them ahead of time you will feel less stressed and you will be able to save money by buying only what you need.

Remember, don't just buy a gift because you feel that you "have" to. You should only buy gifts because you "want" to.

Stick to your budget and you won't feel the "after holiday shock" come January.



Happy Shopping...... and a Happy Holiday Season !


Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

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