The weather outside may not quite indicate holiday season, but take a look at the calendar – it’s practically right around the corner. For those who like to purchase significant gifts and cards for friends and family during the holiday portion of the year, especially those who are tight on funds for any reason, it’s nearing time to begin budgeting for this theme.

At 1^st Choice Money Center, we’re proud to offer a variety of short-term loans to assist those in need of a bit of financial boost, from car title loans to installment loans, signature loans and many other alternatives to payday loans – which are predatory and not offered here. In addition to providing many clients with a financial outlet to assist them with minor expenses like holiday spending, we’re also happy to offer tips and expertise on budgeting properly for this time. This multi-part blog series will go over a wide swath of approaches we recommend.

Tighten Up Now

You might be thinking: It’s only October! Why begin holiday budgeting so early?

Well, because every penny counts, especially for anyone dealing with financial strain. Funds you save now on top of your normal budgeting will feel like found money when you need them for holiday gifts or decorations. In addition, settling yourself into a general theme of frugality is a great way to save a few bucks here and there and get into this helpful pattern.

Budget and Basic Lists

On top of being more frugal and looking for savings wherever possible leading into holiday season, take a few minutes well ahead of time to go over a general list of things you’ll want to purchase. Start with major gifts for those closest to you and work your way down to those who you only want to send cards or other greetings to. This will help you avoid impulse spending when the time comes, a major factor in saving money around holiday time.

Once you have a decent grasp of your general list, begin pricing out items and setting a budget. If you discover your list is too extensive for your budget, you have plenty of time to consider it and pare things down.

Budgeting Tools

There are a couple excellent modern tools available to assist you with holiday budgeting:

• Online research: From online shopping to the ability to compare prices between several brick-and-mortar outlets without ever leaving home, online research is enormously beneficial.
• Budgeting apps: There are a number of budgeting apps out there, from general ones to those specific to the holidays. They allow you to set budgets, track your spending down to the dollar and even receive automatic updates.

For more on budgeting early for the holidays, or to learn about how any of our short-term loan products may assist you here, speak to the staff at 1^st Choice Money Center today.