It’s Day 2 of the 21 Days to a Simple Christmas Challenge and we’re broaching the “B” word. Yes, we’re talking about budgets.
I know, I know. It’s not glamorous. It’s not fun. And it sounds restrictive.
But here’s the thing: A budget can best one of the best ways to save your sanity and simplify your Christmas. Knowing exactly how much (or little!) you have to spend, will help you to plan your gifts and your shopping accordingly. And will guarantee that you don’t begin the new year with the burden of credit card debt from your holiday spending.
A budget gives you freedom. It lets you be in control of your money — not the other way around. You get to choose how much you’re going to spend and then be intentional about spending it.
When you have a plan, you are empowered. No longer do you have to worry whether you’re going to have enough money to cover your expenditures or whether you’re going to max out your credit cards. You know what you have to spend and that’s what you spend.
Approach your Christmas budget with a can-do, creative attitude. Don’t be frustrated or stressed over how little you have to spend and how many gifts you need to buy. Instead, see it as a challenge: how far can you make your budget go? Your attitude will go a long way in whether or not you are successful at sticking with your budget!
You can do this. I’m cheering for you!
Day 2 Project
1. Read chapter 1 from Celebrating & Savoring a Simple Christmas. (Did you sign up for your free copy yet? If not, click here and fill out the form to be emailed a copy.)
2. Decide on a workable, realistic Christmas budget. Don’t stress over this — just pick a number that you know is doable with the resources you currently have. If it feels too low but it’s all you have, don’t feel badly. We’re going to be talking about creative ways to maximize the mileage of your Christmas budget in the next week.
3. Come back at around 9 p.m. EST tonight and I’ll have a follow-up post sharing about our Christmas budget, plus encourage you to leave a comment telling us about yours.
Get Your FREE Copy of Celebrating & Savoring A Simple Christmas
Psst! Be sure to download your FREE Christmas ebook. It’s my gift to you this year — and you’ll need it if you want to participate in this challenge!
To get a copy, just fill out your name and email address here. Then, click on the link in your inbox to confirm your email address. You’ll be emailed a download link as soon as you do so. It’s my gift to you this year — and you’ll need it if you want to participate in this challenge!
This may not be a popular idea but think used.
For my young neice and nephew I raid goodwill stores book bins and pick up all the age appropriate books I can find. They love getting new books and at goodwill they are about 35 cents each.
My son is 5. Any present I get him is bound to be at the bottom of the toybox, under the bed that is getting jumped on, knocked off the table, bounced down the stairs etc etc etc. To save my sanity I think of a big ticket item I’d like to get him (this year a DS) and then I find a used one. When he drops his ds on the porch and cracks the corner he’ll be cracking a $60 dollar gift (still ouch) and not a $200 gift. He gets the joy of the thing he really wanted most and I save a bundle of money and headache.
Dear sweet Crystal,
I have been a loyal reader of your blog/website/blogposts for many years now. I recently bought your first book. It took a while to get here, since I am a Belgian.
And now I have just downloaded your Christmas E-book. An early Christmas present. Thank you so much! As soon as I have gone through it I will let you know my thoughts. 🙂
Many blessings
Abby
Thank you so much for being a reader here! Your comment blessed me this morning!
Now if only I hadn’t already gone over budget 🙁 I have a hard time resisting “deals” that I may not really *need*
I have a budget and so far under. I am mainly spending money with the GCs I have collected all year. I have almost no cash for Xmas. I did make gifts for the last few months for the kids. I cut everyone else out. If I can cook from my pantry for the month I might have a little that I can use from my grocery budget.
I realized it’s SO essential for us to budget if we are going to afford gifts for everyone. My husband has a large family, and we love buying for grandparents too, so there’s always a bunch of people on our list.
Our budget this year dropped from about $500 for gifts, cards, decorations, food, etc. to about $200-300. Our income has changed so therefore life and expectations have changed. I downloaded the book and am looking forward to this series continue. I’m a huge Christmas lover and like to go as big as the budget can allow. Learning to savor a simple Christmas….something I get to learn through forced experience this year. 🙂
Got the book – thank you so much! Read my homework and got through chapter one…..I am looking forward to reading more, that is once I put my budget in writing!!!
You are so very welcome!
My Christmas budget is $330 for my child, my 3 parents, 4 siblings and their spouses, niece, 3 nephews, and grandparents. I am under budget so far.
Way to go!
I just downloaded your book. Thank you so very much!
You are so very welcome!