Hello and welcome to Money Saving Monday ! Every Monday I host a blog hop and post great money saving tips and advice. Feel free to participate, there is no need to write a Money Saving Monday post, but it is encouraged! Do you have a money saving tip to share, but you don’t have a blog? No problem! Leave your money saving tip in the comment section!
Frugality can be difficult to put into practice around the holidays. Having the discipline to pass up some of the best deals of the entire year can seem almost counterproductive to your desire to live frugally. With a bit of planning and a strategy for how you are going to handle the holidays however, you can make wise and informed decisions.
We personally shop probably around 75% more this time of year than any other time. It isn’t without strategy though, and we very rarely make impulse purchases. The truth is, this is a really good time of the year for great sales. It’s not all just marketing. Stores know that they can deeply discount a few items, get you in the door, and charge you full price for everything else.
With a plan, you can be sure you only take advantage of the great deals and leave the rest where it belongs; back in the store.
Save money in a holiday account
It’s a bit late to start saving for the 2010 Holiday season, but this is a point to keep in mind for next year. Every month put a bit of money into a savings account designated just for next year’s sale season. Think about how much you generally spend for your family and friends and divide it by 12. Start setting aside the money in January and you can spend without regret!
Do not make the mistake of only focusing on gifts
What does your family need/want? This time is a great time of year to stock up on clothes, linens, electronics, etc. Consider the long term needs and wants for your family and buy now when the price is low. Many stores release multiple coupon codes that you can use this time of year. Why not make use of them and buy without gift giving in mind? You have the added bonus of not having to worry if the items are shipped in time to be wrapped if you are simply buying for your own family. We actually save our electronics purchases for this time of the year simply because we can generally get really awesome prices. It’s worth it for us to delay gratification all year, and buy now when the price is hot!
Look for what you need/want, ignore the rest
Grab your blinders and stick them on. Ignore deals you don’t need or want. Just because something is a great price doesn’t mean you should make the purchase. “It’s only $10…” is not a valid argument when you had no intention of spending even a penny on it before you saw the deal. For that matter, even if something is free, you might not need/want it! Let someone else enjoy the freebie and sit back and be glad you don’t have more clutter coming your way!
You can keep right on frugal living in the midst of all the great deals. Don’t feel guilty about buying what your family needs and wants. Plan to spend a bit extra money this time of year, taking advantage of the great sales and coupons. Delay gratification if you think there will be a big price drop for the holiday’s. Decide ahead of time what you are going to purchase and ignore the rest! Frugality is possible, even during the holidays. It’s simply a matter of saving where you can so you can spend where you want!
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Have a great Monday!
I love the idea of thinking about what someone is going to need long term. My mom did this with big things wer were going to need in college while we were in high school.
Stopping from the hop!
Thanks for stopping by! Yes, I think so many people get so focused on what they need to buy for the holidays. They tend to forget that this is a great time of year to buy just about anything!