Birthdays and holidays can be quite a lot of fun, but they can also be stressful. You know you’ll have to spend your hard-earned money on gifts. One of the best things you can do when it comes to taking some of the stress out of them is to be prepared when it comes to budgeting for gifts. Creating a spending plan for gifts throughout the year can make life easier and ensure that you don’t go into debt just from gifting.
Unexpected Gifts
You can always enter a line in your gifting budget for those unexpected gifts, but if you don’t have time to save for one, or you forgot about a big anniversary or something, you might look into quick cash loans. These are easy to qualify for and easy to pay back. Typically, all you need is a job, a bank account, and a valid social security number. Be sure to borrow only what you need so repayment is easier.
Determine Your Spending Limit
Determine how much you’ll need to cover gifting expenses throughout the year (don’t forget about Mother’s Day and Father’s Day). When you’re coming up with this amount, remember to only use the money you’ve set aside for this purpose and any additional money you can locate in your budget.
Assign Categories
Divide your money up into different categories, i.e. birthdays, weddings, graduations, Christmas, etc. This means that you’ll need to assign a specific pound amount for each one. This can also be helpful when you’re trying to come up with ideas for gifts. Having a certain amount set aside can help you with ideas in that price range.
Shopping Lists
Make a list for your gift shopping. For each individual and occasion, you should have a couple of ideas. If you take the time to comparison shop, you might be able to find great gifts for a lot less than what you budgeted for.
Track Spending
Once you have all of this done, you can begin to shop using your list. It can also be helpful to take your budgeting list with you. Each item you purchase should be crossed off the list and subtracted from your budget. This will give you an idea of what your budget is always doing while making it a bit easier to make any necessary adjustments between the categories. Making sure to track your spending is critical when it comes to staying on budget.
A Few More Tips for Budgeting for Gifts
Do yourself a huge favor and try to only pay cash for gifts. Putting these things on credit cards means that it’s easier to overspend. Doing things this way can be a massive help when it comes to sticking to your budget. It’s also a good strategy for those who might be a bit short on cash.
Shopping online can save you time and money when it comes to comparison shopping. Don’t forget to look for coupon codes and free shipping and be sure to order your gifts in plenty of time for them to get there for the event.