2019 Christmas Budget/Spending Autopsy

Ok, so calling this an Autopsy is not very festive or cheerful.
So call it "The Post Where I Talk About What I Was Going to Spend for Christmas and What I Actually Spent for Christmas".
Whatever works for you.....

I budgeted $850 for Christmas spending in 2019 back aft4r Christmas of 2018.  Except for what Hubs spends on gifts for me, this is our entire spending budget for Christmas(except for food for Christmas meals-which is accounted for in the food budget). 
But as 2019 rolled out I re-figured that budget since I knew  we weren't traveling and I didn't plan on giving cash gifts to family this year.  Both of those items would bring down the Holiday spending quite a bit so I went back mid-year and reduced the Christmas Budget to $700.

Last year I budgeted $850 and we spent $845.03.  Pretty close to my target and I knew 2019 would be even lower.

The traveling to Louisiana was happening in January 2020 for my Daughter's wedding so doesn't figure into the Christmas totals/budget.

I have been tracking our Christmas spending since 2010--
2010.........$1000 planned/$881.64 spent
2011.........$1300 planned/$851.32 spent
2012.........$1000 planned/$1020.48 spent
2013.........$1650 planned/$2164.77 spent

2014.........$1900 planned/$1742.87 spent
2015.........$1800 planned/$1583.94 spent

2016.........$1600 planned/$793.72 spent
2017...........$850 planned/$845.62 spent

2018...........$850 planned/$845.03 spent

How do I arrive at a budget for Christmas?  Nowadays I look at what we spent the previous years(because I have a full accounting for the last 9 years or so on the blog)and see where we did well and where we did "not-so-well" with budgeting and add in any unusual things we plan to do and after some papers are balled up and thrown away and there is one sheet left with lots of writing on it(as well as writing scratched out on it), we have a plan and a budget. lolz

No, really.....I look at possible spending categories and what I think we will use in each one.

I generally use c/c points to get gift cards for free(to either give as presents or use to buy the presents to give)plus I buy a bit here and there during the year when a deal presents itself and those items are cash flowed from our regular monthly income.  I have been known to reserve some blogging revenue(what I don't spend on shipping costs for giveaways I hold)and then there is always all that stuff I bring home from Rite-Aid. *wink*
I generally don't set money aside each month throughout the year(like a Christmas club account or actual money in an envelope earmarked for Christmas spending)since we had a large cushion of cash in our checking and savings accounts and I can just pull from those sources when I need money to spend on Christmas stuff.  Since Hubs retired mid-2017 I have to budget for Xmas better though.

But if you don't have extra cash lying around it is a good idea to take funds during the year and earmark them for the Holidays.
There are many ways to save ahead for Christmas.....make regular deposits to a dedicated account or a Christmas club at a bank, use a one-time windfall like a bonus or a tax refund, etc........so use whatever works for your situation.

The only unacceptable plan is to GO INTO DEBT for Christmas!
Better to not spend on Christmas than to endure the grief/angst/anguish/stress by going into debt buying crap at Christmas you can't afford and having to pay off the bills incurred sometime in 2020, or 2021 or beyond.

So we went into the Holidays with $700.00 budgeted to spend.

Here is where the funds were allocated.......

Shipping gifts/mailing Holiday Cards  $40.00
Gifts for immediate family(includes any cash gifts)  $550.00

Gifts for extended family & friends  $50.00

Electricity for lights   $10.00

A Christmas eve meal and show or movie   $50.00
Christmas travel expenses(lodging, food, gas, booze)   $0.00
Charity  $0.00

And here is where the money actually went.....

Shipping gifts/mailing Holiday Cards  $62.73

Gifts for immediate family  $385.55

Gifts for extended family & friends  $76.40

Electricity for lights  $10.00

A Christmas eve meal and show or movie  $43.03

Christmas travel expenses(lodging, food, gas, booze)  $0.00

Charity  $0.00

TOTAL SPENT...$577.71

Here are the Spending Details....

$62.73 *Shipping/Mailing Holiday Cards & Gifts----$22.73 over budget

We sent out 21 cards(1 was put into a package and not mailed separately in envelopes) and mailed 1 package to my Daughter and her Fiance and 2 packages to 2 friends.  Stamps cost $11 and the cards I had already from previous Christmases.  The postage for three packages(1 to LA, 1 to AZ, 1 to NE)came to $51.73 for shipping. ouch.

$385.55  *Gifts for family---- $164.45 under budget

Last year I spent $640.46 on gifts for family so I spent $254.91 less this year on the family's gifts.  Family included 5 people--Hubs, 3 kids, eldest's GF and daughter's fiance(and their dog).  I gave no cash gifts this year which brought the spending on gifts down a lot.

$76.40  *Gifts for extended family & friends---OVER budgeted amount by $26.40

I bought for more folks this year but didn't spend an exorbitant amount on anyone, plus added a person so I was just a little over on everyone.

$10.00  *Electricity for Lights----ON Budget

We used the larger tree(equals more lights)but there were less lights on the outside of the house which evened out the electric spending.

