To help you avoid some of the holiday stress this year, we put our FFEF heads together to give you some tips that will help you stay in control of your money and time during the holidays.
1. Create a holiday budget and stick to it.
Identify just how much you have to spend for the holidays. This will take careful analysis on your part. Your FFEF counselor can help you analyze your budget to see what you might be able to allot to holiday spending. It may not be very much, but that’s okay. Once you’ve decided just what you have available, it will be easier to resist the temptation to spend more than you can afford.
2. Decide on the people you most want to remember this holiday season.
Once you’ve created your holiday budget, decide how much you have to spend on gifts. Remember that gifts are not the only expense during the holidays. Special meals, parties, decorations, etc. must all come out of your holiday budget. Decide what are must-haves and what you can do without this year.
You may not be able to buy gifts for everyone on your list this season. That’s okay too. Bake cookies that you deliver in person, make holiday cards from items you have on hand, or simply make a phone call. You can even tell people that you are working to get your finances where they should be, but you wanted to let each person know how much he or she means to you so you are stopping by or calling to do just that. People will appreciate knowing that you are thinking of them. Once you’ve made the decision not to buy, sticking to it will be easier.
3. Make a shopping plan before you go.
Don’t shop aimlessly. Decide beforehand which stores you will visit and how long you will spend at each store. Be realistic and allow for travel, weather, and holiday crowds. Follow your plan as closely as possible so you don’t get sidetracked, but be flexible enough to enjoy your shopping experience. It should be more enjoyable to give the gift than it is to receive it.
4. Take care of yourself.
Don’t get so caught up in staying organized and getting everything done that you forget to enjoy the season. Maintain your exercise routine and pay attention to what you’re eating. If you find yourself feeling stressed or frustrated, take a break and do something that helps you relax. Go for a walk around the neighborhood to see the holiday decorations, meditate by the fire or in a chair by the window. The holidays should be a time for renewing good feelings.
5. Focus on getting work done so you can enjoy the holidays.
Before you begin each workday, take 10 minutes to plan how you will spend your day. Review your most important tasks and appointments for the day. Be realistic with your time and prioritize your projects doing the most important first. Taking care of your “to do” list in this way will make it easier for you to leave work on time so you can enjoy holiday evenings and weekends with family and friends.
6. Plan your goals for the holiday season.
Determine what your goals are for this holiday season. Do they involve spending time with family and friends? Are there events you want to be sure you don’t miss? Is there something you want to do every holiday but never seem to get to it? Do you always mail cards or gifts later than you’d hoped?
First, make a list of the goals you’d like to meet this year for the holidays. Second, number each goal in order of importance to you. Now rewrite the list with your goals in the numbered order. Put the list in a place where you can refer to it often as you make decisions about how to spend your time. You’ll be surprised how much easier it will be to make your holiday plans.
7. Take 20 minutes at the start of each week to put your plan in place.
Take 20 minutes each Sunday to sit down in a quiet place away from interruptions to plan how you will spend your personal time in the upcoming week. Review your list of holiday goals and plan your time accordingly. It will quickly become evident what you have time for and what will have to be eliminated. By having the most important things identified, you’ll know what you don’t want to miss out on. Planning ahead will also help you be realistic about what you can get done and what you won’t have time for. Planning to do more than you have time for is a big contributor to holiday stress.
8. Keep your holiday goals in a place you can carry with you.
Carry a notebook or organizer that has your budget, gift list, holiday goals, and weekly schedule in it. Having everything in a place that you can carry easily makes it easier to stick with your plans and to remember the decisions you have made. Keep the notebook or organizer with you all the time. There’s nothing worse than making a purchase or a commitment and then getting home to find it wasn’t the purchase you had planned for or the commitment was made for time you had set aside to accomplish something else.
9. Learn to say “No” nicely.
Ask yourself, “What is the wisest and best use of my time today?” Don’t overload yourself with too many commitments at one time. Keep the commitments you make, but learn to say “No” nicely to commitments that are not high on your holiday goals list so you can focus your time and energy on the things you really value this holiday season.
10. Keep it simple.
If entertaining is an important part of Christmas for you, plan to keep it simple. Make a timeline and a list of tasks that must be done to make your party a success. Delegate some of the task to others. The food doesn’t have to be fancy and there’s no need to spend money on decorations. A fire in the fireplace or fresh berries and evergreens will set the mood. Remember, it’s the people that make the party. If you have a family, involve them all in the planning and preparation. Children love to help. Let guests bring a favorite hors d’oeuvres. Forget trying to make everything perfect and just concentrate on helping everyone have fun.