Is now the right time to save money to buy christmas for the loved ones? For me, it's time since I'm a full time student and part time worker. This year, I'm not even go BF shopping since this I want to get everyone something nice. And for me, it's better to give then receive.

Has anyone else started saving?

I thrown money into savings all year for Christmas, that way it's not a rush to find extra cash at the end of the year.

If I were you I'd do as much as Christmas shopping on black friday as I could. With a bit of forethought you can spend less and get them something better. My dad has done that for me repeatedly. I knew what he had gotten me (I had found a good BF price and showed it to him) but he still wouldn't give it to me till Christmas.

Yep, I think it is a good time to save for gifts. I think it is a good idea to budget every month for gift giving.

I am a hawk on my budget, so the extra money I throw at my mortgage goes towards gifts during that month.

Yep! I don't think it's possible to start saving for something too early...it can never hurt to have money in savings. But yeah, I'd say giving yourself two months or so to save up is a good plan.

If I were you I'd do as much as Christmas shopping on black friday as I could. With a bit of forethought you can spend less and get them something better. My dad has done that for me repeatedly. I knew what he had gotten me (I had found a good BF price and showed it to him) but he still wouldn't give it to me till Christmas.

Some of the stuff aren't even on sale for BF.

But yeah, I'd say giving yourself two months or so to save up is a good plan.

Yep, this yeah I should have more plus I have a Credit Card this year which is in great standing. :)

I would start saving for holiday shopping right after tax season or summer vacations. That would give you a nice headstart. All it takes is setting aside $50 from each paycheck and budgetting yourself. It's important to leave your holiday fund alone and not touch it though.

Save? That's a great idea! I buy all my Christmas gifts on credit and then pay them off with my year-end bonus.

Save? That's a great idea! I buy all my Christmas gifts on credit and then pay them off with my year-end bonus.
That's a good idea. Do your credit cards have nice perks?

That's a good idea. Do your credit cards have nice perks?

No, I've just always found it easier to do that way. I get 1 point per dollar spent, but it takes 10,000 points to get something roughly worth $100.

No, I've just always found it easier to do that way. I get 1 point per dollar spent, but it takes 10,000 points to get something roughly worth $100.

Hook him up Ross. He's missing out on two of the best credit cards out there. :)

I have a christmas club account w/ the bank that a little gets stashed out of my pay check each week

anytime is the right time to save. even if it's 5 bucks a week, it builds up.

*tries to listen to her own advice.*

Yes, you should save for Christmas :-) I'm a substitute teacher and I take 1/2 of every paycheck and use it for Christmas and the other 1/2 and use it for Band fees/trips/expenses. My husband works and pays all the bills and all the little extras, but with 2 kids in band it gets expensive.

I buy all year round, starting with the day after Christmas. Places like Sams have all their holiday stuff 50% off and some of their gift baskets are not holiday themed so you can give them out year round. I especially use the deals that I find on GD and just put stuff away. It's easy to do that with the little ones, because you can be relatively sure of their sizes the next year, and you know they haven't hit the point yet where you have no idea what their interests will be. I got a deal (I think was from GD) where they had these really nice candle sets for 4bucks shipped. We're talking a bunch of tapers, tealights, ornament and Christmas shaped ones, along with bigger ones in each set. I bought 12 in June, and will use them for Secret Santa's and teachers gifts. The only problem is sometimes I forget what I bought and some people end up getting double... doh!!!

I start the day after Christmas, actually at the 75% sales. I than look all year round, Feb at Target the sporting goods clear out, summer at Target was the toys and so on. In fact, Walmart has clearance going on now in most sections. Its a great start, also if you are looking for little gifts, look at buying a bulk item and splitting it up and putting it into nice gift bags. It stretches the dollar. Target keeps a regular stock of goods on clearance, also buy for birthdays etc. Jill:elmo:

I have been saving and shopping since April. I am actually almost done my shopping, but hoping to get a few good things this BF. Not sure yet, I will know when I see tha ads.

