The festive season is upon us once more, yet we may find ourselves spending beyond our means only to greet the new year with empty pockets. Below find a list of tips that may help you enjoy this season without the stress of entering 2022 broke.

1. Goal Setting

December comes every year and is therefore easy to plan for. This involves figuring out exactly what your December plans will be. Would you like to travel? Where to? Are there any purchases you would like to make? If so, what are they? Having clear goals allows you to have a clear picture of what you want for Christmas.

2. Budgeting

This is another crucial step in helping you manage your finances better during the festivities. Once you figure out what you want, you must determine how much it will cost you. If you are going on a trip, how much will it cost? (Are you flying, are you driving?). Are there any additional documents that you might need for your trip? (This may mean additional costs) Budgeting allows you to grasp the kinds of funds fully required to make your December dreams a reality.

3. Saving

Having come up with a budget, you can now determine how much to save up. This involves putting aside money every month to have the amount required by December. If you plan yourself early enough, you can begin saving in January, and this will give you 11 months to come up with the necessary funds by December.

4. Sticking to the budget

It is all well and good to plan for all this, but an integral part is to do it. Come up with the budget, and stick to it. Set aside the money regularly to not find yourself overwhelmed by all the spending that comes with the season.

5. Utilizing sales

This festive season usually brings with it all manner of sales. Take full advantage of them. Whether it is travel discounts, sales from your favourite retailer, or any other, utilize these sales. In November, we have Black Friday sales, while there are usually Christmas sales in December. Look through the offers to see whether your purchases are on sale; if so, why not buy them at a discounted rate instead of full price?

The December period is usually filled with joy, but it can also be very stressful. Why not alleviate some of that stress by planning early?