I’m usually a hot mess when it comes to Christmas shopping. In previous years I’d simply start buying all the things whenever I came across a good deal and as the holiday approached I would gather all the gifts I’d bought and start wrapping them up. This led to me TOTALLY overspending, not knowing whether or not gifts had been delivered, because basically, I had no plan.
This year, I’m getting a lot more strategic about my holiday shopping. I created an Excel spreadsheet and I listed all the people I intend to buy gifts for. Then, as I’ve started to shop for them, I’ve included the total amount I spent, the name of the store I shopped at, and what exactly I bought for them. Once the item has been delivered to my house (for the online shopping I’m doing) I then mark it as having been delivered.
This has helped me so much already this year because at a glance I’m able to see the total amount I’ve spent on Christmas presents, how much money I’ve spent on each person, and I’m reminded of what I’ve actually bought them. In previous years I’d keep buying things for people just because I saw a really good sale but now I can take a step back and remember that I’ve already completed my shopping for them.
What do you guys think? Anyone else have an Excel spreadsheet for holiday shopping? I swear, it works! So I highly recommend giving it a shot.
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