The holiday season can be a great time to relax, but it can also be a time for more stress than usual. Money is one of the biggest contributing factors to that, but worries about your health can also play a part. Many people use the holidays as an excuse to overindulge, but sticking to both your budget and fitness plans will keep you on track and set you up for success in the new year. Keep some of these tips in mind to keep your holidays healthy and budget-friendly…
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Black Friday Deals: Are You Really Saving Money?
I can’t believe it’s already November! It feels to me like the months come quicker once October rolls around (not that I mind, as I’m not a fan of the cold). I used to anxiously await Thanksgiving and the beginning of the holiday season, but I’ve been noticing Christmas commercials on TV since the day after Halloween. Some may think it’s a bit outrageous, and it might be too early, but since I’m a planner by nature, I’ve been thinking about gift shopping for months already and the ads I’m seeing feel fitting.
Curb Your Spending Cravings
Just because I try my hardest to be smart about my spending doesn’t mean that I don’t love to shop. In fact, I probably love it more than most people, which is why it got me into trouble a few years ago, and eventually led me down a path to better budgeting.
Saving Money vs. Paying Off Debt
Lately, I’ve been feeling very torn between growing my savings and paying down my debt. This indecision was spurred by recent developments on the home front, quite literally. After about two years of casual looking, I finally convinced my husband to look into building our first – and hopefully last – house.
Thrifty Shoppers Save More Money
It’s no secret that I love to shop for just about anything – clothes, furniture, home decor, even groceries. I don’t spend money on a lot of these things often, but I set aside money in my budget each month so I can every once in a while. Finding things that I love that are still affordable is kind of a game for me.
Spooky Savings
I’m so excited that October is finally here! It’s one of my favorite months – the weather gets comfortably cooler, and we get to enjoy what feels like the last of the sunshine before winter comes. Halloween is also one of my favorite holidays, so I love to look for little ways to celebrate all month long.
Savings Challenge Check-In: Halfway There!
I’ve finally reached the halfway mark of the 52-Week Money Saving Challenge! Beginning this past April, I consistently added to my savings on a weekly basis ($1 during week one, $2 during week two, and so on…) in addition to what I’ve been saving towards my emergency fund. I’ve collected a total of $351! It amazes me that in six more months, that number will grow to just under $1,400 when the challenge is complete at the end of March.
Prepping Your Budget for the Holidays
It’s finally starting to feel like fall! Now is the time of year that I start to think about all of the things the change of season brings. The holidays will come way faster than you think, and I both look forward to and dread them at the same time. I love heading indoors, staying warm, and spending time with family and friends. I’m not so crazy about some of the financial tolls winter brings with it (don’t even get me started on our gas bill…).
Save Money By Taking Advantage of “Hidden” Benefits
If you’ve been following along with the blog, you’ll note that I’ve had an unusually busy summer year. I’m officially down to my final trip (unless I can convince the husband otherwise), scheduled for October. Since I don’t have too much going on in September, I’ve decided to take this time to do a “financial re-grouping” of sorts, a time to re-evaluate my budget and savings goals to make sure where I’m headed is still where I want to go.
Stop Overspending to Save More
Planning a budget is easy enough, but following through with your plans can be the tricky part. It’s not uncommon to find yourself in situations where you’re tempted to spend more money than you had planned, so if you can identify some of those scenarios beforehand, you can anticipate how to handle them.
