Budgeting. It is something that I truly struggle with. One might even call me an impulse shopper; however, as the holiday season kicks off, I want to be able to buy my friends and family a nice gift or two. For some of you impulse shoppers out there, you may be feeling the same way. Here are some tips and tricks on how I plan to stay in the budget this season.
First, give yourself an allowance. If you have a job, give yourself just enough to get through until the next paycheck. For me, I get paid biweekly, so I give myself a two-hundred-dollar allowance for those two weeks for grocery shopping, food, and anything in between that I might need. This allowance might be different for everyone, and if you need to start at a higher or lower budget, that’s your call. You know how much you make, and how much you need a week per week, so your allowance is up to you.
Next, figure out what everyone whom you want to give gifts to wants for the holidays. When you figure out what they want, try to find some off-brand items that are a little cheaper, but are still what whomever you’re shopping for asked for. For example, if someone wanted a pair of UGGS, which normally range from $120 to $200, you could go for Bearpaw shoes, which normally range from $70 to $180, and still get the person what they wanted. Now granted, shoes are normally pretty expensive anyway and I highly recommend that unless you’re buying shoes for a family member, go with another product.
Lastly, be creative. For my roommate this year, I figured out that her favorite color is orange and found this idea online about buying smaller items in a person’s favorite color. It’s not always about what you spend, but about how much thought you give the gift. For most parents, homemade gifts are their favorite gifts because it’s a priceless gift, one they couldn’t buy at Walmart or Target. Sometimes, smaller and more personal gifts mean more than the fanciest jewelry a person can find.