January 15th, 2012 
admin 
With lots of people tightening their belts, it makes sense to take a look and see what we can do to make Christmas more affordable. A budget-conscious Christmas might require a little more thought, but it doesn’t have to be devoid of fun. A bit of discipline, from being careful with your cards credit to noting down everything you spend can help to make sure you don’t go over budget during this holiday season.
Budget for gifts
If you’ve not already started your Christmas present shopping for this year, now is the time to set a realistic budget for how much you can spend. This way, you can work out who you need to prioritise in terms of buying presents. It can also help you work out how much you can afford to spend on things like Christmas food and entertainment.
Keep a record
Noting down everything you spend on Christmas can be a little tedious, admittedly, but keeping track as you go along means you should have a good grip on your finances. It can be tempting to make use of gadgets such as contactless payment technology, but just remember that even though you might be spending on plastic, it still translates into cold, hard cash.
Donate while you spend
Even though some of us might be a little bit cash-strapped at the moment, it doesn’t mean we don’t want to give something back. If you have a cash back or specific charity card, this can be a good way of donating to a good cause without worrying about how it will affect you.
Consider going rustic
Finally, having a budget-conscious Christmas could actually be quite fun and rustic, so why not try and embrace that spirit? Making your own tree decorations and cards can be fun and practical, and holly from your garden can make a nice alternative decoration that won’t break the bank, either.
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Tags: contactless payment technology