It’s that time of year again, the Holidays! A time of year where we get together with family and friends, go to Holiday parties and have a spending hangover when it’s all said and done.
You’ve got to buy gifts, get a new outfit for that party, face temptation to buy all the cute decorative items for your home, and maybe you have to buy a new winter jacket or a pair of boots.
Oh, and we can’t forget about Black Friday and Cyber Monday!
How the heck are you supposed to get through the Holidays without breaking the bank?!
Join me and my friend and personal stylist Susan Padron as we share tips for shopping for the Holidays without breaking the bank. We’ll be going live in my Facebook Group, The Financial Self Care Club on Thursday.
Join the community and you can RSVP for the training here.
This is a sneak peek of what we’ll be talking about.
A little self-awareness about the type of shopper you are can come in handy this Holiday season. Here are a few shopping personas. You may be one of these, a mix of these, or maybe something I haven’t mentioned here.
The avoider – you don’t trust yourself at the store so you just stay home and watch Netflix.
The impulse buyer – you walk around the store, see things you like, and end up buying items you didn’t necessarily want or need.
The overspender – you shop without thinking about how much it’s costing or how it’s affecting your bank account.
The planner – you know exactly what you’re going to buy and leave with just that.
The minimalist – you don’t really value shopping and don’t want more “stuff” so you stick with what you have.
Which of these best describes you? Also, there’s no good or bad, right or wrong, so no shame or judgment with where you are. It’s just about understanding your habits better so that you can create a Holiday plan that works for you.
A helpful exercise is to have a plan for all the gifts you’re going to buy. You can start by writing out all the people you’re going to get a gift for and your budget for each person. You can even start to get more specific and list out specifically what you’d like to get for them.
This way, you have a budget, you know what your spending will look like, and you don’t end up feeling guilty, having buyers remorse, or overspending.
Think about how many Holiday parties you have this year and what you wear on actual Holidays (if you get out of your pajamas).
This is another area that can potentially break the bank. With so many events and parties, feeling like you have nothing to wear can cause some unplanned expenses.
Instead of buying a new outfit, maybe you can add a new accessory to something you already have to make it feel new or have a clothing swap with a few friends so you have something fresh in your wardrobe.
Another expense that may come up over the Holiday season is that you want or need to update your winter wardrobe. There are only a few times of year where you can buy things like winter jackets and boots, so this may be an expense you face.
Think about if there’s anything you need to update in your wardrobe. Having specific items in mind when your shopping can help you avoid buying things you didn’t actually really want to buy.
There are a lot of opportunities to get discounts and save money.
There are also a lot of opportunities to get tempted to buy something you weren’t planning on buying because, well, it’s on sale!
Having a plan for what you want to buy and a budget can help make sure you’re taking advantage of these deals without giving in to temptation.
Susan and I are going to be breaking this all down and offering more tips and strategies to help you shop for the Holiday season without breaking the bank.
Join the Financial Self Care Club, RSVP for the training, and we can’t wait to see you there!