Holiday seasons are usually an amazing time to spend with friends, family, and loved ones. For many, it’s the time of the year that they get to spend the most time with their family, and while we understand the need to make every moment count, it’s usually strenuous on pockets and bank accounts. What if we tell you that there are ways to make the most of the holiday season without breaking the bank? And even with such prudent spending, we can still guarantee that you will have a lot of fun. Let’s dive right into it.
Have A Clear And Straightforward Budget
It’s the holiday season; you’re supposed to be on a break from all the hard work, so don’t make things complicated with your budget. Make it clear and simple so that you can easily follow it. Start budgeting with the number of people involved in this holiday plan, for example, the number of kids you have. Budget a capped amount you’d like to spend to get each kid gifts and festive season clothes. If you’re going to be traveling, get a list of the expense per person, including travel items needed, and if it’s going to be indoors, make a similar list for groceries. Putting figures on these things will help you stay on top of your spending, and your mind can be at ease knowing it’s all within the limit you’ve set.
Go For Cheaper Travel Alternatives
If your holiday plans include travel, you don’t have to spend so much money on expensive flight tickets or rentals when you can drive yourself to the destination. You may think that’s a tedious journey to make, but on the contrary, it’s probably the best and least tedious option you can take. Don’t forget that the holiday season is full of people traveling from one place to the other, and you could get caught in the hassle at the airport that makes flying quite stressful, not to mention that you cannot predict the weather and flights are usually unavailable because of the crowd. But on a road trip, you get to spend quality time catching up with your family, listening to music, and laughing together.
Have A Handy Expense Tracker And Budget Buddy
It’s no fun if you’re the only one thinking about the budget, so it helps to get the family involved, and the best person to be your budget buddy could be your partner. Whenever you seem to be veering off the path, you’ll have someone who knows the plan keeping you in check. Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels It’s harder to keep track of spending if all the money is in your wallet.
Also, if you’re going to be frugal with spending, it’s not the best idea to keep the money in your wallet. The best way to track expenditures properly is through your mobile phone and banking app, where every purchase can be recorded easily.