It’s that time of year again! Bright lights decorate neighborhood houses, tall trees are displayed in their windows, the sounds of crackling fireplaces becomes the soundtrack of the season, and the incessant roar of Will we have enough food? Did I remember to buy a present for my sister-in-law? I hope Aunt Cindy doesn’t bring up politics. Is the house clean enough? When are my parents coming over? haunts you every day until the holiday season is over. So, how do you quiet the stress-inducing inner-monologue? Well, you’ve come to the right blog! Read our tips below for having stress-free holiday.
Set a spending budget
You hear it on the news, you read about it in every holiday-themed blog post or news article: a key to reducing holiday stress is to set a spending limit. If you’re like me, though, you often just ignore that piece of advice, believing that there’s no way you’ll overspend this year...and then you check your bank account and realize, I spent way too much. So, how do you avoid suffering from buyer’s remorse this holiday season?
Decide how much of your paycheck is going towards the holidays.
Subtract the amount of your paycheck that goes into your savings and other monthly expenses, then decide how much you are willing to set aside for the holidays.
Come up with a plan.
Some people find it useful to go to an ATM, take that amount out in cash, and set it aside in an envelope. This is a way of physically monitoring how much your spend during the holidays. Now, it’s not the most convenient, since we’re used to living in a world where we largely pay with a credit/debit card and shop online; but if you’re willing to give it a shot, it’s a great way to help maintain your budget.
If carrying cash around isn’t for you, keep a spreadsheet and write down everything you’ve bought and how much it cost. Try to keep it all on your phone so that, if you’re out shopping, you can quickly look at how you’re doing and how much money you have left to spend before going over budget. It’s tedious, but it will help immensely to reduce the stress that can come with shopping.
Determine your “cushion”.
Sometimes, overspending is inevitable - even if you come up with a foolproof plan. Decide ahead of time what your cushion of overspending is, and forgive yourself if you have to dip into the extra money you set aside. ‘Tis the season to be kind to others and yourself!
My last bit of advice is to download the Honey extension for Google Chrome. This extension looks at the pricing history of products online and will tell you if there’s a better deal elsewhere, if there are coupons you can use, and it will show you what the pricing trends are so you can know if you’re getting the best deal. Plus, it’s free to download.
Make a list -- and check it twice!
If you’ve read other posts on this blog, you know that I am a huge proponent of making lists for everything; and the holidays are no exception! Especially around the holidays, having everything written out will help keep you organized, sane, and less-stressed. It’s so much easier, now, since we live in a digital world where you can track everything on your phones. My suggestion is to keep your lists on your phone in the “notes” section; or, if you prefer writing everything out, make your lists on a small notepad that you can throw in your purse or keep in your pocket when you’re out. Here are some lists you should consider writing this holiday season:
People you need to shop for
Presents you plan on buying/have bought
People who will be coming over and when
Gifts you have received (so you can write thank-you cards!)
Food you need to make (and the groceries you need to buy to make said food!)
**I’ll often make a lot of our side dishes the night before, cover them with foil, and then put them in the oven to reheat 15-20 min before dinner. It saves you a ton of time and seriously reduces day-of stress!
Keep these lists handy and constantly update them. Cross out the gifts you’ve bought so there’s no question later on about what’s-for-who and no last-minute I-forgot-to-buy-a-gift-for-my-brother stress!
Breathe
This may seem like a given, but it bears worth repeating: breathe. The holidays shouldn’t be stressful; they should be a time of spreading joy, spending time with family and friends, and reflection - but that doesn’t always happen. Sometimes we have relatives come over that aren’t easy to get along with; sometimes we get stuck doing what feels like a million things while everyone else seems to be enjoying themselves and relaxing. In those moments of heightened stress and anxiety, it’s important to take a step aside and bring consciousness to your breath. Mindful breathing will help slow down your heart rate and take you out of your head and into the present.
After some mindful breathing, come up with a plan. Maybe you go out to dinner with your relatives to avoid tension and the stress of cooking; maybe you say no to seeing certain people; maybe this year, you recruit more help in all of the preparations; maybe someone else drives because you don’t want to deal with the traffic. It’s okay to let go of things if they’re causing the holidays to become unenjoyable.
If all else fails, the internet can do all the work for you! Check out some of these links for last-minute help for the holidays.
How do you manage holiday stress? Comment below!
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