I am almost done with my Christmas shopping this year &
I am contributing it to my organizing system. In five simple steps you can plan
your holiday present list.
1 1. Who am I buying for? It is impossible to know
what you need to get if you don’t even know who is on your present list.
2 2. How much can I spend? Set a budget and stick to
it, no matter what. My husband and I sat down about a month ago and decided how
much money we had to spend on each person. This is crucial. Do not splurge just
because you really like something. Do not spend your entire savings for one
day, the memories with family and friends are more important that debt. I also used
several coupons this year to stretch our budget.
3 3. Research. Look up ideas on Pinterest or blogs, and
browse Sunday ads in the newspaper. This is just to inspire you, no need to
stress yet.
4 4. Make a grand list. This should include who, how
much, and a brief list of ideas. Make it compact, so you can stick it in your
purse and reference while out in the stores. Once again, look on Pinterest for
a free printout, or if you are good in excel, make your own.
5 5. Go for it! Go out and search for the items on
your list. Maybe you prefer to go out a couple times and get as much as you can
carry. Others like to take smaller trips. Either way, take your list and stick
to it. Reevaluate and possibly edit if it doesn’t work out.
These may seem like simple ways to conduct your shopping, that’s
because they are! I usually just go out and buy whatever, and I always go over
budget and forget who I still need to buy for. I am also using a huge list for
my Christmas cards, so I don’t forget anyone.
Merry Christmas!
