Holiday Survival Guide

Too often, we get stuck thinking that successful money management is finding ways to cut expenses or taking on another job. While these strategies can help, there’s one tip that we rarely consider: successful money management is tied to successful time management. At this time of year, time management is crucial to keeping your budget in line. Here are a few tips to help you stay on track this holiday season and keep you less stressed!

• Make a holiday to-do list and budget and keep them handy. • Create a timeline. Prioritize your to-do list from most important to least important. Periodically review your timeline and stick to it! • Ask family members to give you their holiday wish lists by Thanksgiving. It’s a great time to ask them questions and find out what they really want. • Monitor and evaluate your budget after each shopping trip. You should always know the actual versus the projected. • Start shopping now. Compare sale advertisements. Check off what you’ve purchased and how much you spent. • Wrap your gifts as you purchase them. Make sure to use tags and find a special spot to hide them from prying eyes! • Start baking your holiday treats now! Many items can be frozen until needed. • Hold periodic meetings with your family so everyone knows what’s expected and when they may need to make an appearance at a holiday gathering.

 

The better organized you are, the greater chance you have of staying on budget. It’s when we’re faced with stress that we stop thinking rationally and begin making decisions that could create trouble in the upcoming months. Above all, enjoy the holiday season and remember the real meaning of what the holidays are all about!