There was a time that I couldn't even own a credit card.
I wasn't a huge spender. No, I was one of those that saw a great holiday shopping deal and seized that deal. And at the end of the week when I went crying to my husband that I didn't have enough money to cover a utility bill during the holiday season, he would look back and see that I really hadn't spent a lot of money. No, I spent $8 here, $25 there, $13 there over the course of a week. At the end of the week, that total came to hundreds of dollars spent on money that I couldn't account for or even remember spending. Lunch maybe? That impromptu great deal on a Christmas gift? Who knows!
I willingly gave up my credit cards, and my free access to spending money in an attempt to gain control. Now I look forward to the holidays knowing I'll stay on budget with the help of a few simple tips.
Some of the things that I do to stay financially on track during the holiday seasons are:
* Starting October 31, we will take out 'X' amount of cash out of our checking account each pay period and set that aside for Christmas gifts. I can dip into that money when I find a good deal. If I buy online, I discipline myself to deposit that amount of cash back into the account once making the purchase.
* I establish what we want to get for each kid with the help of my husband. Often he has some great ideas that I don't have. Since he travels 3-4 days a week getting out shopping together isn't always possible, but if he buys something he will let me know and I deposit that amount of money back into the account. Vice versa. I also let him know what I may have bought. We also opt to shop together on the weekends for our date night when he is home and we both have that cash in hand.
* Keeping a Google doc that I can send and update with things that we have bought for the kids or family members also helps keep us on track. Each time one of us makes a purchase, the document is shared between us. We can also track ideas we have for each kid on that Google doc so when we see something we think one of the kids might like, it goes on the list. When we purchase that item, it moves to the purchased part of the Google doc under the child's name.
This holiday season, Capital One 360 is decking the halls with deals you can bank on, including new account bonuses, referral bonuses and closing cost credits. Capital One 360's Black Friday Sale deals are designed to encourage consumers to keep their finances top of mind during the holiday season.
In addition to taking advantage of deals on banking, brokerage and mortgage products yourself, you can give your friends and family the gift of financial peace of mind by encouraging them to take advantage of the deals and refer them to the sale. If they sign up, you may be eligible for a $40 referral bonus.
Hurry and head to Capital One 360 to enjoy the Captial One 360's Black Friday Sale and enjoy deals like up to $1,250 off closing costs on a home loan, $100 checking and saving bonuses, and the $40 referral bonus.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
Photo Courtesy FamilyMag.com
Leave a Reply