$43.03  *A Christmas eve meal and show or movie----UNDER budget by $6.97

Ex-CB was working so it was just Hubs and I Xmas eve so we didn't do our Chinese dinner out tradition.  We did go out to the Chinese Buffet lunch the day after Xmas and paid for the 4 of us(Ex-CB had to work).

$0.00  *Charity----NO Cash Spending on Charity this Holiday Season. I gave to the local food bank at least 4 times during 2019.  I do plan to send a check to my old friend's widow to help with funeral costs/medical bills(Tom died Dec. 29th)but that will happen in January.

$0.00  *Christmas travel expenses(lodging, food, gas, booze, cash incidentals)----NO Spending We didn't travel this year again as the Eldest came home for Christmas with his GF in tow.

All totaled, this year I budgeted $700.00 and we spent $577.71, so $122.29 under budget overall.

Thoughts for 2020--

I think I'll keep our budget at $700 for next Christmas.  We aren't hurting for money but we are on a fixed income with Hubs retired now.  Plus all of our kids are 23 or older(and 1 is established in a career and 2 gainfully employed now)so I don't feel the need to spend so much on them as when they were younger.

For our income and our needs, I think this is just the right amount to splash out on Christmas celebrating.

Unless our plans change and we travel for the Holidays or someone gets pregnant(not me!lol)$700 seems a good target amount for spending.

If you kept track of your spending for Christmas, how did you do?
Did you spend more. less or right about what you planned on spending?
Did you have any money epiphanies when you look back at the Holiday plan?
Do you see anything you'll change about your spending for Christmas 2020?

Leave a comment and let us know how you did and what you learned about yourself & money this year!

Sluggy

2018 Christmas Budget/Spending Autopsy

Ok, so calling this an Autopsy is not very festive or cheerful.
So call it "The Post Where I Talk About What I Was Going to Spend for Christmas and What I Actually Spent for Christmas".
Whatever works for you.....

I budgeted $850 for Christmas spending in 2018.  Except for what Hubs spends on gifts for me, this is our entire spending budget for Christmas(except for food for Christmas meals-which is accounted for in the food budget).

Last year I budgeted $850 and we spent $845.62.
So I based this year's Xmas budget on what was spent last year as we were pretty close to the targeted amount.  We weren't going to be traveling anywhere for the Holidays so this amount seemed adequate to me.

I have been tracking our Christmas spending since 2010--
2010.........$1000 planned/$881.64 spent
2011.........$1300 planned/$851.32 spent
2012.........$1000 planned/$1020.48 spent
2013.........$1650 planned/$2164.77 spent

2014.........$1900 planned/$1742.87 spent
2015.........$1800 planned/$1583.94 spent

2016.........$1600 planned/$793.72 spent
2017...........$850 planned/$845.62 spent

How do I arrive at a budget for Christmas?  Nowadays I look at what we spent the previous years(because I have a full accounting for the last 6 years or so on the blog)and see where we did well and where we did "not-so-well" with budgeting and add in any unusual things we plan to do and after some papers are balled up and thrown away and there is one sheet left with lots of writing on it(as well as writing scratched out on it), we have a plan and a budget. lolz

No, really.....I look at possible spending categories and what I think we will use in each one.

I generally use c/c points to get gift cards for free(to either give as presents or use to buy the presents to give)plus I buy a bit here and there during the year when a deal presents itself and those items are cash flowed from our regular monthly income.  I have been known to reserve blogging revenue, rolled coins and/or cash rebates from grocery purchases during the year to pay for Christmas expenses.
I generally don't set money aside each month throughout the year(like a Christmas club account or actual money in an envelope earmarked for Christmas spending)since we had a large cushion of cash in our checking and savings accounts and I can just pull from those sources when I need money to spend on Christmas stuff.  Since Hubs retired mid-2017 I will have to budget for Xmas better in the future.

But if you don't have extra cash lying around it is a good idea to take funds during the year and earmark them for the Holidays.
There are many ways to save ahead for Christmas.....make regular deposits to a dedicated account or a Christmas club at a bank, use a one-time windfall like a bonus or a tax refund, etc........so use whatever works for your situation.

The only unacceptable plan is to GO INTO DEBT for Christmas!
Better to not spend on Christmas than to endure the grief/angst/anguish/stress by going into debt buying crap at Christmas you can't afford and having to pay off the bills incurred sometime in 2019, or 2020 or beyond.

So we went into the Holidays with $850.00 budgeted to spend.

Here is where the funds were allocated.......

Shipping gifts/mailing Holiday Cards  $40.00
Gifts for immediate family(includes any cash gifts)  $600.00

Gifts for extended family & friends  $50.00

Electricity for lights   $10.00

A Christmas eve meal and show or movie   $150.00
Christmas travel expenses(lodging, food, gas, booze)   $0.00
Charity  $0.00

And here is where the money actually went.....

Shipping gifts/mailing Holiday Cards  $38.85

Gifts for immediate family  $640.46

Gifts for extended family & friends  $71.00

Electricity for lights  $10.00

A Christmas eve meal and show or movie  $84.72
Christmas travel expenses(lodging, food, gas, booze)  $0.00
Charity  $0.00
TOTAL SPENT...$845.03

Here are the Spending Details....

