Things To Do Before The December Sherehe Mode Begins

The festive season is upon us and this means it’s party time! It's time to get those fancy outfits aired for those late-night adventures. However, before the full party mode kicks in, one has to remember that once the sherehe season is over, you still have bills to pay and food to buy. 

It is easy to go overboard with your spending. You might feel the urge to spoil yourself and your loved ones. You desire a good time especially if you have had a tough year. 

But before the blinding  Christmas lights hit, here are some things to do in order to manage the sherehe season!

1. Start Shopping Early (Take advantage of the Early Bird Offers)

One advantage of planning is you can save your money. Shopping early could range from buying tickets for a concert to booking your lodging for a road trip in advance. Making early preparations can help you reduce stress, and save money due to all the early bird offers. There are lots of benefits to being an early bird, some are:

• It helps you spread out expenses.

One of the advantages of preparing for the holidays in advance is it helps you spread out your spending and helps you avoid experiencing a massive financial burden all at once.

• Access to early discounts and sales

By shopping early, you could take advantage of discounts and sales which may increase your savings. Whether it’s Christmas, New Year, or Easter, getting ahead of your shopping can help you secure the best prices and have a more extensive selection of products to choose from. 

• Reduced Stress

As much as this is a time of joy, planning and preparing for the holidays is a stressful experience especially when done last minute. Planning early and doing your shopping early can help you avoid long lines and the hectic rush of last-minute shopping. Shopping now may help you make wiser decisions and make less impulsive decisions due to deceased stress which ultimately saves you money. 

2. Consider Saying No to Some Invites

Telling your loved ones no or that you cannot afford to do something is hard. Most people tend to avoid confrontation and uncomfortable situations, and as a result, you end up spending on something that’s way above your budget or that you have no interest in. Before the party season begins consider saying no to some invites. Saying no could be necessary for a variety of reasons e.g

• Your no could be related to inflating expenses or 
• You are trying to save money and work towards an upcoming goal

Saying no to some invites gives you the freedom to use your time as you want and look forward to doing activities that would have not been possible if you had said yes to all your holiday invites.

3. Create a Budget for the Festive Season

The importance of having a budget cannot be overemphasised, especially during the holiday season. A budget is a must-have now more than ever with shopping sprees, traveling, decorations, and partying. There is a lot to look forward to and a lot of money to spend. 

You might assume not overspending during the holidays is something close to a miracle but having a budget works even during the holidays. Create a budget specifically for Christmas as well as your monthly budget. Your Christmas budget is there to help you navigate the holiday season costs. 

Most people don’t start thinking of the holidays and planning out their spending until Black Friday. By this time, it’s almost too late to come up with a solid budget and enough extra money for Christmas.

4. Start Saving Early

The holidays are here and for some that doesn’t mean you have to go on a spending spree. As the party season kicks in, the money in your pockets might be itching to be spent. But to avoid going on a spending spree and spending the next few weeks counting coins or in debt, you could start saving now.

Saving up for the holidays in advance may make it a less stressful experience to spend money.

The holidays are a time to be with your family, to relax and reflect and not to spend your time stressing about where you are going to get money for your expenses. Why risk getting overwhelmed and stressed when you can start saving money early? It might seem like an impossible task to come up with the money you need to spend during the holidays but if you start saving early, you lessen your burden and also avoid going into debt.

If you overspend during the Christmas holidays the debt is usually carried over to the next year, so while everyone is setting new goals and resolutions, you may have to worry about how you will pay off your Christmas debt. This can slow down on you reaching your other goals as well. Saving in advance is easier said than done but having some accountability could go a long way.

5. Set a Spending Limit

A spending limit is the amount of money you decide to spend over some time.

Having a spending limit during the holidays and all year round has several benefits not just for you but for your pocket as well, for instance,

• It helps you stay on track with your budget 

Setting a spending limit on how much you will spend daily, weekly, or monthly budgeting helps you remain disciplined by sticking with the expenditure stated in your budget e.g. buying groceries, paying bills, etc.

• Reduced impulse purchases 

If you regularly make a lot of impulse purchases that could take a huge toll on your budget and savings. However, having and sticking to a spending limit could help you avoid making impulse buys and keep you from spending more than you can afford.

• Helps you plan for unexpected expenses

One benefit of controlling your spending is that it saves money. Because a spending limit helps you stick to your budget and ultimately helps your savings, you are better prepared for something unexpected that may result in your finances becoming tight or scarred. E.g. car repairs or unplanned medical emergencies.

By taking the step to set a spending limit, you may have the money you need to cover other expenses and you will have money left over you could add to your savings or save for something else. Having a spending limit can also help you avoid falling into debt.

Wrapping Up

As the holidays are here that doesn’t mean you have to throw caution to the wind and party like there is no tomorrow, there is a tomorrow and it’s called January. To avoid starting the new year with regret, planning before the sherehe season is fully here is the way to go.