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Guest Post and Money Tip: Prepare Your Finances for the Christmas Season

This is a guest post by Andrew Black. Andrew has been working in the debt relief industry for several years, helping people with credit card debt.

Everyone is excited about Christmas. The season is a time for merrymaking and gift-giving. Needless to say, the occasion is among the most expensive every year. There are so many reasons to spend so much during the holidays. If you are conscious of your personal finance, you could always prepare for the season.

Many consumers end up cash-stripped after Christmas. You may always resolve to be more financially prepared for the season each year. However, it may be a real challenge. No one says it would be easy. Here are some tips on how to prepare your finance for the Christmas season.

Save for Christmas
You could start saving for Christmas spending as early as January of each year. This way, you would not be pressured to save. Logically, you could also save a greater amount for the holidays if you start earlier. You may decide to put a fixed amount into a special savings account each week or month. Be surprised at how much you could save by December.

Another way to save for your Christmas spending season is to observe frugality. Aim to save on costs in every aspect of your daily expenditures. You may start by saving on your utility costs or by minimizing your weekly grocery bill. How about cutting your transportation expenses? You could actually save so much if you would be more determined to do so.

Take a side-job
Do you aim to earn more so you could bolster your savings for Christmas? You may decide to find and take a part-time or side-job. It need not be tedious. You should spend only your spare time, or after-office hours.

What part-time job should you take? If you are good in writing, you may take online writing jobs that pay well. There are numerous data entry jobs available online for professionals who want to make extra income. How about teaching kids through personal tutorials?

There are even numerous opportunities for establishing home-based or small businesses. You may create home-made candles, soaps, or candies during your free time and market them online. Through time, you could earn so much from doing so. It could even be your primary income source if it becomes successful.

Make a spending list
After seeking ways to earn and save cash, it is time to manage seasonal spending. Nothing could beat making a comprehensive Christmas spending list. Plan the occasion carefully. What activities do you intend to do? Are you giving gifts? What seasonal expenses should you make?

Create a list of all the possible expenses and costs you would incur this Christmas. You could actually estimate how much you would spend for each activity or item. This way, you could have a rough estimate of how much you could possibly spend for the season. Thus, your efforts to save and to earn extra could be better directed.

How much do you expect to generate for your Christmas shopping and other activities? How much do you think would you spend? Simple accounting principles could help you manage your personal finances in time for the holiday season. Good luck.

About Crystal Groves, Google+

Crystal Groves is a farmer, web developer, musician, blogger, and personal finance enthusiast from the back hills of Maryland and Pennsylvania. She started Money Drain as a project to encourage people interested in fixing their financial situation to share their stories and learn from the stories of others. We all make mistakes, but in order to change we have to make changes.

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