$38.85 *Shipping/Mailing Holiday Cards & Gifts----$1.15 UNDER budget
We sent out 23 cards(3 were put into packages and not mailed separately in envelopes) and mailed 1 package to my brother and his wife and 2 packages to 2 friends.  Stamps cost $10 and the cards I had already from previous Christmases.  The postage for two packages was $28.85 and the stamps cost $10.00

$640.46  *Gifts for family---- $40.46 over budget
Last year I spent $567.90 on gifts for family so I spent $72.56 more this year on the family's gifts.  Family included 5 people--Hubs, 3 kids, eldest's GF.  $150.00 of that $640.46 spent was on cash gifts.  We had 1 more person to buy for this year(Eldest son's GF).  If the GF wasn't here I would have been closer to target by $29.06.

$71.00  *Gifts for extended family---OVER budgeted amount by $21.00

Nephew's gift cost what I wanted to spend,  his dad's food basket was foodstuffs I used sales/coupons to get so either free or accounted for in the yearly food budget.  I spent $50 on my brother and the sister in-law's gift which was what put me over.  I sent cousin Sonya hair care stuff for free at R-A and a CVS gift card(that girl is all about the CVS!lol)but I got that free with credit card points. 8-)))

$10.00  *Electricity for Lights----ON Budget
We used the smaller tree again this year(less lights than a full size tree)and Hubs was able to do the outdoors lights too using the same stuff we usually hang outside.  No big Battle of the Xmas Lights here! lolz

$84.72  *A Christmas eve meal and show or movie----UNDER budget by $65.28
Dinner for 3 this year plus a to-go order for Ex-College Boy(who was working).  Eldest and GF weren't here and nephew and BIL didn't come so a small crowd.  Nobody drank liquor this year but we did all 3 get appetizers.
After tip we spent $84.72

$0.00  *Charity----NO Cash Spending on Charity this Holiday Season(still coasting on the "Rescue Mission last year to SC") but I did give a very large donation to the town's food bank of toiletries, laundry detergent and foodstuffs.  All that was either free with Bonus Cash at R-A or accounted for in the grocery budget.

$0.00  *Christmas travel expenses(lodging, food, gas, booze, cash incidentals)----NO Spending We didn't travel this year again as the Eldest came home for Christmas with his GF in tow.

All totaled, this year I budgeted $850 and we spent $845.03, so $4.97 under budget overall.


Thoughts for 2019--
I think I'll keep our budget at $850.00 for next Christmas.  We aren't hurting for money but we are on a fixed income with Hubs retired now.  Plus all of our kids are 22 or older(and 1 is established in a career and 1 gainfully employed now)so I don't feel the need to spend so much on them as when they were younger.
For our income and our needs, I think this is just the right amount to splash out on Christmas celebrating.
Unless our plans change and we travel for the Holidays, $850 seems a good target amount for spending.

If you kept track of your spending for Christmas, how did you do?
Did you spend more. less or right about what you planned on spending?
Did you have any money epiphanies when you look back at the Holiday plan?
Do you see anything you'll change about your spending for Christmas 2019?

Leave a comment and let us know how you did and what you learned about yourself & money this year!

Sluggy

2016 Christmas Budget/Spending Autopsy

Ok, so calling this an Autopsy is not very festive or cheerful.
So call it "The Post Where I Talk About What I Was Going to Spend for Christmas and What I Actually Spent for Christmas".
Whatever works for you.....

I budgeted $1600 for Christmas spending in 2016.  Except for what Hubs spends on gifts for me, this is our entire spending budget for Christmas.
Last year I budgeted $1800.00 and we spent $1583.94.
So I based this year's Xmas budget on what we spent last year(plus a few dollars to round up to $1600).

I have been tracking our Christmas spending since 2010--
2010.........$1000 planned/$881.64 spent
2011.........$1300 planned/$851.32 spent
2012.........$1000 planned/$1020.48 spent
2013.........$1650 planned/$2164.77 spent

2014.........$1900 planned/$1742.87 spent
2015.........$1800 planned/$1583.94 spent


How do I arrive at a budget for Christmas?  Nowadays I look at what we spent the previous years(because I have a full accounting for the last 6 years or so on the blog)and see where we did well and where we did "not-so-well" with budgeting and add in any unusual things we plan to do and after some papers are balled up and thrown away and there is one sheet left with lots of writing on it(as well as writing scratched out on it), we have a plan and a budget. lolz

No, really.....I look at possible spending categories and what I think we will use.
I generally use c/c points to get gift cards for free(to either give as presents or use to buy the presents to give)plus I buy a bit here and there during the year when a deal presents itself and those items are cash flowed from our regular monthly income.  I have been known to reserve blogging revenue, rolled coins and/or cash rebates from grocery purchases during the year to pay for Christmas expenses.
I generally don't set money aside each month throughout the year(like a Christmas club account or actual money in an envelope earmarked for Christmas spending)since we had a large cushion of cash in our checking and savings accounts and I can just pull from those sources when I need money to spend on Christmas stuff.

