It's hard to believe that we're 2/3 of the way through 2011. Christmas is less than 4 months away and while that may seem like it's far off, it's closer than you think.
It used to be that I'd wait til Black Friday, get up at the crack of dawn (Ok…it was more like the middle of the night) and head out to tackle my shopping. I was sure that all of those Black Friday deals were saving me tons of money. And while Black Friday can be helpful in saving money on your Christmas purchases, planning ahead can save you even more money…and it makes the Christmas season much more enjoyable!
Here's how to make this Christmas less stressful and expensive.
1. Take the time now to make a list of everyone you plan on purchasing or making gifts for.
Be sure to include teachers, hair dressers, mail carriers and anyone else you may want to give a token of appreciation to. Also, if you know you'll be participating in a gift exchange, now is the time to be planning for this as well.
2. Set a realistic budget.
Figure out what you can afford to spend. If you don't have any extra room in your budget, start thinking of ways you can increase your income.
3. Make a list of gift ideas.
If you're thinking of making cookies in a jar, you'll want to take advantage of the sale on canning jars. If you know your child wants an ipod docking station, you can start comparing prices and looking for deals. If you're thinking of giving photo gifts to the grandparents, you can start putting together the photos you want to include.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Tesco Direct.