I have a Christmas club and have had one for three year. I take out 10 dollar's a week and that adds up to 520 and interest. I don't miss the ten bucks and I know that I will have that money to spend for Christmas. but I do buy throughout the year. I did really well this year and most of my shopping is done I just need a few key things.

I've been saving for awhile. Alittle here and there. Im up to $150 dollars. Not bad as Im a stay at home mom. Change from groceries, hubby's pockets when I do laundry (fair game LOL), my birthday money from my parents and grandparents (Yes at age 30 I still get my card w/ money in it) etc

I buy all year long.....but try to get the best buys right after Christmas at all the markdowns!!! I watch the internet for great deals all year round and just keep a list of what I buy for everyone.

I get deals in-stores and online stores all year for Christmas for family, but when it comes to my immediate family I buy their stuff at Christmas time. So, I put money away each month for them, since I spend more on them.

I typically start my Christmas shopping in June - I watch for clearence items and slowly build my stash.

I keep track of everything in a Word document so that I know exactly what I already have for each person.

As far as BF goes, I am going to save $150 out of every check between now and the big day. That should give me a nice sum to work with. We'll see if reality cooperates with this plan. :cool:

I have about 1/2 my shopping done at this point, but the remainder is mostly made up of higher dollar items. Exactly the kind of thing I want to save money on by shopping on BF!

i have a christmas club accout that comes out of my husbands check and then every november they send me a check for what i have in there

Is now the right time to save money to buy christmas for the loved ones? For me, it's time since I'm a full time student and part time worker. This year, I'm not even go BF shopping since this I want to get everyone something nice. And for me, it's better to give then receive.

Has anyone else started saving?

Ummmmm...............that's exactly why I DO go on BF. BF=nice things on sale, doesn't it?

I know what you mean about saving $ though.Every year I say I'm going to open a Christmas Club Account. It's a thing that my bank does. You put however much you want in it throughout the yr starting Jan. 1, and on Nov. 1 they deposit it into your checking account, mail you a check, whatever. So far, I've yet to do that. I'm really going to this time though.

I tend to buy little things all year round but really get started between June and Aug. It makes things so much easier and less stressful knowing you don't have to come up with all that money at the last minute.

Its been past time to save. I always put away cash throughout the year.

If I were you I'd do as much as Christmas shopping on black friday as I could. With a bit of forethought you can spend less and get them something better. My dad has done that for me repeatedly. I knew what he had gotten me (I had found a good BF price and showed it to him) but he still wouldn't give it to me till Christmas.
I need to start doing this. We have a bad habit of buying things on BF for ourselves and just going ahead and using the item. And then having nothing for Christmas.

Its been past time to save. I always put away cash throughout the year.


Yeah but, this post was started in Sept. When I first seen the name of the post I was like "huh? They wants to start saving for gifts now??" LOL

I just joined. Didn't even notice the origonal date of the post. Guess someone found this and bumped it to the top.

I buy a little at a time, starting around fall.

~H~

I guess it pays to pay attention.lol I saw this and was aabout to say something along the lines of if you haven't started saving yet, there's no need in it now.LMAO

i have a christmas club accout that comes out of my husbands check and then every november they send me a check for what i have in there
I think this is what I'll do next year....I hate the fact that it all comes out of my account at once instead of taking a little bit out each month to put towards it! :eyepoppin

yep its best to save before hand:bounce_fl

I don't save for christmas I start buying things July 1 so I get a little here a little there and it doesn't kill me financially

i save 2 months before hand

I use my credit card also for all christmas gifts so I can get the rewards, then since there is an extra payday in December and my husband gets a christmas bonus, I take the amount I have budgeted for Christmas out of the extra paycheck and bonus and pay off the credit card in january. In addition to getting some good deals on Christmas presents, I have a nice rewards balance after the first of the year to spend on myself! :2roller:

I try to start about the middle of summer, so I don't need to come up with money all at once.

I started setting aside $50 a week a few weeks ago. Just today DH asked what the cash in a drawer was for. I told him it is for BF, and he laughed and said I am a smart woman

I shop year round but it's always a bit of a crunch in December. This year I can't believe how great deals I've already snagged!