But if you don't have extra cash lying around it is a good idea to take funds during the year and earmark them for the Holidays.
There are many ways to save ahead for Christmas.....make regular deposits to a dedicated account or a Christmas club at a bank, use a one-time windfall like a bonus or a tax refund, etc........so use whatever works for your situation.

The only unacceptable plan is to GO INTO DEBT for Christmas!
Better to not spend on Christmas than to endure the grief/angst/anguish/stress by going into debt buying crap at Christmas you can't afford and having to pay off the bills incurred sometime in 2017, or 2018 or beyond.

So we went into the Holidays with $1600.00 budgeted to spend.

Here is where the funds were allocated.......

Shipping gifts/mailing Holiday Cards  $35.00
Gifts for immediate family(includes any cash gifts)  $800.00

Gifts for extended family & friends  $50.00

Electricity for lights   $15.00

A Christmas eve meal and show or movie   $100.00
Christmas travel expenses(lodging, food, gas, booze)   $500.00
Charity  $100.00

And here is where the money actually went.....

Shipping gifts/mailing Holiday Cards  $28.27

Gifts for immediate family  $542.45

Gifts for extended family & friends  $56.00

Electricity for lights  $7.00

A Christmas eve meal and show or movie  $60.00
Christmas travel expenses(lodging, food, gas, booze)  $0.00
Charity  $100.00
TOTAL SPENT...$793.72

Here are the Spending Details....

$28.27  *Shipping/Mailing Holiday Cards & Gifts----
We sent out 32 cards and mailed 1 small gift to a friend and 1 package to my eldest son.  Stamps cost $14.85 and the cards I had already from previous Christmases.  

We had planned to see eldest and his fiancee at Xmas time so when we didn't travel at the Holidays I had to mail gifts to them.  The heavy stuff I didn't send and will hand deliver later in the year.
I did send 1 person who isn't family a small gift this year.  The actually gifts I either paid for from my food budget and/or I already had here so no costs associated with those gifts given, just the postage.

$542.45  *Gifts for family----Under by $257.55
Last year I spent $699.77 on gifts for family so I spent $157.32 less this year on the family's gifts.  Family included 8 people--Hubs, 3 kids and their 2 SOs, my brother and sister in-law.

Here is how I kept the cost of gifts a bit lower than it could have been this year--
* I cashed in points on my credit card and/or hotel program card for free gift cards to give or use to buy items to give. (I wasn't very successful at this strategy as in year's past but I still saved some by using it.)
* I bought items I was going to buy anyway and sent for premiums(free items). IE-$10 Best Buy gift card offer for buying 20 apples sauce packs. These type items cost me the price of a stamp to mail away for the offer.
* I used some Coke Rewards points to get a free $10 Amazon gift code to give.(Coke points were free to me off of bottles someone else paid for.)
*  Many items were bought at Kohl's online during Black Friday week and the weeks following.  I used $100 in gift cards I already had and paid for last year for some of these purchases, 3 items purchased gave me $36 in cash rebates(which brought the cost of those items to $7.99 each)plus I earned $60 in Kohl's cash on one order which I applied to a subsequent order.
*  I shopped sales, both in store and online.  I keep an eye out throughout the year for deals.
* Lots of stocking stuffers were items gotten at Rite-Aid over the course of the year for no money too.  I also bought 4 fragrance gift sets on sale at the Holidays at R-A, with coupons and cash rebates then I sold 2 of them which covered my OOP on all of them so I have/had 2 gifts to give at no cost to me.
More stocking stuffers were gotten at the grocery store for free after coupons and others gotten as giveaways/freebies from companies.

$56.00  *Gifts for extended family---Over $50 Budgeted Amount by $6.00

We spent a bit more on the nephew's gift this year since I gave him a Rite-Aid procured gift card(so I got Plenti points but paid full price for the card)instead of using some credit card points to get a gift card for free.

$7.00  *Electricity for Lights----Under budget by $8.00
Same stuff hung outside the house.
We used the smaller tree this year and put it up a bit later.
After Hubs' accident the outside lights didn't get plugged in much if at all since that is Hubs' "thing" and he couldn't.
 It's really not a category that I can nail down the cost beyond an approximation so I figure we used about half what we usually do on lights.

$60.00  *A Christmas eve meal and show or movie----Under budget by $40.00
With Hubs not walking yet I got take-out food and we didn't go to a movie.  Amount spend included a nice tip. 8-)

$100.00  *Charity----Even
Another donation to the local food bank but not in groceries/toiletries like I do sporadically throughout the year, but rather a nice sized check. 8-)


$0.00  *Christmas travel expenses(lodging, food, gas, booze, cash incidentals)----Under budget by $500.00
With the accident, we stayed put for the Holidays.


All totaled, this year I budgeted $1600 and we spent $793.72, so $806.28 under budget overall. Even when you take out the $500 for travel(which leaves us a $900 Christmas budget)we still stayed significantly under for the Holidays.


Thoughts for 2017--
I think I'll keep our budget at $1600 for next Christmas.  I am comfortable with this amount and am able to stay within it.  For our income and our needs, I think this is just the right amount to splash out on Christmas celebrating.

