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Posted: Thursday, 03 December 2009 11:42AM
Gifts On A Budget
Anne Osmer Reporting
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 For many people this year, Old Saint Nick isn’t quite as fat as he used to be. With an uncertain economy, lay offs, and less buying power, many of us are tightening the proverbial belt and bracing for a lean holiday shopping season.
Sounds depressing, right? It doesn’t have to be. You may find that a bit of budget-setting can take the fear out of holiday shopping, leaving you to shop with confidence!
The most important component to shopping on a budget is to set a realistic budget in the first place. Take a look at what you think you’ll spend this holiday season. Be sure to consider all of your costs – entertaining, decorating, special outings – when deciding how much you can spend on gifts.
Write down everyone you’d like to buy for. I say “like to” because if the budget won’t allow it, some people may not make the final cut.
Write a dollar figure next to each person, add the figures up and see what you’ve got. You may be pleasantly surprised, right on target, or way off budget at this point. If it’s the latter, relax! Think about how much better it is to handle your budget problem now than when you’re in a panic because your credit cards max out unexpectedly.
If you need to trim some fat, don’t be shy with the pen. Try lowering the amounts on your top-dollar recipients, and see if you can eliminate some people altogether. While you may feel like Scrooge bringing it up, family and friends often welcome the opportunity to take a hiatus on exchanging gifts and lessen their gift load, too.
If your budget’s still out of whack, consider cutting a top-dollar recipient. A spouse or a good friend is usually someone you can talk to. See if you can move gift-giving to a later date, or plan a special outing or dinner to take place after the holidays. Celebrating a month or two after the holidays can be more fun – and meaningful – than during the hubbub of celebrations.
Now that your budget and gift-list dollar amounts are in sync, it’s time to brainstorm for gift ideas and concentrate on the fun part: shopping!
But keep your budget-guard up. As you shop, reference your list with every purchase and – unless you’re willing to shortchange someone else – do not overspend! Write down what you finally end up spending on each person. This will help curb any urge to inch up budgeted amounts.
Finally, when it’s all over, take yourself out for a nice (budget-conscious) treat for a job well done!
More holiday gift tips and ideas.
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