Budgeting Your Holiday Spending
Well, December is finally here and the holidays are right around the corner! ‘Tis the season for Christmas tree pretzels from the Common Market, carols from all the a cappella groups on campus, sung in the library right when you’re trying to study for finals, and creative snowmen on the quad. It may also be the season where you feel like you’re bleeding money just to buy great gifts for all your friends and family. Let Wallis Wallet offer you some tips for how to budget your holiday spending!
Budgeting for Perfect Presents
Now it may sound tedious, but the best way to avoid dumping a ton of cash this holiday season is to build a budget for all the gifts you need to give this year. Sound intimidating? Don’t worry—it’s simple! Let me show you a sample budget for shopping this month:
Not too shabby, right? $200 won’t break the bank! If you have a reasonable idea of how much you can afford to spend, total, then you can parse it out by how much you can afford to spend on whom. Don’t forget, budgets will vary from person to person, so the one above is by no means the golden standard; it’s more of a guideline to help you along the way.
Frugal Finds
Don’t get your heart set on some mega-expensive gift for your BFF—there are always alternatives that are just as fun and unique, but much more wallet-friendly! Lots of websites out there have great $10-and-under gift sections, like Amazon and Etsy.
You may also want to check out spots like the dollar section at Target, when you first walk in. They often have stocking stuffer type items in the $3-5 range, which can be great for getting little gifts for friends and acquaintances at school and at home. Stores like Five Below are also a good option for similar small presents for siblings and cousins.
Realistic Reunions
Last but not least: when you’re home for the holidays, I’m sure you’ll want to reunite with all your high school buddies, but it always seems tough to find ways to get together that don’t involve beating up your wallet. Movies? Dinner? Drinks? Breakfast? Coffee? No matter what you do or where you go, you’re throwing cash down everywhere. Here are a few suggestions for other activities that’ll save you a chunk of change while you’re home.
- Watch a movie together—Blockbuster may not be around anymore, but it’s easy to grab a DVD from Redbox or queue something up on Netflix to watch as a group in someone’s basement. Talk about cheap entertainment!
- Bake with friends—Invite a few people over and have a bake-off! Whether you make pies or cookies, brownies or cupcakes, you’re sure to whip up some tasty treats and have a great time!
- Work out!—It’s easy to get lethargic over the holidays, but why don’t you get moving with your pals? You can go for a run together on a warmer day, have a snowball fight, or try out a Zumba or cycling class at the local rec—the first one’s usually free! Worth a try, and a surefire way to burn off some of those cookie calories.