How to Budget for Christmas Gifts Without Holiday Financial Stress

 

Budgeting for December

When you have four young children, the holidays are incredibly exciting. You want your kids to be happy and genuinely thrilled with the gifts they receive on Christmas morning.  Even now that my children are older, I still love seeing their excitement as they open their gifts. 

However, December wasn't always joyful for me. For many years, the holiday season brought financial stress, credit card balances, and anxiety. Everything changed when I learned how to budget for Christmas gifts year-round and plan ahead for holiday expenses. 

Create a Christmas Gift Budget for Each Child

One of the best ways to save money during the holidays is to set a clear budget and stick to it. In our family, we typically spend $300 per child on Christmas gifts. I know every family is different-- some spend more, some spend less--but this amount works well for our household and keeps our holiday spending under control. 

The key is choosing a number that fits your family budget and committing to it before shopping begins.

Plan Your Holiday Budget in January

No-Spend January: How I'm Saving Money After the Holidays

I'm always ready to move on after the holidays are over. I truly enjoyed the season, especially getting time to see my oldest child who lives on the other side of the state. While it's still hard when he leaves, I'm incredibly proud of the adult he's become and the life he's built for himself. Thankfully, we stay connected with frequent phone calls and catch-ups, which helps ease the transition back to everyday life.

Now that the holidays are behind us, January is here, and reality sets in.

With the next round of college tuition payments coming due for our middle children, it's officially time for No-Spend January in our household. For me, that means spending money only on needs, not wants and being intentional about every dollar. 

What is No-Spend January?

How to Change Your JetBlue Itinerary Using Facebook Messenger (Live Agent Guide)

Changing your flight doesn't have to mean long hold times or complicated phone menus. JetBlue allows passengers to change their itinerary by contacting customer service through Facebook Messenger, making it one of the fastest ways to reach a live agent. 

In this guide, you'll learn how to change your JetBlue flight via Facebook Messenger, what details you need, and tips to avoid extra fees. 

Why Use Facebook Messenger to Change a JetBlue Flight?

JetBlue's Facebook Messenger support is one of the easiest ways to reach a live JetBlue customer service agent without waiting on hold. 

Benefits include:

• Quick access to JetBlue live support
• No phone calls required 
• Written record of your itinerary change
• Assistance with fare difference and travel credits

Many travelers prefer Messenger because it's faster than calling JetBlue customer service.

What You Can Change Through JetBlue Facebook Messenger

How to Save Money on Groceries in 2026 (Simple, Proven Tips)

Groceries are one of the biggest monthly expenses for most households, and prices aren't going down anytime soon. The good news? Learning how to save money on groceries doesn't require extreme couponing or sacrificing the foods you love. 

With a few smart strategies, you can cut your grocery bill by 10-30% while still eating well. 

Why Groceries Are So Expensive Right Now

Rising food prices, inflation, and supply chain issues have made grocery shopping more expensive than ever. That's why people are searching for:

• how to save money on groceries

  

  BJ's App

  
  
• cheap grocery shopping tips
• how to lower grocery bills

The tips below focus on realistic, sustainable ways to save.

1. Plan Meals Before Grocery Shopping

Meal planning is one of the easiest ways to save money on groceries every month. 

Before you shop:

• Check your pantry, fridge and freezer to see what you already have.
• Plan 3-5 simple meals.
• Make a grocery list and stick to it. 

Meal planning helps you avoid impulse purchases and reduces food waste - two major causes of overspending. 

Need meal ideas?  Search for simple meal ideas on Pinterest.com. Your new favorite, easy to prepare meal is waiting for you to try out!

Turn That Minivan Into A Camping Van!

 After raising four children, I am left with a minivan that still runs great. (Thanks Toyota!) Being the frugal person that I am, I learned to repurpose my van to go on solo camping adventures!

Where to go camping in my minivan?

 State park campsites here in New York State with electricity generally cost 25-30 dollars per night. These parks have restroom and shower facilities to use. 

How did I decide to go solo camping?

Southwest Airlines: Is It Worth Paying For Early-Bird Check-In?

Southwest Airlines: Is It Worth Paying Extra For Early-Bird Check-In?  

View from a Southwest Airplane

  I love Southwest Airlines for their low fares and wide range of destinations in the United States, but I am not a fan of their seating plan. I have no doubt that there are many others that feel the same!  

What is Southwest Airlines boarding procedure?

Round Up Of Personal Finance Articles Wednesday, July 10, 2024

 I've taken a little break from collecting personal finance articles to read, and I'm back!  Here are my latest favorite finds:

From financialsamurai.com:  The Rise of Stealth Wealth: Ways To Stay Invisible From Society If You Have Money

From bitchesgetriches.com: The Dollar Bill Game: What You'd Do if Money Were No Object Says a Lot About You

Paddling on the 4th of July with the family.

