Reduce stress and expense this Christmas with these following budget tips:
1. Create a budget: Know your income and expenses to determine your surplus for Christmas purchases. Track your purchases via a spending app.
2. Gift limit: Put a dollar limit on each gift.
3. Create SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. Goals give you a timeframe to achieve them.
4. Find extra money: Have a garage sale, get a part-time job or volunteer for overtime at work.
5. Shop smart: Make a shopping list. Shop around, compare prices and use loyalty card points.
6. Share the load: Share catering responsibilities and buy only what you need.
7. Beware credit cards, Zip Pay and AfterPay: While convenient, know repayment and interest amounts before committing. Consider using your debit card (own money) instead.
8. Pay down debts: Consistently pay down your debts, so you can start 2020 in better financial shape.
9. Start saving for Christmas 2020: Open a separate account and have funds automatically transferred every pay day.
10. Connect with loved ones: No one will remember if the napkins matched but they will remember if you didn’t talk to them all day.