Here we have a guide for dealing with all of the Christmas stress so you can enjoy your favourite holiday without worrying too much about money.
Christmas is truly a wonderful time, all of our surroundings become colourful and lit up with Christmas lights, it is the time to eat tons of sweets (especially cookies) and it’s a great time to spend with family, friends and all your loved ones, however the effort and money that goes into creating everything we love about Christmas can sometimes be overwhelming, which is why we have decided to offer some help.
How much can you afford to spend?
Before doing anything, you have to sit down and think about how much it is you can afford. The earlier you start planning for Christmas the better, as you will have the opportunity to save more. Try to estimate how much you can save for Christmas and how much money you will have when the time comes. You can use apps like Moneybox to help you save money more easily. You can also increase your Christmas budget by selling some things on Facebook or E-Bay.
Make a List of Expenses
After you have determined the amount you can spend it’s time to start thinking about what you want to spend money on. We suggest you make a list and write down all presents you are thinking about buying. Include food and Christmas decorations and any other Christmas related expense. Making the list will help you match your expense to your actual spending limit, and it will show things that are maybe not as necessary as you first thought. If you start early you can get some presents or decoration at a discount.
You should also keep in mind that Christmas is just one day a year and it’s not worth struggling for the rest of the year only to make this one day “perfect”. Maybe some of your friends and relatives don’t need a gift this year and maybe they would be relieved to not have to look for something. Some of us also tend to go above and beyond with the food during Christmas and opt for the expensive option, but studies have shown that most people are not able to distinguish between cheaper products and more expensive ones. So, if you are thinking about buying the premium food don’t think it will taste a lot better.
Stick to the Budget
Chances are high you will get tempted to go over your budget which is where you should remember rule number 3 and stick to the budget. You put a lot of effort into planning what you want to buy, and you have a precise figure of what you can spend, don’t let all the planning be in vain and stick with your plan.
To help you a bit more we analysed how you could allocate your money depending on the type of Christmas you are planning to have. The average UK household spends between £500-£600 per year on various things for Christmas, including gifts and food for dinners. We looked at three different types of Christmases: Couple/Single Christmas, Family with Kids and a Christmas Party.
By Christmas party we mean hosting a dinner with around ten people, hence the food and decorations will cost more.
Family Christmas includes around four to five people and is mainly about parents and their kids, which is why we estimate more money spent on gifts.
A couple/single Christmas is something cosy and small, which is why you can really treat your loved one or yourself to a special gift that you always wanted.
Our expenses include the following items:
Food: This includes toasting drinks, appetizers and the main dinner (everything you need for the Christmas dinner)!
Gifts: They range from many small gifts to a few large gifts and include anything you decide to give to your loved ones.
Decorations: Everything you might need for setting the right ambiente at your Christmas event.
Last minute Christmas Outfit: Anything that might come up right before Christmas, especially for families with kids.
Desserts: Separate from the main dish this includes all ingredients for cakes, cookies and any other sweet delight you decide to buy or make for Christmas.
Drinks: This mainly describes alcoholic drinks, as they tend to be more expensive but it includes all other drinks that you might need as well.
Various: Everyone has slightly different Christmases, and each individual touch you decide to take for your Christmas is included in the various category.
