by Hope
With the holiday season upon us and Thanksgiving around the corner, I am ready for Christmas. I’m specifically ready to start Christmas shopping.
In previous years we purchase or make the Texas side of the family’s gifts by Thanksgiving so that we can take them when we go versus paying for shipping. I’ve decided that this year, I would like to have all Christmas shopping prior to Thanksgiving.
I have asked the kids to all send me Christmas lists. And I told the twins that Santa thinks they still live at home…so he won’t deliver there. (That was meant to be funny.)
October Challenge
As a result, my October challenge to myself…complete my Christmas shopping for my kiddos and my family in Texas. That will give me the first half of November to wrap them, decorate the house and generally be ready for Christmas.
It will take a lot of pressure of the holiday season if my house is decorated and shopping done before we leave for Texas at Thanksgiving.
Since I already have my Christmas funds saved and have had them earmarked since earlier in the year, the financial aspect of this goal is:
- Stay on budget.
- Find a “wow” gift for each child that doesn’t break the bank – that’s always my challenge.
- Research some unique DIY gifts that aren’t just a “gift for the sake of a gift.” I lean toward practical.
- Enjoy this valid reason for doing a little shopping. It’s not an opportunity that I give myself very often.
I will most likely save $20ish dollars to cover some candy or last minute little things that I won’t want to buy this early. But otherwise, I plan to go into November really prepared and more than that really to just enjoy the time and holiday spirit.
Twin’s Birthday Month
The twins birthday is also this month. It is already budgeted and saved for. In addition to gifts, we always do a family meal out. I am listening carefully as they talk about their new apartment for clues. Otherwise, I will rely on their Christmas lists to guide me in picking out a gift for each of them.
Hope is a creative, solutions-focused business manager helping clients grow their business and work more efficiently by leveraging expertise in project management, digital marketing, & tech solutions. She’s recently become an empty nester as her 5 foster/adoptive kids have spread their wings. She lives with her 5 dogs in a small town in NE Georgia and prefers the mountains to the beaches any day. She struggles with the travel bug and is doing her best to help each of her kids as their finish schooling and become independent (but it’s hard!) She has run her own consulting company for almost twenty years! Hope began sharing her journey with the BAD community in the Spring of 2015 and feels like she has finally in a place to really focus on making wise financial decisions.
I have been thinking about Christmas. I already know what we are doing for our parents, and plan to do the ordering early. With the speed of mail and delivery right now, and the estimated online purchasing this year, I will not be waiting until weeks or days before Christmas. Too risky.
We have a budget, and will try our hardest to stay within the budget this year. Some things may be cut to do so… yearly pjs, socks… We’ll see.
Amazon Prime Day and Target Deal days should be 10/13 & 10/14 I believe. I’ve also heard Black Friday deals will begin around 10\26.