Christmas in…September?

Dear Dave,

I know it may be early to talk about Christmas, but do you have any advice on saving for the holiday season?

Carlie

Dear Carlie,

Its never too early to talk about Christmas! Im glad youre thinking about things ahead of time. A lot of people wait until December to buy gifts and make plans. Thats fine if theyve got the money set aside to handle things, but most of them dont. Then, they panic and turn to credit cards. You dont want to end up in a situation where youre still paying off Christmas in April.

If you dont have anything put aside yet, Id suggest setting some spending goals now. Taking a close look at your income and expenses should be part of this. If youre not doing it already, what Im talking about here is living on a written, monthly budget. Look at how much you can afford to put toward Christmas each month, make a gift-giving goal amount, and stick to it. Along with this, you might consider opening a separate account just for your Christmas savings. Start looking for gift deals now, too. There are end-of-summer sales still going on, and you never know what you might find.

You dont have to spend a lot of money to have a wonderful Christmas or make the season special for others—even when it comes to giving. Thoughtful handmade items, meaningful photographs set in a frame, or special baked goods are great ways to show the folks in your life youre thinking about them and how much you care.Read More – Source