If you're someone who waits until the last minute to get everything done for Christmas, you're not alone. There are many who put off writing Christmas cards, booking holiday travel, buying gifts, and doing various other holiday tasks until they can't possibly wait anymore. It seems like a waste of time to get started on these tasks so early, but you'll feel more accomplished and much less overwhelmed once the holidays approach. There are several things you can do right now to get a head start on the Christmas season and save yourself money, so you won't have to worry about it later.
Book your holiday vacation
Don't make the mistake of waiting to book your holiday travel, unless you want to spend more money. The closer it gets to the holidays, the more expensive the prices can get, whether you're booking a plane, train, or hotel. Get a head start and save yourself some money by booking your vacation now.
Make your Christmas lists
My Christmas list just got finished, and I already got lists from others. That's one huge weight off my shoulders, because it helped me get a head start on shopping. In addition to starting shopping early, getting the lists allows you to have more time to look around for discounts on gifts instead of paying full price.
Write out your Christmas cards
I know some who takes so long to write out Christmas cards that I get them after the holiday is over. If you get yours all done, it's one less thing you have to worry about. Get them addressed and written out now, and when it comes time to mail them out, you'll be all set.
Ask for vacation days
If you want days off for the holidays, ask for them as early as possible. Many who have leftover vacation days that expire at the end of the year always try to use them around the holidays, but if you're one of those who holds off, you could find yourself unable to use them because others beat you to it.
Plan your gathering
It takes a lot of effort to plan a holiday gathering, and rather than do it all at once, do it gradually starting now. One of the best ways to do that is Pinterest. Make a board just for your party and start pinning ideas for everything from recipes to décor. You'll have all of your ideas picked out and still have time to locate budget-friendly options, instead of running around last minute and just grabbing what's available.
Search deal sites
I've already purchased several gifts from Groupon and Living Social and paid a fraction of what I would have if I just purchased the gifts at full price. Subscribe to emails on deal sites, so you can keep an eye out for gifts on a daily basis that you could give for the holidays.
Sell your items to get extra cash
There's no doubt that Christmas is expensive, but you could start bringing in some extra cash to help offset the cost. Start selling your unwanted items now when people are starting to search for Christmas gifts. That figurine you can't stand? Someone could end up taking it off your hands and giving it to someone else. You could end up funding your entire holiday budget just by getting rid of stuff you don't want.
It may sound ridiculous to start preparing for Christmas, but it won't seem that way when you start checking things off your to-do list before December even starts. It's a weight off your shoulders and less stress to deal with later. You'll also have time to plan on ways to save yourself money, so as an added bonus, you'll have even more money leftover in your pocket.
More from Lauren R:
Real tips for budgeting holiday gifts
Cheap ways to care for winter shoes and boots
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