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Christmas, Early!
If you start getting organised now, this Christmas will go like clockwork and you won't be paying for it next Christmas. The annual Cheapskates Own Your Christmas challenge has started, if you haven't taken up the challenge, you can get on board here.
October is a great time to start your planning and preparing for the coming Christmas. Think about who you want to give gifts too, what you want to give and how much you can afford. If you are planning on any entertaining, plan who, what, when, where and how much you can afford for each event too.
If you have a 'no junk mail' sign on the letterbox, now is the time to take it off or hide it. You need those catalogues for ideas and inspiration. You'll get a good idea of what's popular this year and how much it's going to cost. Make your gift list up using the catalogues as a guide. Even better, help save some trees and sign up online to your favourite retailers' newsletters. Once Christmas is over, you can unsubscribe so you're not inundated with junk email throughout next year.
Now is also the time to start adding some goodies to your grocery trolley each week. Just one or two non-perishable items that you will need for the holidays and you won't have a huge shop to do right before the big day. If you give to food items to a charity, add one item a week and you'll have a nice box of goodies to deliver.
Once your gift list is made up, carry it with you. When you see the perfect gift for someone, and it's at the right price, buy it and cross that name off your list. If you buy or make one or two gifts a week, the bulk of your shopping will be done by December and you won't be battling crowded shopping centres and unbelievable heat.
If you are going to make gifts, get started now! The later you leave it, the busier you become and the less likely you are to finish them. Then you'll spend more money racing out to buy a gift!
Get the heads up on Christmas cards and letters. Update your address book. Create a computer database of names and addresses so you're ready to print out address labels at Christmas. Start writing those cards you bought on sale in January. If you do a few each night, by November 30th, they'll all be ready to go.
If you give to the Wishing Tree or other charities at Christmastime, prepare your packages now. My children liked to do the Christmas Shoe-box when they were at school and it's something we've kept up. Start looking for little gift items to go into the boxes now. Go through your present box, search op shops and keep an eye out when you're shopping for suitable items.
If you're planning any major renovations or decorating jobs around the house - think carefully. Can you be sure that they'll be finished in time for your Christmas entertaining? Simple jobs such as painting, cleaning the carpets, planting new plants can be done now.
October is the time to make homemade food gifts: jams and jellies, preserved fruits and vegetables. Check the recipes for MOO vanilla extract, homemade vinegars and flavoured oils that need weeks or months to ripen. Make food gifts you can freeze. Get your Christmas cake and pudding made now and they'll be well and truly ready for December 25.
If you are having Christmas at your home, ask family members to help. Give them a list of things you need to do and foods you need to complete your menu and ask them to check-off what they can supply.
As you buy gifts, wrap and label them. You won't be sitting up on Christmas Eve wrapping gifts in a mad rush. Put them somewhere safe - I use a cardboard box and keep it on the top shelf of our wardrobe. A shelf in a cupboard, a spot in the garage or a container in the roof will all work too.
Then when December 1 finally arrives, you'll be ready, and sitting back enjoying the celebration.
October is a great time to start your planning and preparing for the coming Christmas. Think about who you want to give gifts too, what you want to give and how much you can afford. If you are planning on any entertaining, plan who, what, when, where and how much you can afford for each event too.
If you have a 'no junk mail' sign on the letterbox, now is the time to take it off or hide it. You need those catalogues for ideas and inspiration. You'll get a good idea of what's popular this year and how much it's going to cost. Make your gift list up using the catalogues as a guide. Even better, help save some trees and sign up online to your favourite retailers' newsletters. Once Christmas is over, you can unsubscribe so you're not inundated with junk email throughout next year.
Now is also the time to start adding some goodies to your grocery trolley each week. Just one or two non-perishable items that you will need for the holidays and you won't have a huge shop to do right before the big day. If you give to food items to a charity, add one item a week and you'll have a nice box of goodies to deliver.
Once your gift list is made up, carry it with you. When you see the perfect gift for someone, and it's at the right price, buy it and cross that name off your list. If you buy or make one or two gifts a week, the bulk of your shopping will be done by December and you won't be battling crowded shopping centres and unbelievable heat.
If you are going to make gifts, get started now! The later you leave it, the busier you become and the less likely you are to finish them. Then you'll spend more money racing out to buy a gift!
Get the heads up on Christmas cards and letters. Update your address book. Create a computer database of names and addresses so you're ready to print out address labels at Christmas. Start writing those cards you bought on sale in January. If you do a few each night, by November 30th, they'll all be ready to go.
If you give to the Wishing Tree or other charities at Christmastime, prepare your packages now. My children liked to do the Christmas Shoe-box when they were at school and it's something we've kept up. Start looking for little gift items to go into the boxes now. Go through your present box, search op shops and keep an eye out when you're shopping for suitable items.
If you're planning any major renovations or decorating jobs around the house - think carefully. Can you be sure that they'll be finished in time for your Christmas entertaining? Simple jobs such as painting, cleaning the carpets, planting new plants can be done now.
October is the time to make homemade food gifts: jams and jellies, preserved fruits and vegetables. Check the recipes for MOO vanilla extract, homemade vinegars and flavoured oils that need weeks or months to ripen. Make food gifts you can freeze. Get your Christmas cake and pudding made now and they'll be well and truly ready for December 25.
If you are having Christmas at your home, ask family members to help. Give them a list of things you need to do and foods you need to complete your menu and ask them to check-off what they can supply.
As you buy gifts, wrap and label them. You won't be sitting up on Christmas Eve wrapping gifts in a mad rush. Put them somewhere safe - I use a cardboard box and keep it on the top shelf of our wardrobe. A shelf in a cupboard, a spot in the garage or a container in the roof will all work too.
Then when December 1 finally arrives, you'll be ready, and sitting back enjoying the celebration.