1. Gingerbread House, 2. Untitled, 3. | Feliz Navidad / Merry Christmas |, 4. merry flickrmas!, 5. Red Christmas 2006 – 236F, 6. fabric ball ornaments, 7. Untitled, 8. They are back !, 9. Button Christmas wreath
This is my first in a countdown series to Christmas. I have a complete Christmas Preparation Plan that I will be following over the next 10 weeks, so that I avoid that last minute franticness that has so often plagued my Decembers.
We have budgeted the same amount this year as we have previously, even though the last two years expenditure has been over budget. I have done a number of things differently this year, that I hope will mean I actually stay within our budget:
- Handmade many more items well in advance.
- Kept an eye out at sales and made purchases months ahead of Christmas.
- Greater planning so there should be no last minute (expensive rush) purchases.
It is important to understand the different categories that money will be spent on over the Christmas period, so I can identify better in what areas, if any, I have over spent, for example:
- Presents
- Food
- Drink
- Entertainment
- Decorations
As with most things, I use a spreadsheet to track our expenditure. I have created just one 2008 Christmas Planning file with many individual spreadsheets including:
- Christmas Planning Checklist
- Christmas Budget.
- 2008 Christmas Present List.
- Previous Year’s Present List (to ensure that I am giving a variety of gifts to people each year).
- Gift Idea List For The Children (I enter items as I think of it, for myself and for our families who often ask what they can get the children).
Do you set yourself a budget for Christmas? How do you track your expenditure and how successful have you been at sticking to budget?
5 comments...read them below or add one
I put aside $25 each week for Christmas and birthdays. I buy most birthday and Christmas presents during the sales in July (for big kids as well as little kids) and whatever money is left is the budget for decorations and food.
This year, however, we’re away for six weeks and so no decorations, limited food and all my presents are taken care of. The rest of the money will go towards our holiday.
I love the spreadsheet though! Thanks for sharing it!
Kins last blog post..Drowning
I’m so glad you keep posting these. Everytime you do I get myself a step further along in organising my household for Christmas! lol
Bettinas last blog post..Just Read More
You’re such a spreadsheet queen … I love it! I think that’s a great idea.
We don’t really have a budget as such for food and decorations. We do have one for pressies for our kids and generally we have Kris Kringle for different friendship groups. So that cuts down the cost by loads.
We also bought school supplies and a pig for a village in Africa (via a charity) with the money we would have spent on pressies for our Mother’s group. We’re doing that again this year.
But you’ve got me thinking about the budgeting – good idea!
ickle Kidss last blog post..Travel Tip Tuesday – Great New Travel Toy
I must get out my Christmas spreadsheet – my old computer that died still needs to have all my old files removed! I had worksheets for budgets, with the actuals for the last 2 years, an address spreadsheet to print labels for cards, a gift tracker, a food shopping list and recipe links so I could find things. I adore Christmas and don’t hold with the keep it simple philosophy .. the more mulled wine and christmas mince pies and presents and decorations the better. Having said that I have given up on making presents like you do – I love the idea of crafts but hate doing them. I do love cooking though so give baking as a gift. This year I am in search of gorgeous tins that I can fill with old fashioned sweets – coconut ice, fudge, pulled taffy.
Gypsys last blog post..Questioning …
[...] (1). Review Christmas budget [...]