I had originally planned to do most of the shopping this coming weekend after pay day. I had also budgeted $1,000 for holiday expenses but at this point it looks like we will go over that amount. We hate to buy stuff for other people but they always buy us stuff so we just play along.
All this spending also messed up my goal of bringing Discover under $2000. Looks like that goal will have to wait until the next year but at least now I'm saving $20 per month in interest.
What's your holiday budget? Did you save?
HS
8 comments:
$2,000 Christmas budget and yes, we save monthly for it. This year, I did go over that slightly, but not by much. Keep in mind though - that I have 4 kiddos, four sets of parents and nine siblings between the both of us. Nothing is extravagant.
2,000 is actually good with that much family and 4 kids!! not bad!
HS
We are spending about $1000 (and I saved it up) on 2 kids, 2 sets of parents, 6 teachers, 4 work people, 2 friends, a few hostess gifts, ourselves.....and this includes the tree, shipping, decor, and stockings.
Our budget is $1,000 (we have two kids) & we stick to it. To be totally transparent, I budget $750 for specific gifts, & keep $250 as "slush" for areas that I go over. Which inevitably happens each year. As long as I keep the total to $1,000, I'm happy. We've cut way, way, way back on who we buy for. We no longer exchange gifts with any adults (save for pictures for the grandmas & a bottle of gin for my step-grandfather) & focus on the kids. We buy for our own kids + my nephews + my two best friends kids.
Honestly, I really can't afford any gifts. My greatest gift will be to see my daughter.
We budgeted about $200 for Christmas. We have a very small family and we are trying to make a lot of the gifts this year. We don't spend very much on decorations and we get a tree permit and cut down our own tree. We won't be spending on credit, but it will be coming out of our regular weekly budget.
We've budgeted $1100. We have two kids, ourselves, his parents, my divorced parents, 1 Grandma, 7 nieces/nephews, and 2 other cousins to buy for. We will probably go slightly over this by $100, but that will be paid for entirely in cash. No credit card balances are carried over. I have to confess, that my husband gets a yearly distribution in November for being a Comanche Indian tribe member. That's where our holiday money comes from. If we did not have the tribal money coming in, we would be looking at whatever overtime (which is scarce these days) to set aside or starting to save early in the year. -- Amanda
I don't have any money budgeted for Christmas.
It is by the grace of God (and help of wonderful people like you) that we have made it through each month, so saving has been on the back burner.
That being said someone gave me an ice cream machine that will be my 8 year olds gift from Santa (he has wanted one) and a Lego clock that will be my oldests gift from Santa.
And I have been making gifts for family. I sewed my mom some pot holders. And I am sewing some water bottle holders with a strap for a few people.
And we did get my sister a necklace at the thrift shop (she picked it out, so I know she will like it.) It was like $2, so I managed to swing that.
I am going to make my brother a few meals he can put in freezer and pull out as needed (he is single, so he barely eats at home.)
We also write letters of thanks to those we love instead of gifts.
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