The budget

[grandma bucket]

How does everyone stay on budget? We always seem to go a little over, which I expect but this year staying on budget is really tough. I have two dd's, both are married, one of them has two children. Our family size is increasing and trying to stay with in a budget is also increasingly difficult. My dh is not very much help here and wants to spoil his grandchildren terribly.
We are older so we do have more money that we could spend but I just feel like it's getting out of hand. So does anyone have any advice? How does everyone keep their families focused and grounded?

 

[JayOkie]

I set a $ amount for each person & that's it. Sometimes I'll find an extra good buy, say $2 less for a gift, & another one might be $1 over what I'd planned. It all works out. I don't have the funds to get very far off track. I shop year 'round & have for years....books for the grands (and now great-grands); and I make some of the Christmas. After season sales are great - in my area, it's rare to find a good sale except after Christmas so I try to check those out. Already have tentative ideas for 2010, but trying to get '09 wrapped up before I start thinking '10.

 

[happy2bme]

I set a $ amount as well and stay within that number. I try to find the best price on things that I can. I am giving a lot more homemade things and people seem to like those more than store bought.

 

[CanadianJingles]

I set a specific amount per person and work with that. I start shopping in October-November so I have time to shop; I find when I'm pressed for time, that's when I'll tend to not be as conscious of my budget because I just want to be finished. I've adjusted my budget year to year as I need to. I've also stayed away from really big gifts with my children so their expectations don't get out of hand.

In my family, we pick names instead of buying for all the siblings and spouses; I have five siblings, all married except one who I expect will marry her current. A couple of years ago, for financial reasons, I proposed that instead of necessarily buying two separate gifts for two people, that instead we should pick names as couples. Instead of my DH and I getting my younger brother and my oldest sister's husband to buy for, we buy for my sister and her husband or my brother and his wife. Often a gift for a couple can be done with less money than two gifts for two very different people. I think it's important to change things if the way you've been doing things isn't working for you.

 

[conniemac]

I used to set a budget every year only to shoot past it greatly every year!! I have since adopted a new philosophy regarding my budget. I set a preliminary budget for each person and come up with those gifts first. Once I have purchased those, with cash only, I am free to buy other things I come across as long as I have the ready cash. I used to keep spread sheets with all the $ amounts for everything. Now, I just use spread sheets to keep track of what I have purchased for whom. It makes Christmas much more enjoyable when I'm not agonizing over every penny. Also, I don't have any guilt on Christmas morning knowing that everything is paid for. I won't be getting any bills in January. Well, except for what my dh spends on me! LOL! I give him an allowance and one empty credit card that we only use for emergencies to do his shopping with. Then I pay that off in January. He always waits until the last minute to shop for me so it's never a problem!

 

[ChristmasRose]

I also try to set an amount for each person, but frequently don't stick to it. I shop all year around, so I can usually keep a level head, and not spend more than I should, which I tend to do, if I wait until the last minute. When we travel, I like to hit the yarn shops and buy yarn for Christmas presents. When I visited my sister last summer, she not only took me to my favorite yarn shop, but also picked out the yarn for her next birthday and Christmas gifts! What a sister! Actually I appreciated it. She's hard to buy for, and I want to give her something she'll really like. She can't sew on a button, but is very appreciative of hand-made things. Anyway, I think that shopping all year around is what helps keep me in line financially.

 

[MrsSoup]

I also set a specific dollar amount for each person (we usually only buy for our kids and each other). I also make a list before I go shopping of what I want to get each person or ideas of things at least. I also take along a calculator and my budget plan and list so that I can track it as I shop. I just keep a small notebook and calculator in my purse at all times that I use to jot things down. When I get home from shopping I log everything into my Christmas Notebook and track the budget there as well.

Like someone mentioned above sometimes I spend a few dollars less on one person and a few dollars more on another so it all evens out. We use cash or debit card only!! We don't have one single credit card. This year I have to be somewhat creative because the budget is lower than usual and we have 3 kids this year.

 

[AuntJamelle]

I have a spreadsheet where I designate a $ amount for each person on our list.

I also have some generic categories listed, things like Postage Stamps for Christmas Cards and Day After Christmas Shopping, etc.

My problem is ending up wanting to spend more on some of the folks - usually the little ones I love to spoil!!!

But the budget does help me to stay focused on $ amounts spent on everyone else!

