Christmas is six months away. Most of us are thinking about the beach, vacations, and hot weather at this point in the game. Christmas is often overlooked as a big expense, but it usually hits our bank accounts hard. In 2005, Americans spent an average of $900 per household on Christmas gifts. If you start putting away $150 a month until the holiday season, you’ll have $900 to spend on your loved ones for the holidays.
I know that many of you come from the school of thought that you will just charge the gifts to a credit card and pay it back in a month or two. No biggie on the interest, right? The point I am trying to make is that the holiday season should be thought about more when it comes to our financial plans. I am planning on socking away some money each month to pay for Christmas gifts, so that I do not even have to think about paying back a credit card next January. I have learned that when I set goals for my money and spend it on paper a head of time, I am less stressed out about it. Just a little thought while we’re basking in the sun and going on cruises this summer.
