How to Make a Christmas Budget

Member

By WriterGig
User-Submitted Article

Article Rating:

(10 Ratings)

Make a Christmas Budget

A Christmas budget is important to make as you plan for the holidays. A good budget allows you to enjoy stress-free celebrations and gift- giving. If your goal is to have a wonderful Christmas season without going into debt, making a Christmas budget will ensure your success.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Figure out what you have saved up for Christmas, and what your total budget is for the holidays. Knowing this number at the start will help you formulate a realistic plan. Count up any Christmas Club funds, extra monthly spending money, petty cash or change jars allocated for holiday spending.
Step 2

Go over your schedule. What events are you hosting, and how many guests do you expect? What social events are you attending, and what will you need to bring? Whether it's a hostess gift or presents for a company gift exchange, you need to include them in your budget to keep from overspending.
Step 3

List friends and family for whom you typically buy gifts. What type of presents will you buy? Note the dollar amount of your budget for each person, realizing that if you are under budget on some, you can use the extra for other items that perhaps cost more than expected.
Step 4

Consider your extra charitable contributions, from gift trees to church collections. Decide how much you will allocate to each category.
Step 5

Add up your total estimated expense for holiday-related items and compare the number to your Christmas budget. You'll likely need to trim your expenses, but don't despair -- this can be done with creativity and fun.
Step 6

Trim your budget as needed, thinking of substitutions (homemade cookies and cocoa mix instead of store-bought gift sets?) and deletions that you can make and still have a delightful holiday.