The Season of Giving is Upon Us

We’re about to embark on shopping and lots of it.  The holiday season is one of the biggest shopping seasons that we spend, and spend, and spend in.  How do you normally pay for all the gifts you’ll be giving?  Cash?  Credit cards?  Have you budgeted how much you’ll even be spending?  Can you even afford to spend on gifts?

Throughout the year, I put money aside for gift giving which includes not only the holidays, but birthdays and any other needed gift as well.  You’ve heard of Christmas Clubs at banking institutions.  Well, I consider this my personal Gift Club.  I put a budgeted amount aside each month into a savings account and when I need to purchase a gift, I use those funds.  Gifts never come out of my monthly disposable income.  And I never spend more on a gift than I have available.  I also set a spending limit on each gift so that I don’t overspend.  If I did spend too much, I might be in a bind to purchase all the gifts I need.

OK, you say.  The holiday season is around the corner and you haven’t done anything yet, so now what?  Start now to put aside some savings for gifts.  Don’t have enough money to save right now?  Then plan on making gifts.  I don’t know of anyone who would turn down homemade cookies or candy.  Are you crafty?  Make some home decor.  A friend of mine used to make wreaths for gifts.  I know someone who takes pictures with their phone, prints them out, frames them, and gives them as gifts.  All  you have to do is use your imagination and I’m sure you can come up with a homemade gift for everyone, including children.

I also know someone who used to do whittling (probably a lost art now) and give their figurines to children.  They loved them.  Everything kid oriented does NOT have to be electronic, even today.

So, start thinking now about budgeting for next year’s gifting and do what you can afford this season.  Don’t go into credit card debt just because you think you have to.  You do NOT!  Gifting does not have to be expensive or put you in a hole you’ll have to start to climb out of in January.  Remember the saying that it’s the thought that counts.  It’s absolutely true so start planning now!