Financial planning for christmas presents and expenses

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Transcription

Interviewer: 96.5 where your family is number one, and I know you want to bury your head in the sand, but Christmas is fast approaching. So, you are all wondering how you’re going to make the money go that little bit farther in the lead up to Christmas and getting all the Christmas presents, and the food and everything, all that. You’re wondering how you’re going to do it. Well I’m going to tell you how you’re going to do it, cause we’re going to talk to the lovely Helen, our finance expert, from On Your Own Two Feet, evening, Helen.

Helen: Hello, how are you doing?

Interviewer: Good thank you, now Christmas. I know we’re burying our heads in the sand and I know we’ll probably all go out Christmas Eve, panicking, but what are some steps we can put in place to make the money side of it, the tightness that you feel around Christmas, a little bit easier.

Helen: So going back to what we always talk about in spending and investment plan, we need to put money away not only for Christmas, but birthdays as well cause they are going to happen every year. So, one of the tricks I do is that I actually look throughout the year for the presents, because generally you’re actually going to buy them for the same people every year. And as you are going around, you will spot things that are just on special or something that their not thinking of and you can pick it up, put it away in a safe place in the house and tick them off your list so you know that they’re done, and then it’s really not—because when it comes around to Christmas time, you actually get a surprise about what you put away as well because you usually forget.

And it just spreads it throughout the whole year and I think one of the big things apart from financial side of it is, is that it actually does take the stress out, because when you try and compound trying to get all of these things together at all once, a bit like doing a wedding, it becomes so stressful to people.

So doing little bits throughout the year helps you manage your money a little bit better and allows you to take advantage of all the sales and the specials that come throughout the year, particularly on toys, you see that come around and it just stretches it all out both emotionally as well as financially.

Interviewer: Oh I love it when you say that, you take the stress away from my Christmas and I will be a happy, happy bunny. But sometimes it’s not just the presents, we know Christmas day is going to be at our house, or we have to take such and such a ham or a dessert or something extra, extra treats and everything around at Christmas, when it comes to the shopping side of it, so would you suggest a Christmas kitty?

Helen: Yes, so you can do loads of different ways. One is you can get everyone to put in a little bit, or you can you spread the load as well cause again it comes back to a little bit of work that needs to be done, but make it a fun thing and sometimes it’s really good to get kids involved. Like kids can make little desserts and things like that, little cupcakes. Even the same with decorations, you can make them a fun thing to make on holidays as a craft exercise.

And again, it’s one of those things where some food you can actually pick up a little bit beforehand and spread it out, so pick up a couple of extra each time you go, pop them away in the pantry in your little Christmas box so you have those things already available when it comes around to that time.

Interviewer: So really, it is just planning. Really, that is really what it comes down to, it is just planning and not doing a me and burying my head in the sand and then being like, Oh! It’s the 20th of December, I better get sorted.

Helen: Yeah. Because it does get really stressful.

Interviewer: It does.

Helen: We put pressure on ourselves as well, if we can do it we can sort of make it enjoyable and sort of see things build as well. So a bit like savings, watching it all build.

Interviewer: I just hear this complete utter sigh of relief as we go and try and put your advice into action, thank you so much for joining us this evening, Helen.

Helen: You’re welcome, talk to you soon.

Interviewer: If you want to find out more about our wonderful Helen, she is an absolutely gem, then make sure you go to OnYourOwnTwoFeet.com.au. We love it!