Easing Holiday Stress: Step 2

As you know, Out of the Blue Delivered's mission this season is to Ease the Stress of the Holidays! If you're working along with us then you have already completed step one which was to Make a Budget!

 

Step 2: Make a Prioritized List (and check it twice!)

 

Though it may seem basic, this is a VERY IMPORTANT step! It's not only about making a list, but then prioritizing it.

 

You have a gift budget (thanks to Step 1) and now you need a list of who you will be spending that allocated money on. Begin by listing everyone that you WANT to buy a gift for. Include anyone that you normally give to: family members, friends, neighbors, nieces, nephews, your kids' friends, boss, co-workers, nanny, teachers, caregivers, doorman, mailman, etc. Be sure to include any secret-santa or other gift exchanges you are planning to participate in. Also, if you send out holiday cards, be sure they were included in either Step 1 or Step 2.

 

Once you have your list, you MUST prioritize it. (Otherwise you'll run out of money before you get the gifts you REALLY need!) Decide which gift recipients are most important and rewrite your list in descending order starting with the most important recipients at the top and working down to the least important.

 

Have an iPhone? Of course there's a Holiday Gift App that can help you make and track your holiday gift list!    

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Easing Holiday Stress: Step 1

The Harry Potter characters, Star Wars figures and assorted princesses have all come begging for candy (and gone home to devour a years worth of sugar) which means that the holidays are officially upon us!

 

Our mission for 2010: Stop the Cycle of Madness!! Let's make a pact right here and now that we are all going to ENJOY the holidays this year.

How, you wonder, are we going to do this? One step at a time.

 

Today's assignment (aka Step 1): Make a budget

In order to prepare for the holdiays, you MUST know how much you can afford to spend on them. There is NOTHING more stressful than the stack of bills that arrive in January that you work all year to try to pay off only to do it again the next year. This year, the cycle of madness ends!!

So sit down with your computer, your checkbook, your significant other, and whatever else you need to decide on your budget and figure out the dollar amout that you are willing to spend on the holidays this year. Be sure to allow for gifts, travel, accomodations, food, Holiday meals, etc.  Need Help calculating a holiday budget? Here is a worksheet plus tips to help!

 

Stick with Out of the Blue Delivered as we work together to make this your best, most enjoyable holiday season ever!!

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