I have the spreadsheet setup so that it calculates total amount budgeted, total amount spent so far and the difference.

Then I have spot to plug in how much $ are currently in the Christmas savings account so I know how much money we have left to put aside.

It is a nice system and has worked well for me for several years now.

When I go shopping I always have a list, having looked at sales ads or online for ideas first.

Sometimes I do run across things in the stores that I didn't expect and end up getting, but that is part of the fun of it! Especially during the last couple of months before Christmas I am looking at my spreadsheet all the time so I usually have a pretty good idea of what I have left to spend on folks - and if I go a leetle over - I don't sweat it too much.

 

[StressLess]

I am so impressed by you all. I have a figure in my head that I try to stay around, but I usually go a little over. I like the idea of doing a spreadsheet and making myself stick to it. Since I do half of my shopping on line, that would be very convenient. I never pay full price for gifts, and buy them througout the year, so I think that I end up doing o.k.

 

[appleton]

My family is also getting a little bigger & its difficult deciding how much the Christmas gift budget should be each year. I'm actually trying to spend about the same as last year, which is less than previous years. I want to avoid the too much & focus on more thoughtful, needed or truly wanted gifts. Maybe this is why I'm having trouble choosing gifts again this year. Anyway, I think its important to decide what works for you & your family.

Having a budget with the amount I'd like to spend on each person usually helps keep me in line as I shop. If I spend a little more its OK, but I really work at staying within my budget by keeping a running total as I shop. I sort of like knowing where I stand & keeping up with the amounts. As others have mentioned, avoiding last minute shopping & staying out of the stores once you're finished gift shopping helps. If you find another item that is the perfect gift, save it for next year or for their birthday or share the idea with someone else.

 

[CanadianJingles]

Also shopping with cash helps. I find I'm far more conscious of what I'm spending that way. We save cash through the year specificaslly for Christmas so we have the cash on hand. For others, this might mean going to the bank machine, but I find you think more when you are handing over real money as opposed to virtual money (debit card or credit card). Don't try to do it all in one day unless you have a list and know exactly what you are getting if that means you aren't carrying a ton of cash.

 

[Merry]

What I like to do is write up a list of what I would like to give. I then "shop" online and get the actual price for everything. I then go through the list trying to eliminate what I can't afford. I then have a realistic list of things I know I can afford to buy without the sales. Now when I go shopping, I buy things on sale and I find that the money I save help to off set the "extras" I find that put me off budget. The other thing that I do is I try to shop early and buy on sale and then stop. Sounds simple, but sometimes I find it hard to do!

 

[Cindylouwho]

I have a spreadsheet where I designate a $ amount for each person on our list.

I also have some generic categories listed, things like Postage Stamps for Christmas Cards and Day After Christmas Shopping, etc.

My problem is ending up wanting to spend more on some of the folks - usually the little ones I love to spoil!!!

But the budget does help me to stay focused on $ amounts spent on everyone else!

I have the spreadsheet setup so that it calculates total amount budgeted, total amount spent so far and the difference.

Then I have spot to plug in how much $ are currently in the Christmas savings account so I know how much money we have left to put aside.

It is a nice system and has worked well for me for several years now.

When I go shopping I always have a list, having looked at sales ads or online for ideas first.

Sometimes I do run across things in the stores that I didn't expect and end up getting, but that is part of the fun of it! Especially during the last couple of months before Christmas I am looking at my spreadsheet all the time so I usually have a pretty good idea of what I have left to spend on folks - and if I go a leetle over - I don't sweat it too much.

Me too. Exactly. Only this is my first year with a Christmas account and I didn't start it til summer. At least there's a little in there and I'm SOOOO thankful I started it at least when I did. I'm now completely sold on the Christmas account.

 

[grandma bucket]

Thank you for all the advice everyone. I love to buy the gifts and there are always plenty. When the girls were small we had a couple really lean years and now my DH 20 years later is still trying to make up for them. Frankly my girls don't have any memory of them at all.
We also have the problem of one dd being better off financially than the other. I could shop for the dd with less all day long while the other goes out and buys whatever, whenever, she wants it.
Our holiday traditions are also starting to change with the girls now grown, grand children and the in law families to take into consideration.

 

[CanadianJingles]

Our holiday traditions are also starting to change with the girls now grown, grand children and the in law families to take into consideration.

Good stuff! I think sometimes those changes are good. The key traditions get held onto and the ones that need to change do.