I have the itch. Today is a brrr... cold day. It's a fire day, a hot chocolate day, a prepare for Thanksgiving and Christmas kind of day!
The children are choosing favorite game and craft ideas for Thanksgiving while I nurse Georgia Anne for her nap. I'm excited to go up and hear what they think of when we talk about Thanksgiving. Family, a trip to Tallahassee and food all come to my mind.
Oh, but my topic was Christmas Shopping! That's because I have a neat idea that I want to share. Even with a budget, moms are often subject to impulse buys. And $5 here and $20 there will blow a budget every time!
I've taken my Christmas list to a new level. As the catalogs start pouring in, I fold down everything I like. Then I go back through and cut out the items and glue into a folder, one page per person I'm shopping for. Sometimes I don't cut out something I folded down- that's impulse elimination phase 1. :) Phase 2 is gluing in... if there are 2 things that are similar, or if all of a sudden that remote control toy (and the 10 batteries it needs) doesn't seem so practical, I toss it.
Phase 3 is... (drum roll...) my Hubby! We look through my folder together (well, except for his pages) and he helps clarify our choices for the year. No return lines, no over-abundance of toys that will break in 3 days anyway... we pare it down to 3 gifts per kiddo and some stocking stuffers.
Freedom!! Now I have a purposeful list and when I hit the stores (or websites) if I see something I just "have to buy" I can look at the pictures we already chose and weigh my options wisely.
What do you do to keep expenses down?
Hey Allie! I like your idea. Good stuff. Scott and I try to be strategic and shop throughout the year so we're not hit last minute. Sometimes I find things that are perfect for those hard to buy for family members in the spring or summer and tuck it away. Mostly we stick to a monetary budget per person.
ReplyDelete