Even though Thanksgiving is still a couple of weeks away, the holiday season can’t come early enough for many who seek some distraction from the world’s concerns. However, budgets are spread thinner than ever, as the pandemic has resulted in work interruptions and unpredictable finances for all of us.
Thankfully, author and businessman Dave Ramsay has an article on his site with some advice on how to make the most of your holiday budget. His list of twenty ideas is well worth the time to read, but we want to focus on three that really stood out to us:
Set a budget and stick to it
Let’s start with the most important factor, your budget. It’s just that—yours. You know what you can afford better than anyone, so it’s important that you set your own spending goals and not worry about trying to outspend another person or live up to the gifts in a previous year. Look at what you can do in 2020. If you can only give a little, then that’s fine. If you can afford more, that works too. Whatever the case, don’t feel pressured. Life is pretty complicated as it is without adding more financial stress to it.
How you track your budget is going to come down to your tastes. Some people love budgeting with a cash envelope system (like Dave Ramsey’s own), wherein you would label envelopes with your family and friends’ names and only spend what’s in them. Or perhaps you’re more technically inclined and would prefer a spreadsheet or some other tracking tool. Whatever works for you is fine so long as you can remain consistent with it.
Keep an eye on sales
The conventional wisdom for finding deals has been to wait for Black Friday, Small-Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. And, of course, we expect that there will be some exciting doorbusters this year, as always, but many retail establishments having been running all kinds of promotions throughout the summer and now into the fall. Start checking around as soon as you can. Just remember that just because a big-ticket item is on sale doesn’t mean it’s an appropriate purchase in the grand scheme of things. Be thoughtful.
And if you’re able to support the local businesses in your community while gift shopping, then all the better. This year has been especially brutal for them, and anything we can all do to help each other out really speaks to the spirit of the season.
Start a side hustle
Ramsay makes mention of numerous ways someone can make extra money in the ever-growing gig economy, from ride-sharing to grocery delivery to pet-sitting, believe it or not. Of course, there’s another opportunity that we at The Brandt Group would be remiss if we failed to mention it: mystery shopping. It’s is a wonderful way to supplement your income all year long, not just in the holiday season. Not only does it present you with the opportunity to make extra money, it allows you to make your opinions heard. Your notes will help influence the customer-service development of the businesses in your community, which will in turn help maintain their long-term sustainability.
Best of all, when you mystery shop, you’re your own boss. You set your availability, and you only accept the assignments that appeal to you. So, if you’ve got a good eye for detail and a passion for quality, then mystery shopping is something you should definitely check out.
If you’re interested, head over to our own Become a Shopper page to learn more about what we do at The Brandt Group. If you like what you see, we’d love to have you register and start shopping with us as soon as possible.
In the meantime, stay safe and happy deal hunting!
