jarerice Posted August 27, 2007 Share Posted August 27, 2007 How do you budget for christmas money? I save up change. I do the surveys and it Target's clearance. I try to get everything with just one pay check. I get paid bi-weekly. I would like to say that I only spend 1000.00, but I know I always end up spending more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DramaQueenLucy Posted August 27, 2007 Share Posted August 27, 2007 I save $100.00 per month every month for Black Friday. Then do the surveys and put any rebate checks ect in to my special Christmas savings and it adds up nicely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmmiller Posted August 27, 2007 Share Posted August 27, 2007 Sad to say, we dont really budget for it. we end up taking a couple of DH's Part-time paychecks and use them. That way, we're not cutting into our reg. pay and hurting ourselves financially. I'd say I spend over $500. It keeps increasing every year. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinydancer34 Posted August 27, 2007 Share Posted August 27, 2007 I do pretty much exactly what DramaQueenLucy does. We probably spent about $1200 last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abentley Posted August 27, 2007 Share Posted August 27, 2007 I buy all year..so I don't really budget it. I am very lucky and blessed the last few years to not have to. When I went back to work, I used the $$ just for Christmas...kept me very happy. I do save change for $$ just to blow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christib327 Posted August 27, 2007 Share Posted August 27, 2007 I buy all year too so we don't budget either. I just hit sales when I see them and keep an ongoing list of what I've bought and what ideas I have so I know what to look for. As far as black friday goes I always use gift cards we get from our credit card points and then my hubby always gives me a pretty decent amount to take with me. I'm usually just down to finishing up stockings by that point, but I always buy extra stuff since the sales are so good :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txmomma Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 Budget?? What's that?? Just kidding lol I probably spend about $1000. I save a little money every month, all year long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick_jenni_jocelyn Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 usually its whatever DH will let me spend, lol. but i think its usually between $300 to $500-ish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 We don't budget for it. I just try to get the best price I can on everything I buy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy72 Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 Dont really budget.....just buy all yr long Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikkilugi Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 Haven't bugeted in the past and it has bitten me in January :) I am sure I spend about $1500 but then I of course overbuy for my kids, I buy for my mom and dad, dh's mom and dad, 2 nephew's, 2 niece's, my grandma, and 7 cousins who are younger than me, and of course dh and I buy for each other - some years it is more than others although last year I spent about $200 on dh. I spend about $20 per niece and nephew and $10 per cousin. This year will be so nice because my last car payment is in a couple of days!! Yay!! That free's up $500 a month which I will be putting into savings for BF and Christmas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shopping mom Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 I put a bonus check in a Christmas Club account and add to it when I can and then add the second bonus at the end of the year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JazzMama Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 I have a Christmas club - for me, it's easier that they just take it straight from my paycheck so I don't have to! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mandifour Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 I get a bonus check in Dec. 2 weeks pay, but doesnt help me for BF. I never really budget but this years I want to spend less than my bonus check. I wants to spend 750 or less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisamag Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 i used to keep all my bills paid up so when dec came i could hold off paying them till jan, money was really tight so that was the only way, yeah it would double up my bills, but i would pay them off in 2 months. now i managed to save. when i would get a tax check i would just put money on the side for birthday, holidays or when something comes up that's needed. so thats what i do now, just keep it on the side. but lately it seems i'm spending more then i'm saving. i guess i spend about $300 on each one and they get about 35 gifts each. this yr their getting way less then that, since they're getting mostly video games and electronic toy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeachieKeen Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 I save up out of each check about three months before BF all the way up til Xmas...and that gives me just enough....and I can buy gradually up to that point...if I have to put anything on credit in that time, I pay it off as soon as the next check comes in so I'm not putting any xmas gifts on credit.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
