I know it’s not the right time (but then again, when is anything at the right time?) but we’re halfway through the year, and it is time to think planning ahead for that one day right at the end of the year, and if you’ve got children, you rolled your eyes at the word Christmas, but do you have any idea how to get everything that they want? Finances are squeezed so tightly now that you always end up having to plan a bit earlier. But what's the key to having a great Christmas without all the money worries?
Planning!
Yes, it’s stating the completely obvious but deciding what you want to do for Christmas is the first port of call. You may think it’s time for a shakeup and decide to go abroad for the first time in a while. And if you get in now, you can find some good deals for Christmas vacations, and if you're not too picky about flying on Christmas Day, you can get a long-haul flight very cheaply. But if you’ve got relatives that are itching to see their grandkids then you can start to plan ahead now and make the big decisions, such as who’s coming over for dinner? Or are you all going somewhere for a meal? If you plan now, it’s less hassle with everyone later on.
Getting The Finances Together
The main reason I'm suggesting even thinking about Christmas now is so you can get your finances in order. And so many of us don’t have much money to spare now, which means we end up maxing out credit cards and spend the whole of next year paying them off. Instead, you can start to save bits as you go which will leave you with a sizable amount to spend when the season officially begins, or you could take out a personal loan now, buy everything you need and then pay back the loan by Christmas. As a tactical way to get everything ready now, it means that when January rolls around, you will actually have some money to spend. Rather than staying indoors in the miserable post-Christmas months, you can make the most of the January sales!
Buying The Gifts
At least, if you start buying presents now, it accomplishes two things. Firstly, you aren’t rushing around like a headless chicken trying to get everything ready for the big day, and secondly, when December comes around, with Christmas parties and lots of fun to be had, you can enjoy it rather than stressing about what to buy for who. If you have the pressure of Christmas on you every year and you say that you're going to start earlier, but never do, if you started now you'd be making life so much easier for yourself. And with foresight comes bargains! You will be able to buy more gifts for people and take advantage of when they're on sale, rather than at full price just before the 25th of December. And by spreading out your cost in this way, your bank balance won't get hit as if Santa fell on it!
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