From retirebeforedad.com:  The Problem With a "Forever Home" Mindset in Retirement

From apurplelife.com: Cheers To 6 Years Of A Purple Life!

From routetoretire.com: The Realities of Adventure: Are The Headaches Before And After Worth It?

Getting chased by hungry ducks while kayaking on the Allegheny River in PA last week!

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Spring Break in Arizona Using Miles and Points!

Who doesn't enjoy a getaway trip during Spring break week?  Armed with a new signup credit card bonus from Southwest Airlines and a good number of Ultimate Rewards points from Chase, I researched high and low about where we should go.

 The choice this year for Spring break travel was Sedona and Flagstaff, Arizona! I researched the average temps for early April and saw they were generally in the 60 degree range.  Sounds great compared to the generally cold, rainy weather of our home in the northeast.

Sedona, Mescal Trail View

I set an alarm for the day that Southwest Air flights opened for the end of March/ early April, seeing that my usual experience was that it would be cheaper to buy tickets earlier when they were offered vs later. So, on August 3rd, the plane tickets were purchased, including Early bird check in. For 34,000 points each round trip x 3. A very good deal, in my opinion.  Total other cost was $133 for taxes/EBCI.  Ok, step one done in our vacation plan!

Sedona, Mescal Trail View

Roundup of Personal Finance Reading Monday, March 25 2024

 

Still waiting for Spring weather here in Western New York.....

Fresh snow for my hike Tuesday.

My best imitation of the former collectingwisdom.com's daily collection of personal finance readings:

From abandonedcubicle.com: Is There an Airbnb Bust? 

Your Southwest Airlines Ticket Dropped In Price? Get A Refund!

Have you ever  booked a ticket on Southwest Airlines and then checked prices at a later date, only to find that the price dropped since you purchased your ticket?  

Get a refund on a previously purchased Southwest Airlines ticket that is lower than when you bought it!

It has been my experience that the earlier I booked my tickets on Southwest Airlines, the lower the price I would pay.  Sometimes this isn't true!

  In January, I booked a trip for September for 35,000 points round trip. Two months later, in March, I checked the price and the same round trip ticket was now 28,000 points, a 7,000 point difference!

 Southwest Airlines does NOT automatically refund you if the price drops after you buy your ticket.  I had heard that you CAN get a refund of the price difference, but wasn't sure how. 

After doing some research, here's how to get your refund:

How Much Did I Save By Shopping At Aldi Vs Wegmans? (3/21/2024)

 Are you curious to see if shopping at Aldi for your groceries can save you money vs shopping at Wegmans? 

Aldi prices are generally cheaper than Wegmans, most of the time. Is it worth your time to shop at two different grocery stores?  Let's see how much I saved!

Is there an Aldi and a Wegmans near you?

I am fortunate where I live that there is an Aldi store right next to a Wegmans store. If I have enough time, I will go to Aldi and get what I can, and then take the quick drive to Wegmans and finish my list. 

Aldi won't have all of the products you may be used to getting at Wegmans. 

I buy my cats' Iams food products at Wegmans since it's not available at Aldi. I mostly buy my meat products at Wegmans. Some paper and vitamin products won't be available at Aldi. (Think bathcups, daily vitamins)

First: Download the Wegmans app.

Personal Finance Reading Roundup Tuesday, March 19 2024

 My Reading List of Personal Finance Blogs for Tuesday, 3/19/2024

Happy Tuesday! I hope the weather is nicer where you are. Here in Western New York it's 32 degrees and snowing! Dreaming of spring and summer.....

From Retire by 40: FIRE The Greatest Gift for My Son

From Rich & Regular: Is F.I.R.E. really... a movement?

My New Favorite Tee Shirts- Cheap and Good Quality!

The Quest For Comfort: Discovering The Perfect Soft Material Inexpensive Tee Shirt on Amazon

As someone who values both comfort and affordability in clothing, stumbling upon the perfect soft material, inexpensive tee shirt was nothing short of a revelation! And where did I find this gem? None other than the vast treasure trove of options on Amazon.com. Let me take you on a journey through my quest for the ideal tee and how this discovery has transformed my summer wardrobe.

In the summer, I live in tee shirts and shorts. Definitely nothing expensive that I have to worry about getting dirty while hiking or kayaking. In the winter, I wear those tee shirts under a pullover sweatshirt with sweatpants or jeans. Retirement life is great and I don't miss wearing more dressy clothes when I was working!

