Emerging from the storerooms and spilling from every corner of the big shopping centres, a very glittery Christmas is coming out. The shelves are starting to move around and the red and white is an invading force into the high traffic thoroughfares. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and if the thought of holiday shopping anxiety is taking hold then its time for you to get yourself ready for an Affordable SA Christmas. Its just under 12 weeks to go!
1. PLANNING
Make a list and check it twice. Its not a case of whose naughty and whose nice, its just better to identify the people you want to give presents to and those that you can send cards and best wishes. Many people simply cannot afford to spend money on everyone they know such as their work colleagues and the neighbours.
Start planning early and don’t wait for the tinsel to roll out and carol music to begin. This provides time to save and look for gifts in the pre-Christmas sales and before the car parks start bulging every day.
2. BUDGET FOR THE WHOLE OF CHRISTMAS
Using your gift list write out how much you want to spend on presents and add any substantial food purchases such as a ham. Include posting cards, wrapping paper, and decorations. Extra meals and extra mouths add to what you usually allocate for your normal expenses. Even money for petrol to travel to visit family is a relative cost (sorry for the pun). Add 10% to your budget to make allowance for last minute details.
When Christmas is over assess this budget and be honest about how you managed or how you can improve the plan for next year.
3. BUYING GIFTS
Christmas is a time for connecting with those we love. Speak to friends and family members and set realistic expectations. Very much in vogue is to create a gift pool for extended family where each person is given the task of buying a gift for a different member of the family. Each person receives one gift and buys one gift. Pulling names out of a hat can be made fun and a good talking point between family members. Set a maximum cost for each gift of $5 or $10 or what ever you think is appropriate but affordable and get everyone to stay on budget.
4. SAVE FOR CHRISTMAS
Create a Christmas savings account or have a change jar for coins that you can periodically bank. A small amount put away each fortnight can help to take the debt out Christmas. Is it too late to save? Its never too late to save but if the milk and cookies are already set and Santa is throwing a leg over the chimney then before the tree and the decorations are packed away start a saving account for next year.
5. HOMEMADE
Homemade gifts are usually less expensive and are a wonderful, unique expression of your love. Freshly baked treats tied in a festive bow might make the perfect gift for a teacher or friend. Hand-sewn or knitted toys or clothes are cherished. Show off your talents with creative wrapping – affordable presents can look extravagant.
Not all of us are as talented as a budding Master-chef or home show presenter and sometimes buying all the materials needed to make something can quickly add up. Look online for ideas and judge for yourself what is achievable or not.
6. SHOPPING
Stick to your lists and your budget and try to use cash or debit card rather than credit to make your purchases.
Paying for parking and travelling around hunting for gifts can be time consuming and costly if long hours of parking fees are involved. Plan your trips wisely to avoid duplicate travel expenses.
Keep your receipts. There are several reasons to keep receipts. It makes it easier to return items and it provides you with a way of quickly identifying what you have purchased and confirms your real costs.
Last-minute Christmas shopping is for the brave and the fool hardy. If you can get it done before the Carols start then your well on your way to the head of the cue and a stress less Christmas.
7. ONLINE
If you know what you want you can quite often get an online bargain without the hassle of congested shopping. Purchase online items early to avoid the disappointment of having to wait till after Christmas to receive the gift. Mail moves slowly closer to Christmas. Looking at items online or in catalogues also provides a guide to what you should expect and budget to pay.
8. COOKING
Plan for the holiday menu and look where you can buy ingredients in bulk to save money. Holiday time sees many types of leftovers, which can be stretched over several days. A good meal with the family is about celebration and sharing, not excess.
Look for the specials before the Christmas period for items that have long best before dates.
9. POST CHRISTMAS DEBT
That warm Christmas glow can quickly disappear when the credit card bills come rolling in at the start of the New Year. Using savings or debit cards rather than credit provides a realistic way of monitoring your spending. Spending your own money and reducing debt is always a good idea all year round if possible.
10. NEW YEAR BARGAINS
If the big ticket family purchase like a telly is on your Christmas list create an IOU to be used during the big sales in January. If you have managed to create a saving plan for Christmas then its time to reward yourself.
