Well, hello to you, my reader chums! Christmas is an expensive time, from the gifts to days out and family/friends gatherings, there always appears to be something on. You're not alone in worrying about money, how you're going to afford everything and ensure you feel included; it's a lot to take on.

If you're planning Christmas and need some money advice, here is my guide on how to stay on budget this Christmas. 

Have set budgets for everything 

The best way to stay on budget is to actually have a budget. That may sound silly, but it's easy to overspend when you only have loose figures in mind about what you want to spend and what you can spend. Make a list of your budgets for everything, including presents, food, experiences, days out with family and friends and anything else that'll be paid for over the festive period. Knowing how much you are likely to spend can help you be smarter with your spending choices and avoid extra spending. 

Keep a log of everything you buy

I love a spreadsheet and documents to log my spending habits, especially at Christmas, because I find it easy to overspend on others as I want to treat them as much as I can. To avoid this, I log everything I purchase for gifts in a document to make sure I'm on track to spend allocated amounts but not overspend, and also know how much I have left in each budget. 

Give yourself a 'just in case' pot 

Not everything can go to plan, and sometimes there are events, social occasions or last-minute things you forgot about purchasing in the festive season. Create a 'just in case' pot for this instance, as it can be used for anything last-minute or unplanned.

Lower your expectations of what you can do

With the world of social media, it feels like we have to do everything this Christmas, but really, you don't. The magic of Christmas comes from spending quality time together and making things magical ourselves, not what we buy, how much we spend or the fancy places we go. If you're on a budget, lower your expectations, as it can help you handle the disappointment if you're unable to attend certain events.

Enjoy the free and homely plans 

As I said, Christmas is as magical as you make it. You don't need to spend lots of money to have a good time. Think of all the homely activities you can do, such as craft evenings, baking, film nights and quizzes. Also, all the free things to do out there, such as roaming around the neighbourhood and looking at Christmas decorations, woodland walks, wandering around Christmas markets or visiting family and friends at their homes.

I hope you enjoyed this post. What would you add?

Thank you for reading <3