If you kept track of your spending for Christmas, how did you do?
Did you spend more. less or right about what you planned on spending?
Did you have any money epiphanies when you look back at the Holiday plan?
Do you see anything you'll change about your spending for Christmas 2017?

Leave a comment and let us know how you did and what you learned about yourself & money this year!

Sluggy

Christmas 2015 Budget/Spending Autopsy

Ok, so calling this an Autopsy is not very festive or cheerful.
So call it "The Post Where I Talk About What I Was Going to Spend for Christmas and What I Actually Spent for Christmas".
Whatever works for you.....

I budgeted $1800 for Christmas spending in 2015.  Except for what Hubs spends on gifts for me, this is our entire spending budget for Christmas.
Last year I budgeted $1900.00 and we spent $1782.47.

Since I did so well staying under budget last year I reduced the 2015 Christmas budget by $100 to $1800.

Our Christmas spending has been tracking upward since I began keeping running totals in 2010.
Except for 2 years, we have upped our spending each successive year.

2010.........$1000 planned/$881.64 spent
2011.........$1300 planned/$851.32 spent
2012.........$1000 planned/$1020.48 spent
2013.........$1650 planned/$2164.77 spent

2014.........$1900 planned/$1742.87 spent

We finally returned to being under budget in 2014 after 2 years of overspending.  I like this new trend more.  ;-)

How do I arrive at a budget for Christmas?  Nowadays I look at what we spent the previous years(because I have a full accounting for the last 5 years or so on the blog)and see where we did well and where we did "not-so-well" with budgeting and add in any unusual things we plan to do and after some papers are balled up and thrown away and there is one sheet left with lots of writing on it(as well as writing scratched out on it), we have a plan and a budget. lolz

No, really.....I look at possible spending categories and what I think we will use and compare it to what we have put aside by September of that year.
I generally use c/c points to get gift cards for free(to either give as presents or use to buy the presents to give), cash in our rolled up change(about $150 a year), use blog income(after I deduct what I pay in shipping all those giveaway boxes to winners each year) and then chunk in a hunk of either the tax refund from that year, a part of Hubs' bonus he receives in Feb./Mar. or a piece of the Savings Challenge $ we saved from the previous year(though I haven't had to use Savings Challenge $ in a long time now).

There are many ways to save ahead for Christmas.....make regular deposits to a dedicated account or a Christmas club at a bank, use a one-time windfall like a bonus or a tax refund, etc........so use whatever works for your situation.

The only unacceptable plan is to GO INTO DEBT for Christmas!
Better to not spend on Christmas than to endure the grief/angst/anguish/stress by going into debt buying crap at Christmas you can't afford and having to pay off the bills incurred sometime in 2016, or 2017 or beyond.

So we went into the Holidays with $1800.00 to spend.
Of course, I buy year round so some of that amount was already spent by September.

Here is where the funds were allocated.......
Shipping gifts/mailing Holiday Cards  $35.00
Gifts for immediate family(includes any cash gifts)  $800.00

Gifts for extended family & friends  $50.00

Electricity for lights   $15.00

A Christmas eve meal and show or movie   $100.00
Christmas travel expenses(lodging, food, gas, booze)   $800.00
Charity  $100.00

And here is where the money actually went.....

Shipping gifts/mailing Holiday Cards  $25.74

Gifts for immediate family  $699.77

Gifts for extended family & friends  $50.07

Electricity for lights  $10.00

A Christmas eve meal and show or movie  $91.90
Christmas travel expenses(lodging, food, gas, booze)  $606.46
Charity  $100.00
TOTAL SPENT...$1583.94

Here are the Spending Details....

$25.74  *Shipping/Mailing Holiday Cards & Gifts----
We sent out 32 cards and mailed 2 small gifts.  Stamps cost $14.85 and the cards I had already from previous Christmases.  

I got smart this year and mailed Daughter and her BF their presents in the same package I mailed her birthday gift so no extra Xmas spending there as the Xmas gifts didn't add to the weight of that package. 8-)
I did send 2 people who aren't family small gifts this year which cost $10.89 to mail.  The actually gifts I either got for free and/or I already had here so no costs associated with those gifts given.

$699.77  *Gifts for family----Under $800 budgeted by $100.13
Last year I spent $644.04 on gifts for family so I spent $55.73 more this year on the family's gifts.  Family included 6 people--Hubs, 3 kids and their 2 SOs.

I really REALLY like to give them gifts!
But here is how I keep the cost a bit lower than it could have been--
* I cashed in points on my credit card and/or hotel program card and a Target free gift card w/purchase offer for gift cards and gave those as gifts.  I "saved" $255 by doing this.   
*  I shopped sales, both in store and online.  I keep an eye out throughout the year for deals.
* I got a couple of brand new items at Goodwill for much cheaper than retail price.
* I made a few things so those were just the cost of supplies.
* Lots of stocking stuffers were items gotten at Rite-Aid over the course of the year for little or no money too.