I prefer soft, mostly cotton tee shirts that are longer, not see-through and don't restrict my shoulder movement. I need shirts with short sleeves.  I had some shirts by Reebok that fit this need, but this particular style was discontinued a few years ago. I have been searching for a replacement since then!

 A Sample of Personal Finance Articles for Saturday, March 16

I'm still missing my daily feed from the former collectingwisdom.com, so I created my own reading page.

From financialpanther.com:

Aventon Aventure 2 Review- Is This The Best Entry Level Fat Tire Ebike?

From reachfinancialindependence.com:

My Financial Independence Journey: A Unique Perspective

 A Sample of Personal Finance Articles for Wednesday, March 13

What happened? My go-to site of collaborated personal finance articles, formerly collectingwisdom.com, has changed to a different format.😞 

Here is my attempt to make up for this loss and share a collaboration of personal finance articles recently published:

From moneyunder30.com:

The Average Cost of Term Life Insurance By Age

From financialsamurai.com: 

How I'd invest $250.000 Cash in Today's Market

Is Shiny Tire Spray Ruining The Rotors On My Toyota Sienna?

Did Automatic Car Wash Shiny Tire Spray Ruin My Toyota Sienna's Brake Rotors?

 In the hustle and bustle of modern life, automatic car washes have become a convenient solution for keeping our vehicles clean and sparkling. However, beneath the gleaming appearance lies a potential problem that many drivers overlook - the shiny tire spray. While this product promises to enhance the appearance of your tires, it can inadvertently wreak havoc on your vehicle's brake rotors, leading to costly repairs. 

Disclaimer: My automobile parts knowledge is limited and opinions here are mine and my trusted mechanic's.

Unlocking Savings: How to Save Money on McAfee Antivirus Subscription

Unlocking Savings: How to Save Money on  your McAfee Antivirus Subscription 

In today's digital age, protecting your devices from cyber threats is important. McAfee Antivirus has been a trusted name in cybersecurity for years in my household, protecting against malware, viruses and other online hazards. However, subscribing to antivirus software can sometimes feel like a financial burden, especially with auto-renewal subscriptions. 

I recently received an email from McAfee that my subscription would auto-renew in 30 days for 149.99 for a one year renewal. The sticker shock set in and I started to look for alternatives! In the end, I was able to get McAfee antivirus for a small fraction of this price. 

Here's how to do it:

Get Free Books, Audiobooks And Magazines Using the Libby App!

 How to get books, audiobooks and magazines for free using the Libby App!

I have always loved to read.  When I was in early elementary school, I read anything I could find about horses.  ( I had an obsession for horses from a very early age...) My mother would take me to the library occasionally, particularly in the summer so she wouldn't hear that I was bored. I would borrow several books at a time.

  As a child, my grandmother lived in the house next to me, and I was welcome to visit whenever I wanted. After conversing with my grandmother, I would wander off and be found reading her stashes of books and magazines. Reader's Digest was my favorite!  

When my children were small, we would visit our local library frequently to have fresh stories to read at bedtime. There were hundreds, if not thousands of books to choose from.  

Enter the age of electronics.  I would find free kindle books, or find deals to get Kindle Unlimited for free for a few months. I would find some enjoyable books to read on Kindle, but there wasn't a very large variety.  Going to the library wasn't very convenient for me.

This past February, I discovered the Libby App!  This app gives you access to your local library system's books and magazines to read on your device for FREE!

How to get started with the FREE Libby App:

Cheap Trips Using Points - Assateague Island Wild Ponies Visit!

 

What to do for spring break?

Spring break was coming, and we had no plans. The weather forecast in Western New York State was warmer, as in 50 something degree temps, but with high odds for rain most days. Where could I go, along with my one remaining school-age son, that was within a day’s drive, but with better weather?

A horse-crazy kid's childhood dream

As a horse-crazy child, I always dreamed of visiting Assateague and Chincoteague Islands in Maryland and Virginia after reading the series Misty of Chincoteague, by Marguerite Henry. The stories are about the wild ponies that live on Assateague Island. Every year the ponies are rounded up, swam across the channel to Chincoteague Island, checked over, and the youngest horses are sold at auction to keep the herd from over-populating the island. After the auction, the remaining wild horses are returned to Assateague Island for another year.

How to travel without spending a lot? 

Unlimited talk, text and data for $25 per month with Visible!

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What is Visible?

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Is Visible worth switching to?

Yes!  I have used Visible for my entire family of 6 for over a year.  Problems?  Just a small issue when I began service where I wasn't getting texts for a day. I chatted online with a Visible representative and the issue was resolved quickly!