Countdown to Christmas 2021

Can you believe it?

It’s only 3 weeks until Christmas and 4 until 2022!

After a year of lockdowns and uncertainty, I have to say I’m looking forward to some positivity and optimism going into 2022.

I’ll be heading off mid-January for my 10 days of complete relaxation and down time up at Porepunkah on the Ovens River, just 5kms from Bright. It’s a little place of peace and tranquillity, no commercialism and nothing to do but enjoy nature. I’m anticipating lots of bushwalks, waterfalls and floating down the river, drinking gin and tonics with my feet in the cool clear water while reading all the novels I’ve put aside for the holiday – and spending time with my sister and her family. It is truly a wonderful time and without all the commercial trimmings, it’s quite a cheap family holiday. Always a bonus when it doesn’t cost a fortune to entertain the kids – they spend all day floating down the river on their lilos and riding the rapids, playing cricket with friends they make at the caravan park and hanging out with their cousins.

Hints and Tips to Help You Through

Today’s blog looks at some hints and tips to help you through the Christmas period. Christmas expenses can sneak up on you when you least expect it. Buying gifts for everyone in your life can be really expensive, especially if you have so many people that you want to give something to.

Here’s some ideas to cut down on the expense.

1. One idea is to DIY gifts. For those people you don’t see all the time but still want to be able to give them something, how about some homemade cookies, or homemade fudge. Decorate the wrapping and it is not only a gift that is personal and thoughtful but will save you some money too.
2. Make sure you have a list and stick to it. By having a gift list you will make sure that you don’t spend too much money around the Christmas period. Without one, you can easily find that you just keep buying gifts for people because you think “they’d love that” when in reality you’ve already bought them something that is sitting at home. Make a list which itemises each person, decide on a budget and fill in the list with presents that you want to buy them. This is also a great way to make sure you’re buying gifts that they will really love and stop you from impulse buying too.
3. Have you thought about doing Kris Kringle with your family or friends? We’ve started doing that with the cousins and aunts and uncles now that the children have grown up and it’s become really hard to think of things to buy. It also became about the presents instead of being together for Christmas, so now we all just buy one present and spend a bit more so that we get something a bit more substantial. It also eliminates the need to having to buy a present instead of spending some time and thought on getting the right gift.
4. Having a Christmas club account is a great way of spreading the load for the expenses that come at this time of the year. I do a Christmas Club at my IGA supermarket and put $100 a month away from February to October so when I get to November I have $900 put away; plus they give me bonus $40 as well as a Lions Club Christmas Cake, Cadbury Favourites and some mince pies. It means that at a time when there is so much to spend money on, I have funds put away for shopping at the supermarket saving some additional stress.
5. Start buying your gifts earlier so that you are spreading your spending across a number of months. You could also buy gifts when you see them on special or at discounted prices. Make a budget early and starting to shop early for Christmas can really help you to feel less stressed. Instead of buying everything the week before or putting it on credit, or using Afterpay plan ahead.
6. Use Flybuys or other loyalty points to buy gifts is also a great idea especially if you have saved up a lot and don’t really know what you’d spend the points on.

Christmas is a wonderful time of celebration, coming together as families and friends and enjoying some time away from work. Taking some time to plan will help alleviate any financial stress at this time so that it is by far more enjoyable for everyone. Most of all, being around your friends and family is by far more important than expensive gift giving. Remember to be kind to yourself and others around you and enjoy the festive season.

What ideas will you be using this Christmas?

Yours in finance

Sarah x