$50.07  *Gifts for extended family---Over $50 Budgeted Amount by .07¢

Locally we gave something to the nephew(a small Starbucks gift card, fancy chocolates and coffee)and a food box to his father/brother in-law.(Except for 1 item in the food box bought for this use all other items were picked up through the year, using my grocery budget.)
I spent a bit more on my brother and sis in-laws gifts this year though.

$10  *Electricity for Lights----Under budget by $5.00
Same stuff hung outside the house.
We used the smaller tree this year and put it up a bit later.
But we weren't hear to put lights on for a week or so meaning we spent less on electricity than last year.  It's really not a category that I can nail down the cost beyond an approximation.

$91.90  *A Christmas eve meal and show or movie----Under budget by $8.10
We had 5 for dinner this year.  Hubs, College Boy, myself and 2 of CB's friends.
Though we had 2 less people attend this year we did buy appetizers so the cost was about the same as 2014.

$100.00  *Charity----Even
I wrote an extra check to one of the charities we regularly support this Holiday.

$606.46  *Christmas travel expenses(lodging, food, gas, booze, cash incidentals)----Under budget by $293.54
Gas was $59.13(thank you lower oil!), Lodging was $157.06(including 2 breakfasts we ate at the hotel). Staying at my brother's house for free 3 nights and booking a pay in advance rate at the hotel brought this cost down some.  Meals out were $217.44.   #1 Son paid for 1 meal out and we ate at my brother's house 2 nights and son's apartment 1 night so this item could have been higher.  We spent $145.63 on liquor but most of that wasn't consumed but came home with us.
Tolls came to $27.20.
We didn't have to rent a car this trip so that helped keep the traveling expenses lower too.

All totaled, this year I budgeted $1800 and we spent $1583.94, so $206.06 under budget overall.
We still had a great Holiday and were able to gift and travel to see family even though I try to stick to a budget.

Thoughts for 2016--
I think I'll lower my Christmas Budget another $100 for 2016 to $1700.  Since I have come in under budget for 2 years in a row now I think I can do the Holidays for a bit lower.  Staying on budget is a challenge but I like a challenge.  Of course if we end up NOT traveling for the Holidays in 2016 I'll lower my Christmas Budget to $1000 instead.
It's the travel that really blows up my Holiday spending.

If you kept track of your spending for Christmas, how did you do?
Did you spend more. less or right about what you planned on spending?
Did you have any money epiphanies when you look back at the Holiday plan?
Do you see anything you'll change about your spending for Christmas 2016?

Leave a comment and let us know how you did and what you learned about yourself & money this year!

Sluggy

Christmas 2014 Budget/Spending Autopsy

Ok, so calling this an Autopsy is not very festive or cheerful.
So call it "The Post Where I Talk About What I Was Going to Spend for Christmas and What I Actually Spent for Christmas".
Whatever works for you.....

I budgeted $1900 for Christmas spending.  Except for what Hubs spends on gifts for me, this is our entire spending budget for Christmas.
Last year I budgeted $1650.00 and we spent $2164.77.
8-(

We were going to travel again this year so I upped the budget by $250.00 and hoped we could stay within that parameter.  My budget for Christmas is still less than we spent last year but I wanted to not spend so much this year so I tired to reduce our costs. 

Our Christmas spending has been tracking upward since I began keeping running totals in 2010.
Except for 1 year, we have upped our spending each successive year.

2010.........$1000 planned/$881.64 spent
2011.........$1300 planned/$851.32 spent
2012.........$1000 planned/$1020.48 spent
2013.........$1650 planned/$2164.77 spent(Yikes!)

Time to get this back under budget!

How do I arrive at a budget for Christmas?  Nowadays I look at what we spent the previous years(because I have a full accounting for the last 4 years or so on the blog)and see where we did well and where we did "not-so-well" with budgeting and add in any unusual things we plan to do and after some papers are balled up and thrown away and there is one sheet left with lots of writing on it(as well as writing scratched out on it), we have a plan and a budget. lolz

No, really.....I look at possible spending categories and what I think we will use and compare it to what we have put aside by September of that year.
I generally use c/c points to get gift cards for free(to either give as presents or use to buy the presents to give), cash in our rolled up change(about $150 a year), use blog income and then chunk in a hunk of either the tax refund from that year, a part of Hubs' bonus he receives in March or a piece of the Savings Challenge $ we saved from the previous year.

There are many ways to save ahead for Christmas.....make regular deposits to a dedicated account or a Christmas club at a bank, use a one-time windfall like a bonus or a tax refund, etc........so use whatever works for your situation.

The only unacceptable plan is to GO INTO DEBT for Christmas!
Better to not spend on Christmas than to endure the grief/angst/anguish/stress by going into debt buying crap at Christmas you can't afford and having to pay off the bills incurred sometime in 2015, or 2016, or 2017 or beyond.

So we went into the Holidays with $2000 to spend.
Of course, I buy year round so some of that amount was already spent by September.

Here is where the funds were allocated.......

