That time of year is upon us – the time of year when many spend more than they bring in. When many often go into debt just to pay for Christmas, when 45% of people would rather skip Christmas altogether to avoid the financial stress it brings.
It’s often an ugly, regretful time of year because many come into the season unprepared financially and end up paying for it many months later, and sometimes still paying for last year’s Christmas when the new season is upon us!
Well, what if we challenged you to only spend what you have prepared for and only spend what you are able to earn? Don’t go into debt, don’t spend more than you have left over after your normal living expenses and bills.
Resist the urge to apply, pull out or hide all the spending on plastic. Just.Don’t.Do.It.
What if you were able to bring in enough income over the next several weeks to pay for Christmas? How much do you need?
Well that depends on the family and situation, but according to the recent Gallup poll, the average American plans to spend $781 on gifts this year. AND…this does not include the extra food, eating out, decorations, events, travel, etc. Christmas could easily top $1,000 in a blink of an eye. And if you are not carefully planned, saved, or prepared, this $1,000+ could cause quite a bit of damage into the new year.
We have always encouraged our readers to start a Christmas savings budget plan from paycheck #1 of the new year. We personally spend far below the average, but even that still requires planning and saving from the beginning. We have budgeted for Christmas in a few different ways over the years depending on the form of income and the rest of our expenses from a set dollar amount saved each paycheck to a percentage of the earnings each paycheck. You can do either of these methods, just make sure you are doing something.
Christmas is not worth it, nor is it fun when the plague of the finances weighs over you. Be planned and prepared better in the future with the Christmas Planner!
Now on with the subject of this post!
One major benefits of this season is that there is lots of money to be had if you put a little effort forth and spent extra time instead of spending extra money this season! You could easily pay for Christmas, and even walk away with the possilbiyt of being in the black after the Christmas season! What a GREAT feeling that would be!
Even if you are well prepared financially for your Christmas spending this season, what a great opportunity to build your savings account or pay of other debts and reach your financial goals sooner with the possibilities of earning this season!
Over the years, we have had many seasonal earning articles and ideas that we have shared with you to help you survive and THRIVE during the Christmas season. This year is no exception. Read through these ideas, pick a few and get to work paying for Christmas or build your bank account instead.
Don’t forget about those in extra need this time of year too. This is a way for you to bless others without going into debt.
First ideas up are those that provide quick services or products that you can provide or sell this time of year. These are certainly very seasonal, but they can provide a large return on investment, many of which can be done year round with the different seasons and holidays too. But of course they are the most popular this time of year because we are motivated to work and pay for Christmas.
See the list of ideas for services to provide or products to sell to earn extra income over the holidays.
In addition to providing services or products to sell, there are other creative ways to bring in quite a bit of extra money within a week! These ideas may be a bit more extreme, but they have been proven over and over again by our own-selves and many of our friends and family. They are ideas that actually work!
See 11 Ways to Find $500-$800 THIS WEEK
Finally, we wanted to direct you to our growing list of over 130 ways to earn extra income. Many of these ideas can be applied immediately for immediate income. These ideas are intended to serve as ways for you to bring in extra income year-round, with no exceptions around Christmas!
See the list of 130+ ways to earn extra income all year round.
In our next article related to Christmas and finances, we will talk about How to stay out of debt this Christmas! Watch for that soon!
Finally, we would also highly recommend that you pick up your copy of the Christmas Planner to save big money, time and sanity too!
See more ideas on Frugal Living and Finances
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