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 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!

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.

 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

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:

Retire Earlier - Buy Used Cars!

 

Being able to retire in my mid-50's:

As I get closer to retirement in my mid-50's, people ask me how I got to this point. How can you do this? There are several choices that I have made over the years, but some stand out more than others. 

Best choice for planning retirement in my early 40's: Buying a used car instead of new.

Around my 40th birthday, I realized after years of living paycheck to paycheck that the only way out of this cycle was to NOT have a car payment! The people I work with are constantly congratulating others after their latest new car purchase.  I had to learn to no longer follow this trend! I had followed my coworkers' love of constantly having newer cars and had to find a way to break out of this cycle!