Shipping gifts/mailing Holiday Cards  $40.00
Gifts for immediate family(includes any cash gifts)  $800.00

Gifts for extended family & friends  $100.00

Electricity for lights   $15.00

A Christmas eve meal and show or movie   $100.00
Charity   $100
Christmas travel expenses(lodging, food, gas, booze)   $800.00

Extra  $45.00 (the "just in case" cushion)

Unlike last year, we didn't do a "Secret Santa" exchange this year so that category of spending was eliminated.

And here is where the money actually went.....

Shipping gifts/mailing Holiday Cards  $66.01 

Gifts for immediate family  $644.04 

Gifts for extended family & friends  $37.10 

Electricity for lights  $15 

A Christmas eve meal and show or movie  $96.60
Charity   $100
Christmas travel expenses(lodging, food, gas, booze)  $823.72  
TOTAL SPENT...$1,782.47

Here are the Spending Details....

$66.01  *Shipping/Mailing Holiday Cards & Gifts----Over $40 budgeted by $26.01
We sent out 30 cards(mailed 26 of the cards/4 put in boxes we shipped so no stamps used) and mailed 5 gifts.  Stamps cost $11.70 and the cards I had already from previous Christmases.  1 package mailed to Daughter and 4 boxes sent to friends/other family cost $54.31 in postage.
Ouch!
I just didn't budget enough for shipping costs this year.  Shipping costs are difficult to get around unless you travel around the country at the Holidays to hand out gifts, which would cost you much more.  ;-)

$644.04  *Gifts for family----Under $800 budgeted by $155.96
Last year I spent $698.82 on gifts for family.  In 2012, this included $300 in cash and $398.82 in gifts.  This year only 1 person received cash so most of the spending was on gifts. 
I upped my budget for gifts this year(since I was so far over budget last Christmas) and came in under.
Happy, happy!

I cashed in points on my credit card for gift cards and gave those or used some gift cards I got from points to buy gifts.  I "saved" $150 by doing this.    I did shop sales, both in store and online.  I got 1 gift for free as a Wellness Reward at Rite-Aid, 2 gift cards were bought using $5 off coupons at Rite-Aid, B&BW's items were bought 50% off during the after Xmas clearance sales.  I utilized sales/codes online for some gifts during the weekend before and weekend of Black Friday sales plus all online shopping was done through a rebate back shopping site/portal, saving me an additional $7.75.(Hey! Every bit helps, right? lol) I bought a couple of Groupons which saved me approx. $25 over retail on those items.
Lots of stocking stuffers were items gotten at Rite-Aid over the course of the year for little  or no money too.

The only cash gift given out this year was to College Boy as he is the only child not on his own yet.  He hasn't found a part time job yet at school so he needs cash.
 

$37.10  *Gifts for extended family---Under $100 budgeted by $62.90

Locally we give something to the nephew(a gift card and bags of good coffee this year)and a food box to his father/brother in-law.  I get deals on the food, items that he likes to eat, and always put a bag of Dunkin Donuts coffee that I buy at the Holidays on sale in his box. 
Hubs' sister got a small gift box this year and I sent boxes to 3 internet friends this year as well.
(My older kids' Significant Others' gifts are counted under "family".)
By keeping my eye out for deals I was able to keep well under the budget in this category.  This helps since the shipping for many of these presents was significant once you added them all up.
I didn't spend a lot on friends and extended family this year but postage it cost made up for that. lolz

 

$15  *Electricity for Lights----Even
Same stuff hung outside the house.
We used a smaller tree inside this year so less lights on that but we got them up sooner.  I figure we'll spend $15 on electricity this year.  It's really not a category that I can nail down the cost beyond an approximation.


$96.60  *A Christmas eve meal and show or movie----Under $100 budgeted by $3.40
We had 7 for dinner this year.  Hubs, College Boy, myself and BIL and nephew makes 5.
We let College Boy invite his friends this year and his 2 band mates accepted the invitation.  I guesstimated fairly close to what this ended up costing.  8-)

$100.00  *Charity----Even
I spent exactly what I planned to on this category.  My Holiday "giving" dollars didn't go to an organization I can write off my taxes this year but to an individual so our giving was more personal this year.

$823.72  *Christmas travel expenses(lodging, food, gas, booze, car rental, cash incidentals)----Over $800 budgeted by $23.72
Gas was $77.53(thank you lower oil!), Lodging was $205.18(including 1 breakfast we ate at the motel) and Meals out were $267.47.   #1 Son paid for 1 meal out.  We rented a car for the trip at $146.24.  We spent $100.57 on liquor.
Last year we spent over $200 on booze so I am happy with this result.
Some Incidentals spending of $26.73 brings it to $823.72 all in.

I figured we were staying 1 less day this year and I spent $878.52 last Christmas on this category so $800 seemed reasonable.  But we didn't rent a car last year(and the car rental wasn't planned this year, it just came up the day before we left because Hubs' car's check engine light came on.....ugh.)


All totaled, this year I budgeted $2000 and we spent $1782.47, so well under budget overall.
Much less than the $2164.77 total we spent Christmas of 2013.
Our spending was $382.30 less than last year and we still had a great Holiday and were able to gift and travel.
I think I planned better this Christmas, and how much better that my budget vs. spending aligned this year, shows that.