Once the Christmas rush is over Christmas themed items are greatly reduced and many people purchase cards and decorations or even a new plastic tree for next year.
11. FAMILY
The cost of a gift is not a reflection of your love. Not only are the best things in life free, the best things in life are not “things”. Christmas is a time for family and making time for activities and games are gifts of fond memories for everyone. They don't come with a guarantee or a warranty but they usually last longer and increase in value over the years.
12. REMEMBER
If you or a friend struggle to make ends meet there is help. Speak with a financial Counsellor for free and get some control on your finances.
The Financial Counselling helpline can be contacted on 1800 007 007
9.30-8pm Monday to Thursday and 9.30 – 4.30pm on Fridays.
Christmas is a special time of year but it can be especially hard on those who are less fortunate or alone. Thankfully, there are groups that organise lunches for people on Christmas Day. If you are or know some one in this situation , please find a list of service providers attached
Community
1. Contact your local Salvation Army and ask about the Christmas Cheer Program
2. Seek out which church based organisations are offering Christmas day lunch in your area
3. If don’t want to feel the financial pressure of Christmas Day, consider volunteering your time on Christmas Day to help others
4. Contact your local council, community centre or library to see what free Christmas activities are offered in your area during the Christmas period
5. Visit your local op shop for Christmas supplies
6. If you are considering buying a pet as a gift for Christmas, consider adopting from a rescue centre
Food
7. Buy in bulk and split the cost with friends and/or family members
8. Start buying non-perishable groceries now
9. If you know that there will be non-perishable groceries that you will need for Christmas, buy 2 of them when they are half price, that way you will have one for now and one for Christmas
10. Instead of an expensive hot turkey, consider a non-traditional, southern-hemisphere inspired Christmas Day menu of cold meat and salads
11. As most supermarkets are closed on Christmas Day, pay them a visit the night before right before they close to see what food has been discounted
12. It doesn’t snow this side of the equator on Christmas Day, so take Christmas outside. As an option, suggest that everyone bring a salad or a packet of sausages to cook on the public BBQ at your local park.
13. Instead of trying to buy (or make) a Christmas pudding, consider making a ‘non-traditional’ ice cream cake
14. Consider using accumulated supermarket loyalty points to buy your Christmas food
15. Instead of hosting a Christmas lunch or dinner, consider the cheaper option of a Christmas breakfast (no turkey required)
16. Avoid Christmas hampers that have year-long payment arrangements. You can end up paying a lot more for items compared to if you purchased them outright.
17. Don’t feel pressured to serve ‘traditional’ food at Christmas time. In Japan, it is tradition for around 3.6 million families to get a ‘holiday party bucket’ from KFC on Christmas Eve…
18. Instead of buying a whole turkey, ham or chicken, consider buying separate cuts of meat (e.g. legs, wings, roasts, etc.)
Presents
19. Commit to a budget. Draw up a table with who you are buying for and how much you can afford to spend on each person. Do not go over your budget.
