It’s Week 2 and time to get real! I hope everyone was able to start their Christmas Planner and start thinking about the Holidays. This week we will continue our planning – budgeting our money, time, and household duties. That doesn’t sound like a ton of fun, I’ll agree, but it is important. And in a time when money is on a lot of our minds, this will hopefully give us some comfort and a guide to follow when the frenzy of unnecessary Christmas shopping is tempting us.
Countdown Week 2 Challenges
□ Make a holiday budget. Print out one of these budget forms and take a few minutes to think about what you are able to spend this holiday season. Talk to your family about it and most importantly, stick to it once it is completed.
Holiday Gift Spending Worksheet
Articles to Read on Budgeting: Holiday Spending Money Management
Gift Spending Money Management
□ Look around and take this week to get rid of the clutter from your home, especially the areas where you will be decorating for Christmas. Now, if you are a normal person with a normal home, this decluttering process will have to be repeated over and over and over again. Create a plan for this as well. Print out a chore chart and let the family chip in. Whether you live alone or with a gang of kids, make an extra effort to always “put it away” and expect others to do the same.
□ Did you get those Christmas Pictures planned or taken? Budget your time to do it this week, and then get your cards ordered or bought. And don’t forget to pick up Stamps. The closer to Christmas we get, the more of our precious time we will have to spend in those dreaded Post Office lines.
□ Take that Christmas Card List you started last week and get it completed this week. If you can pre-order or purchase envelopes early, do it now so you can start addressing them by next week. If your list is on the computer, get it ready to print.
□ Buy holiday wrapping paper, ribbon, tape and other supplies you will need and designate a specific area in your home for gift wrapping. Continue to work on your Master Gift List, thinking about what you will do for each person on it. We will be talking more about Gift giving next week and we need to be ready!
Ideas to Share: How do you keep your holiday budgets in check? Will you be doing anything different this year in this category? If so, what?
Have a Merry Week!
To save or print this week’s challenges, click here.
The budgeting tips are great! My husband and I have been going through Financial Peace University with Dave Ramsey..so the budget forms came in very handy. I have a good start on my Christmas organizer and have almost finalized the Christmas Card list. I feel so organized now!
I’m so glad you are enjoying the countdown, Ginny. I need to get on the stick so I’m not rushing around closer to christmas as well.