September 30 , 2021 The Beacon • 49
It is already time to set your holiday budget
There are less than 100 days until Christmas . I don ’ t mention this to induce panic . I ’ m not encouraging you to toss the pumpkins and mums aside and exchange them for holly and tinsel quite yet . However , this is the perfect time to begin planning your budget for the holiday season . It may sound too early , but deciding on a plan now will empower you to make wiser holidayspending decisions . And it has the potential to make the holiday season much more enjoyable .
In less than an hour , you can set six realistic goals for how to spend your money this holiday season , as well as your time . Most years I find I am more disciplined with my money-spending habits than I am about
Emily Marrison
Columnist
my “ time-spending ” habits . Though there is still money in the bank , I ’ m heading into a new year frazzled and wishing I hadn ’ t said yes to quite so many holiday happenings . Here are some things to consider in September for a more fulfilling and reflective November and December .
Food
Would the holidays not be festive without cookie baking and candy making ? What about keeping up with normal meal planning ? This can be a time of year when increased busyness in our schedules make us
feel like eating out is the only option . With lack of planning , it can be oh so easy to spend more on food now than any other time of year . This a great time of year to use the slow cooker or the electric multicooker to keep food expenses under control while giving you more time for increased commitments in your schedule . How much time and money will be spent on food ?
Decorations
Would you feel cheated if you couldn ’ t decorate inside and outside for Christmas ? Or does it cause you stress just thinking of lugging all those storage containers out of the attic or basement ? Don ’ t feel like you must recreate the look of past years . This year is this year . Depending on
the emotions decorating brings for you , simple may be best .
Travel
For some families this can be a large portion of the holiday budget . Seasonality makes a big difference in airline ticket pricing . Some online survey results suggest cheaper flights can be obtained between 67 and 94 days before a flight . Remember traveling could include increased mileage on vehicles , hotel stays , pet boarding and more .
Holiday cards
In the old days , sending cards with pictures was the way to let folks far away know how much our families had changed . Now with social media , that same expectation is not there . For those who still have a love of the family photo Christmas card , recognize this can be quite expensive . Shop around for deals on multiple sites beginning in September and October . You may even choose to invest in this type of card every other year .
Charity
If we don ’ t budget for it , it can get squeezed out of the picture . Take this into consideration . According to Robert Wiblin of 80,000 hours , the salary of many Americans is usually in the top 5 % of global earnings . This gives us a disproportionate ability to improve the world . Traveling to Haiti this summer made these statistics come alive for me . Planning purposefully for generosity with money and time is a great gift to model for your children . Gifts
I purposely left this one for last because this is usually the only category most planners think of when they budget for Christmas . Remember there is truth in “ It ’ s the thought that counts .” Teach your children to be gracious and thankful for each gift they receive from others .
Emily Marrison is an OSU Extension family and consumer sciences educator and may be called at 740-622-2265 .
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