20. If the children in your family are getting older, consider the option of a Secret Santa (each person is responsible for only one gift)
21. Take advantage of the extended Christmas shopping hours. There will be less people around, which means you may feel less stressed and rushed
22. Don’t feel pressured by others, or yourself, to buy Christmas presents you cannot afford
23. Wrapping paper can be expensive. Consider newspaper, material, cellophane, brown paper, etc
24. Consider baking cookies or making a Christmas pudding as alternative to buying someone a Christmas present
25. Consider making homemade pickles, jams, preserves and giving them as gifts
26. Only go shopping for Christmas gifts when you know what you want to buy – avoid impulse purchases that are not within your budget
27. Save money on buying Christmas cards by sending your Christmas greetings electronically via email, text or social media
28. If you are creative, try a DIY present – soaps, candles, a knitted scarf, a tie dye t shirt, a photo frame, a painting, etc
29. Consider giving the ‘gift of time’ to someone. Create a coupon book of activities that you could do together in the future (e.g. watching a movie of the other person’s choice)
30. Do not put yourself in financial hardship just so you can buy what others consider to be ‘the most amazing, best Christmas present of 2021’… it will be something completely different by Christmas 2022
31. If you don’t know what to get someone, consider a small charity donation on their behalf
32. Consider giving gift cards instead of actual gifts
33. Avoid the temptation of getting ‘quick, easy’ money through pay day lenders to buy Christmas presents
34. Recycle Christmas wrapping paper and gift bags from previous years
Decorations
35. Get your children involved by making your own Christmas cards
36. Buy your 2022 Christmas decorations on or after Boxing Day
37. If buying a new Christmas tree is not in your budget this year, consider designing and building your own
38. To give the traditional ‘Christmas tree’ a modern twist, decorate an indoor plant
39. Make your own table decorations – i.e. use a roll of wrapping paper as a table runner or pick foliage from your garden
40. Make your own Christmas stockings by decorating old pillow cases
41. Use newspaper and craft paint to make a home-made Christmas garland
42. Choose solar Christmas lights over electric
43. Do not put yourself in debt trying to make your house look like something you saw online. You don’t need to make people believe that you live in a European, snow covered cottage…
Budget
44. Are you a casual employee and does your work place close over Christmas? Make sure that you have funds saved up to cover essential living expenses over the Christmas break.
45. Do not put yourself into financial hardship for the sake of others. If you cannot afford to attend a Christmas function, it is ok to politely decline the invitation.
46. It is inevitable that there will be people out there that will spend more/less than you at Christmas. Remember to work within your budget this Christmas
47. The weather at Christmas time can be extremely hot. Consider doing a home energy audit on your air conditioner/cooling system to see the amount of electricity it uses and what it is costing you
48. For Christmas 2022, consider putting money away each fortnight into a separate bank account
49. Create a Christmas spending budget and keep track of food, presents, decorations, etc
50. Try to avoid using the money you would spend on essential living expenses (rent, electricity, etc) to pay for Christmas. This will catch up with you when Christmas is over.
Where does the time go? Only 7 Days until Christmas!
Time to pick-up last-minute gifts and prepare for celebrations with family and friends. There’s presents to wrap, food to make and lots and lots of little jobs that can make it a very busy time.
Christmas Finances
The tricky thing about the festive season is that life doesn’t stop. Your real estate agent will still direct debit your rental payment, your electricity company will still want your quarterly bill paid and your telco company will still demand your BPay payment on a set day of the month.
With the added expense of Christmas, the end of the year can put a lot of pressure on people’s financial situation and unfortunately here on the Affordable SA helpline we tend to see the aftermath at the start of the new year.
Being part of the billion-dollar Christmas debt hangover is no way to start the New Year. If you are struggling with your expenses call the Affordable SA Helpline on 1800 025 539 to speak to a Financial Counsellor.
You can also find a range of programs that can help here:
https://affordablesa.com.au/programs/money-and-finances
Food for Christmas
Have you got enough food for you and your family this Christmas?
There's still time to access food pantries and emergency relief, but be quick as services may be closed, providing limited service or have different hours during the Christmas and New Year period.
A food pantry offers free or low cost food and groceries to the community. Find a local Food Pantry here:
https://affordablesa.com.au/programs/food/food-pantry
You can find local, emergency relief here:
https://affordablesa.com.au/programs/food/emergency-relief
You can also call the Affordable SA helpline to be connected to services near you that can help. Call the helpline on 1800 025 539
A Christmas Together
It's also an important time to check in on people you know who may be experiencing loneliness or hardship.
Spare a thought for your elderly neighbour who lives alone, your friend who is experiencing financial hardship, your relative who is going through a separation or your co-worker who is struggling with depression.
If you know someone who finds this time of year especially difficult, consider reaching out to them to show that you are thinking of them.
If you or someone you know finds this time of year especially difficult, services such as Lifeline are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week to take your call on 13 11 14
https://affordablesa.com.au/programs/health-care/lifeline
Have a Merry Christmas South Australia
From everyone at Affordable SA, we wish you a very merry Christmas and all the best for 2021!