Worried about the upcoming holidays financially?

 

This time of year, many people start frantically trying to figure out whether they will make it through the holdays financially. Will you be able to afford to get your kids gifts? What about the holiday meals?

I wanted to write an article on how I save money for this busy time of year.

• Try selling some of your old stuff on ebay or craigslist now and putting away and money you make for the holidays.
• Save all change! think those pennies are worthless? You would be surprised at how fast change adds up. When you go to do your holiday shopping, just take them to your bank or a coinstar (coinstar has fees though!) machine and get dollar bills.
• Get your kids involved in saving all cans and bottles and recycling once a week. Put all the money aside for holiday shopping.
• Eat out just one less time per month from now until Christmas. Depending on your family size, this could be an extra 20-30 dollars saved, and by the time Black Friday comes around. you could have well over an extra 100 dollars to shop with!
• Check out last minute yard sales now that it is the end of the summer. Many times, you will find NEW items with tags still attached you could use for gifts this Christmas.
• If you are not on any contact, cut your cable and get Netflix at least until the holidays are over. Netflix is only $7.99 a month. This could save a ton!
• Start looking up things you could make for many of the people on your list. Handmade items are often cheaper and more valued than some store bought things could ever be! I am hoping to have some DIY crafts on my blog as the holidays draw closer.

I hope these tips will help ease some of the holiday stress that is sure to come our ways. You could always start shopping now as well and just get a few things every month. This could help spread the finances over time.

Photo via flickr by KB35