You may think it’s a wee bit early to start thinking about the Christmas season, but is it? Think about all of those families who go into debt just to make the best Christmas ever for their children. You may have heard of parents who say “oh I don’t have any money in January”. If you are one of those parents who continually wait until the last minute to purchase gifts, gifts that may end up costing you lots of money, today, we will be sharing with you a few tips on how you can start saving for Christmas now, so you won’t be spending all your cash around the Christmas time. This way you can actually have money in the month of January.
Watch Yard Sales
During yard sale season you should start keeping your eyes out for great deals, items that you know the kids will adore that are in like-new or new quality. Pick up anything you see that fits the bill for Christmas gift-giving season and store it away in a secret hideaway location until the time arrives to wrap it up.
Pick up Deals Now
Throughout the year you need to keep your eyes out for clearance sales and other fabulous deals that hit long before Christmas arrives. You see, retailers jack up the prices during the Christmas season because they know consumers will have one thing in mind; spending money! Unless an item was released in the month of November, you should be able to get most of the gifts you need earlier in the year instead of closer to Christmas.
Start Saving 5- $10 per Week
Depending on your income, if you can afford to, it’s a great idea to start saving anything from $5 – $10 per week into a savings account that is only designated for a Christmas fund. Sure you can do more or less depending upon your family, but the point is to set up a savings account that is only for the gift purchases for Christmas.
Setup a Change Collector
Every household should have that one old coffee can or mason jar set to the side of a main counter in the home where loose change is always placed during the year. This is an easy way to start saving for Christmas now, you’ll be surprised at how much loose change adds up rather quickly.
Shop End of Season Bargains
Start shopping end of season bargains at your local retail shops, look for items that go on clearance at the end of each season as a means to purchase Christmas gifts that may not be “in season” but will make for great gifts.
Buy Dinner Ahead
There are some meal items for dinner that you can get on sale prior to Christmas, be sure to stock up on any pantry items and other food items for Christmas dinner that will survive until that day arrives. This is the perfect way to start saving for Christmas dinner. Most canned items have a very long shelf life so this should not be an issue.
There are many ways you can start saving for Christmas now, these tips shown today are just the beginning of how to get started. I am sure if you get deep within your creative mind you will be able to find other ways to save for Christmas now.
You will need some storage to save for Christmas now, after all, you don’t want those kids peeking and seeing their gifts prior to Christmas day. The best way to store aside Christmas gifts is to purchase larger totes that have covers for storage. Use those totes as a secret hideaway for Christmas presents and place it in a basement or attic where the kids won’t generally frequent.
Christmas can be an expensive holiday season for many families, but it doesn’t have to be. I wish you much luck in saving for Christmas now so that you can sit back, relax and fully enjoy family on that festive holiday.
Let’s discuss: Can you think of other ways you can start saving for Christmas now?
