How we saved money on Christmas this year.

1. Set a budget! Decide who you want to buy for and set budget for each person. Get all the money out in cash and enjoy shopping for each person. I highly recommend cash because it keeps you from over spending and it hurts more when spending it. For instance when we went to okc two weeks ago for my husband’s doctor appointment we also did some Christmas shopping well I had every intention to get our budgeted money out in cash for the trip the day before we went. Well I got busy and forgot to get it and we left before the bank open that morning so we had to use the debit card. Well guess what, sure enough we went $100 over our set budget. That wouldn’t of happened if we would just brought it in cash.

2. Don’t feel like you have to buy for your entire family. I love my family but I will be honest with you, to buy for all of them just isn’t in the cards for us. So we enjoy spending time with them at Christmas instead of buying stuff for them. Other than our daughter the only other people we buy for is our parents they do the most for us so we feel like Christmas is a great time to bless them. We also do gift exchanges at both of our parents and we buy for our daughters teachers.

3. Think before you buy!

Don’t buy stuff just because it is a good deal or on sale. I used to be the worst about this. I love a good deal but is it a good deal if you don’t need it? Take for instance we went to Walmart that Saturday after Black Friday and all there Black Friday leftovers were marked down even more. Like crazy good, but just because the mermaid pillows were marked down from $5 to $3 and they were so pretty I had to make myself think okay does Avery really need another mermaid pillow and as I put the prettiest mermaid pillow I had ever seen back into the bin I told myself no she doesn’t need it. By the time we got home I was so happy I didn’t waste my $3 on a mermaid pillow that she didn’t even need just because it was on sale.

4. Last but not least, as we have started the Dave Ramsey baby steps and we are learning about what the Bible says about debt, I want to say please with all your might do not put Christmas on a credit card! Do you really want to be still paying off Christmas on Valentine’s Day? I know I don’t! Set a budget and pay with cash.

Nathan and I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and remember Jesus is the true reason for the season.