Do you plan your Christmas spending - or wing it?

Hi Friends-

How many of you wing Christmas spending? 🎄

Buy what you want, then try to make it fit into your budget? Or maybe there isn’t a budget - you put it on credit and figure out how to pay for it later.

It’s easy to get caught up in wanting to make the holidays special. Giving gifts, keeping traditions and saying yes to celebrations can come from a place of love.

Before we start shopping, let’s pause: What are the holidays really about for you?

• Time with family and friends?

• Celebrating your faith?

• Giving and helping others?

• Enjoying traditions or creating new memories?

Which parts mean the most to you - and does your spending reflect that?

A client shared with me last night that they sat down together to talk about their holiday plan. They reflected on what they’ve been doing for years on autopilot and what they want to do differently this year.

I love that pause. Sometimes we keep doing things because that’s what we’ve always done. Taking time to talk gives us a chance to choose which traditions to keep, what to simplify and what we might want to change.

With that in mind, start with: How much do we have available to spend on Christmas?

Then ask: How can we use that money to celebrate what matters most?

It’s easy to start with a gift list, add up the total and then figure out how to pay for it. Starting with the money available helps us build a celebration that fits.

That’s the shift from reactive to proactive Christmas spending.

Reactive spending can sound like:

• “It’s such a good deal!”

• “I bought one more thing for her, so now I need something else for him.”

• “I forgot about stocking stuffers… and shipping.”

• “I’ll figure out how to pay for it later.”

Proactive spending starts with a plan:

• Look at what you’ve already saved and what you can set aside before Christmas without taking from bills or other commitments.

• Set a total holiday spending amount in your Money Map/budget.

• Include gifts AND meals, travel, giving, decorations and those little extras.

• Decide how to divide that amount based on what matters most.

If the list doesn’t fit, that’s an opportunity to adjust gifts, simplify plans or talk through expectations before you shop.

A little help keeping track

One app I like is Christmas Gift List Tracker for iPhone and iPad. You can organize gift ideas, set budgets for each person, track spending and share lists.

A notebook or spreadsheet works, too. The best tool is the one you’ll keep updated. What matters is following your plan instead of winging it.

🤔 Money Minute

What have you been doing on autopilot that’s worth revisiting this year?

✅ This Week’s Challenge

Before making your next holiday purchase, decide on your total Christmas spending amount. Subtract anything you’ve already spent, then plan how you’ll use what’s left. If you share finances, make it a conversation.

A little planning now can help you enjoy giving AND feel more confident about January.

In your corner- Liz