The best way to save money is to not spend it...which is why staying organized during the holiday season is so important. By staying organized, you avoid overspending. A couple months before Christmas, I start an Excel spreadsheet, similar to the one below. I keep track of all my recipients, gifts, and amount of money spent. In addition to avoiding any last minute "who do I still need to buy for", having a spreadsheet ahead of time allows me to put more thought into my gifts and not just purchase for the sake of purchasing.
How do you stay organized during the holiday season?
In case you are unable to see the above sheet, here is a copy...
PERSON BUDGET GIFT ACTUAL $ LEFT NOTES
Husband $75.00 Book, DVD $24.00 $51.00 Purchase tool set
Daughter $75.00 Bike $58.00 $17.00 Purchase outfit
Mom $25.00 Necklace $24.00 $1.00 FINISHED
Dad $25.00 DVD Set $19.00 $6.00
ETC
Hey! I am a SAHM of 4 kids- a 10 year old boy and six year old triplet girls! This sounds like a great idea, but I can't view it through Google docs. Can you post them how you usually do? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi! Sorry you're unable to see the sheet. I will have to try and find an alternate way of posting spreadsheets, since I always use google docs. In the meantime, I will also post a copy and paste of the spreadsheet listed above. Hope that helps!
ReplyDelete