Financial stress grips many people in the holiday season. Gift-giving is a social norm and holiday events pile up on calendars.
Manage anxiety associated with holiday shopping with these smart tactics:
Committing to a budget for holiday gifts and events.
Adjust 2020 holiday budget accounting for reduced income due to Covid-19 restrictions or income loss.
Begin to make holiday purchases within your plan and make timely payment of bills.
Ask yourself if the holiday purchases can be delayed (maybe used as other gifts at another time in the year to reduce holiday financial burden)
Create a priority system of spending to reduce impulsive buys.
Question the necessity of the purchase and the affordability of the expense.
Preplan ways to respond to external pressure to spend beyond what you can afford.
Don’t forget to compliment yourself for being disciplined over urges to over spend.
Make systematic payments towards debts as they incur.
written by Lauren Luppino, LCSW - https://laurenluppino.com/