As a quasi single income family we really have to plan ahead for Christmas. What am I doing to help cushion the blow? I'm so glad you asked! I play a game with myself. This year I have really been taking advantage of the Target gift card promotions. I do have my rules, though. I really only buy it IF it is something that I will use and something that I like. Otherwise, it's counter productive, in my opinion. Why spend money needlessly? I also have the rule that I must have coupons to help bring the cost down. I refuse to pay full price for something, even if I am getting $5.00 or $10.00 back in a gift card. Thus far I have $70.00 saved up in Target gift cards. (I had more, but I used them to pay for the Easter basket!) I have (3) $10.00 Wal-mart gift cards I am expecting from rebates any day now, and I have my special little "overage" Wal-mart gift card that has over $50.00 on it so far. "Overage"? What is that, you ask? Oh honey, let me tell you. I am not good with keeping track of small change and small bills. They seem to spend oh too easily. So... what I do is make sure I have almost $10.00 in overages (that is the minimum you can put on a gift card, so they say) and put it on my handy dandy gift card. Granted, I am typically having to train the cashier on how to add funds to an existing gift card, but I won't even go there today.
Another avenue I use is Swagbucks. I have over $40.00 in Amazon gift cards I earned with Swagbucks. Gotta love free money!!
If I see something that I feel will be a good gift for Christmas, I will buy it and put it away... and hope that I can remember where I put it! Yeah, I've been known to find things 3 years later. The older I get, the more I forget!! Hmm, maybe I should reconsider that little plan of action...
So, what do you do to plan for Christmas?
