Christmas season is among us and as early as now, people are already searching their wallets for any amount, preparing for their holiday shopping. We are all generally generous by heart, which is why it is very important for us to provide each and every one of our family, loved ones, and friends a gift this yuletide season. However, such may only be achieved with a big budget, which is why some, if not most of us, would just prefer to cut corners and find affordable alternatives to expensive branded gifts. This is just in the aspect of gift-giving, as we also have to worry about the Christmas Eve dinner, our strongly practiced tradition.
With all of the above reasons, we are definitely urging to find ways to at least wisely spend our budget this season, whether for gifts or for the traditional feast. And just when you thought you wouldn’t have any amount left for the New Year’s celebration, you are given a few ideas that may just save your budget:
1. Get more value with surplus.
Designer brands often come in high prices. It doesn’t matter if you’re buying shirts or pants for your loved ones. High-fashion apparel may only enable you to buy one or two pieces due to its expensive retail price. The best option for a limited budget would be to purchase your gifts from surplus stalls, or as we would locally like to call it, “ukay-ukay.” It may seem cheap; however, the quality is fairly the same while the price is greatly reduced. Yes, you may need to wash the bought apparels before wrapping them up for kris-kringle, but at least you’ll be able to shop enough to fulfill your Christmas list without spending too much.
2. Appreciate the concept of potluck.
One of the best ways to spend less during the Christmas Eve dinner would be to coordinate with your visitors, perhaps a week or two before the feast. Traditionally, we Filipinos welcome the notion of potluck, or bringing your own share of food to the gathering. While this is commonly done in picnics, reunions, and family outings, the Christmas Eve dinner should be no different. Doing this may also practice togetherness among your family, friends, and loved ones, being able to come to an agreement, in terms of who will bring which food, who is assigned to bring either the appetizer, main course, or dessert, etc. And naturally, when everyone else is bringing their own share, you would be able to spend less as you wouldn’t have to shop ingredients for the whole meal.
3. Initiate within your family, the secret Santa program.
Every yuletide season, charity organizations come up with a secret Santa outreach program for the less fortunate. This basically involves the process of buying affordable supplies or clothes for those who are in deep poverty or those who have been victims of calamities for that particular year. This is a great practice to teach your family as it promotes spending, not for yourselves, but instead sharing your blessings to those who are in need. The gifts to be given are not even expensive, canned goods, second-hand clothes and small-priced Knick Knacks are the usual content of a secret Santa loot bag and you may definitely save enough for a fruitful New Year’s celebration.
Overall, your expenditures during the holidays don’t need to reach an alarming rate. With proper conversations with your family, you may be able to spend your bonus wisely and productively. Nurturing the habit of proper budgeting is already a gift itself, a lesson worth teaching to your loved ones and a gift that keeps on giving. You may ask then, what if I need to add a little more to my own budget, just to have a safe cushion in our expenses. Well worry no more, with Cebuana Lhuiller, you may apply for a Micro-Loan. We create value to customers through a simple application process, easy terms, and less requirements, cutting long lines and long waiting time. Our network of over 1,800 Cebuana Lhuillier outlets and online presence give customers unlimited access and utter convenience in applying for a loan. Our five-point application to disbursement process ensures services are delivered on time. So what are you waiting for? Visit your nearest Cebuana Lhuillier branch now – we assure a fast, easy and secure transaction.
Image Source:
http://8list.ph/where-to-shop-christmas-gifts/
http://storycrossings.com/2015/04/18/potluck/
http://www.cowleyweb.com/blog/christmas-charity-2013