How is it done!!! ?

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-02-2008
How is it done!!! ?
9
Sun, 11-22-2009 - 11:35am

I swear I have no idea how people afford the holidays without saving for them.


In looking at my expenses this upcoming week I am SOOOOO thankful I have bought 95% of my xmas gifts. This check we get on Thursday of this upcoming week is our mortgage payment check. It's always our "smallest" check meaning we don't have a lot of extra play money. We have enough for gas, groceries, bills and thats about it.


I am realizing with this tight check we have the expense of buying a christmas tree, doing my holiday baking (I have most of the basics on hand - flour, sugar, chips....but do need to buy a few ingredients), I want to go out on black Friday and get my DH an IPOD so I have that expense......Oy. Oh, and my wedding anniversary is Dec 6th so we will hopefully at least be able to go to dinner.


Just so much EXTRA. I can't imagine if I had to buy more gifts on top of all that.


Just makes me thankful that I've budgeted well so far but makes me realize I have so far to go when it comes to budgeting for upcoming expenses!!!


iVillage Member
Registered: 07-05-2006
Sun, 11-22-2009 - 1:47pm
Well, in my case, we really don't afford Christmas. We haven't budgeted for Christmas in years and years because our money has just been needed in too many other places. So a few years ago DH started doing a part time job at the holidays and whatever he made was what we spent. We usually have a budget of about $500 dollars, but we never know until a few weeks before because it takes 2 weeks before his checks start coming in. It's stressful!!!!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-01-2004
Sun, 11-22-2009 - 5:47pm
I do an unoffical budget throughout the year, but my main "budget" comes from not paying for daycare.


Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-04-2008
Sun, 11-22-2009 - 7:18pm

Good for you on the budgeting.


I do my budget with money devoted to Christmas my pays from the end of November through Christmas, I don't put extra on the CCs that month, but I am still paying my minimums from January, so it is an overpayment on all debts.




iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2005
Mon, 11-23-2009 - 10:31am

I personally plan well ahead of time.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2008
Mon, 11-23-2009 - 10:51am

I've budgeted for several years and have trimmed the shopping over the last two years to a much more practical level.

Norma


"Patience is the best remedy for every trouble"- Plautus


Avatar for cathiann
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Mon, 11-23-2009 - 11:22am

Honestly--this year is going to be tough.

Surviving Middle & High School
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-10-2003
Mon, 11-23-2009 - 12:04pm
Marie - I do the same thing with the Kohl's card. I charge to get the discount then pay it right off. Figured I'd let you know that you don't have to go all the way back to the service desk to pay off the card balance. What I do is check out using the card and then tell the cashier to run another transaction paying the card balance off. Never had a problem doing it that way and it sure beats having to walk all the way to the back of the store with all your bags.
Community Leader
Registered: 07-26-1999
Mon, 11-23-2009 - 12:05pm

I have a christmas club account, but the last two years, I have not been good about contributing to it at all, a little bit, but not a lot.

Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-04-2008
Mon, 11-23-2009 - 4:37pm

Thanks for eliminating more of my excersize :) !!!