love a deal Posted August 29, 2007 Share Posted August 29, 2007 No budget here...I start Christmas shopping in January. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christy Garner Posted August 29, 2007 Share Posted August 29, 2007 I have a Christmas club that my husband deposits money into every two weeks. It automatically comes out of his check and we cannot touch it until the bank sends a check in mid November. That is always what i use and of course, extra that has been saved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cotinkandy1 Posted September 17, 2007 Share Posted September 17, 2007 No I don't set a budget.....I try and find the HOT items selling on Ebay and grab them if I can. Last year it was the PS3 and Wii's and elmos that helped with my shopping expences. With 6 kids saving all year is hard to do....But DH will work all the overtime he can!!! Gotta love him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e-stella Posted September 17, 2007 Share Posted September 17, 2007 I start shopping in September and try to stay in a budget less than $1000.00 (excluding my mom and dad's gifts). I have a huge huge family of 13 aunts and uncles, not including their children and grandchildren. Which sends my list of people well into the 50's and that's only my mom's side Needless to say, I don't buy everyone a present and not everyone shows up to the parties. So I buy a bunch of discounted gifts every black friday and keep them wrapped in my trunk just in case. If need be, I take a breather from the party fill out a name tag, rip off the post-it description of what the gift is, and slip a present under the tree for the loved but forgotten partier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
satidwell Posted September 17, 2007 Share Posted September 17, 2007 I try to budget, but this is my favorite time of year I cant help but to overspend. Its ok though I have a whole year to recover from it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berry1014 Posted September 17, 2007 Share Posted September 17, 2007 I also shop all year. By Sept I usually have several gifts, stocking stuffers, etc. We also do a christmas club and get that check every October. Each week we put money into the christmas club. The amunt we spend varies year to year, depends on the sales and deals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kellane26 Posted September 17, 2007 Share Posted September 17, 2007 We have an account at the credit union that we set aside money in. This is just an all purpose savings. I usually get about a $500 Christmas bonus, so I use that and then get the rest out of the credit union. I don't even know how much we usually spend. We have lots of people to buy for. I would guess it's around $1500. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pogiporkchop Posted September 17, 2007 Share Posted September 17, 2007 I opened a second checking last month to use for specific things and have been putting lottery winnings into it. The way it's been going i'm going to have a fun BF (especially if I keep getting $50 and up winners like I have been for the last two weeks... yesterday I won $250!) My husband is happy to provide me the money to play because I keep winning We play responsibly, though, and never spend more than we can afford. As to how much I'll spend, I have no idea since I have to send to family and friends overseas as well as buy for people over here. Ask me after the holidays :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CocoaDiva43 Posted September 18, 2007 Share Posted September 18, 2007 I shop year around for all my christmas gift and after christmas sale at Target and walmart:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kselzer Posted September 18, 2007 Share Posted September 18, 2007 I have a spreadsheet that shows what bill is due on what paycheck. I will bulk up on paying bills the 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after BF paycheck so I only have a few, if any, bills that I need to pay with my BF paycheck. Then when I run out of money from that paycheck that's it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer0530 Posted September 18, 2007 Share Posted September 18, 2007 I don't have a budget either and I couldn't tell you what I spend to be honest. I just keep my eyes open for a good bargin and pick stuff up when I do. I have a basic list of things I always get the kids: 3 outfits, 3 pj's, socks, underwear, shoes/boots. The rest is either picked up because I know they will like it (such as I got DSD Hannah Montana perfum) or it is on their lists. All 3 kids get the same amount of presents right now since they are close in age but as they get older I will start spending a certain dollar amount since teenagers want more expensive stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunniq Posted September 18, 2007 Share Posted September 18, 2007 I do a budget, but it is a per person budget. It is usually set during the previous Christmas Season, and I tend to start buying on December 26. Sometimes I go over, but that is usually because I see an item I know someone would just love, and I have to get it for them. The total this year is $500.00. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
droolbug2 Posted September 18, 2007 Share Posted September 18, 2007 I don't really budget. I buy things on clearance (usually at Target) throughout the year. Usually I take everything out and make a list of what I have for who and figure up who is lacking. I then purchase a few more things to even everything out. I come up with a budget for BF after seeing the ads and going over bills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilimak Posted November 3, 2007 Share Posted November 3, 2007 Dh puts in a week straight of work, and all the overtime takes care of Christmas. We also have 3 December birthdays in our family, so that gets taken care of w/ overtime too. Also, I sell stuff on ebay and use the money from that towards Chrstmas too. We usually budget about $100. per person in our family, but I admit, we spend more than that when I factor in the stuff I buy with my money too. More like $150. per person. Elena Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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