Do you save money for Christmas or wait until November to think about it, hoping and praying that you can pull it all off? Or maybe put it all on credit cards? That used to be me. I used to charge and spend November and December income on gifts. I hated January. The credit card statements came and we were behind starting the new year because of one day.
Starting last year, we tried saving $100/month to be used for anything and everything Christmas...gifts, travel, events, holiday party supplies, and whatever else came up. Most money made from selling items in my house went straight to the Christmas envelope. By November, I had $1000 saved. That was the least stressful Christmas I ever had.
To make it more motivating, I use a tracking sheet to color in the amount of money I have. There is just something about making saving visual that motivates and encourages me to keep going. It's only February, you have plenty of time to start your Christmas savings! Download the tracker below to help you stay focused:
There are 17 lines. Take your goal and divide by 17. If your goal is $1000, you would color in a line for every $58 you save!