If you kept track of your spending for Christmas, how did you do?
Did you spend more. less or right about what you planned on spending?
Did you have any money epiphanies when you look back at the Holiday plan?
Do you see anything you'll change about your spending for Christmas 2015?

Leave a comment and let us know how you did and what you learned about yourself & money this year!

Sluggy

Christmas 2013 Budget/Spending Autopsy

Ok, so calling this an Autopsy is not very festive or cheerful.
So call it "The Post Where I Talk About What I Was Going to Spend for Christmas and What I Actually Spent for Christmas".
Whatever works for you.....

I budgeted $1650 for Christmas spending.  Except for what Hubs spends on gifts for me, this is our entire spending budget for Christmas.

$1650 in money we HAD already, so no putting Christmas spending on Credit Cards(no running a balance I mean)to pay off sometime in 2014, or 2015, or 2016.......

Here is where the funds were allocated at the start.....

Shipping gifts/mailing Holiday Cards  $20.00
Gifts for immediate family(includes any cash gifts)  $600.00

Gifts for extended family & friends  $100.00
Secret Santa Gift   $35.00

Electricity for lights   $5.00

A Christmas eve meal and show or movie   $80.00
Christmas travel expenses(lodging, food, gas, booze)   $800.00

Extra  $10 (the "just in case" cushion)

And here is where the money actually went.....


Shipping gifts/mailing Holiday Cards  $37.05  Over by $17.05

Gifts for immediate family  $1041.07  Over

Gifts for extended family & friends  $105.00  Over by $5

Secret Santa Gift  $21.98  Under

Electricity for lights  $5  Even

A Christmas eve meal and show or movie  $76.15  Under
Christmas travel expenses(lodging, food, gas, booze)  $878.52   Over by $78.52
TOTAL SPENT...$2164.77  Over by $514.77

Here are the Spending Details....

$37.05  *Shipping/Mailing Holiday Cards & Gifts----
We sent out 25 cards and 3 gifts.  I got free photos to enclose in the cards.  Stamps cost $11.00 and the cards I had already from previous Christmases.  1 package mailed to Daughter, 2 boxes sent to friends cost $26.05 in postage.
We saved some postage this year, because I gave my brother and his wife their gifts when we saw them in person at the family reunion.  But I still didn't budget enough for shipping costs this year.

$1041.07  *Gifts for family----
Last year I spent $698.82 on gifts for family.  In 2012, this included $300 in cash and $398.82 in gifts.  This year I didn't give out any cash(unless you call gift cards cash)so I combined last year's gifting & cash for purposes of comparison to what I spent this year on gifts.  
I way over spent on this category by $342.25 from what I budgeted for.

I usually cash in points on my credit card for gift cards and gifts, but I didn't this year except for 1 gift.    I did shop sales, both in store and online.  In years past I've been known to start buying for Christmas if I find a deal, at any point in the year.  This year, I bought some booze in August for #1 Son's & his GF's gifts and some clothes on clearance in September online for Hubs and both Sons.  # 2 son's big gift was on sale but not as cheap as I would have wanted to get it for. 
I do cheat and buy things the kids need rather than want(like clothing)on sale and wait until Christmas to give it to them, so it's considered part of their Christmas loot. ;-)
But I just overspent on gifts this year and I own that. 8-(  Not thrilled with myself but we won't go hungry or get our lights shut off because of it so I am not going to stew over this.
 

$105  *Gifts for extended family---

Locally we give something to the nephew(a gift card and a jarred candle this year)and a food/toiletries box to his father/brother in-law.  I get deals on the food and always put a bag of Dunkin Donuts coffee that I buy at the Holidays on sale in his box.  I give my sister in-law homemade pepper relish(using my time and skill over spending a lot of money to purchase something ready made)and my brother got bottles of wine purchased on vacation, types of wine he can't get(regional)or deals on brands I find.

 

$21.98  *Secret Santa Gift----
I had Hubs' name this year.  He wanted books and gave a list with specific titles.  A quick trip to Amazon and that was done and I kept on budget for this.


$5  *Electricity for Lights----
Same stuff hung outside the house, same lights on the tree inside.  Hubs got the lights and tree lights up late this year so they didn't get turned on much, so we didn't give PP&L Electric much of a Christmas present. lol


$76.15  *A Christmas eve meal and show or movie----
We had our immediate family(only 3 that were here for Christmas this year)and took brother in-law and the nephew for dinner as well.  We took #1 Son and his GF out when we went to Pittsburgh but that is included under Travel expenses.

$878.52  * Christmas travel expenses(lodging, food, gas, booze)----Gas was about $111.36, Lodging was $285(including 2 breakfasts we ate at the motel) and Meals out were $275.08(including generous tips-Hey! it's Christmas!!). #1 Son paid for 1 meal out plus a snack out and he cooked us dinner one evening, so our meal costs could have been higher.  We had .68¢ miscellaneous spending(don't ask! lol)and then we spent $206.40 on liquor.
Oh, yes we did! :-O
If we had stayed stone cold sober for the whole trip, we would have come in under budget for this category.  But who wants to spend a whole four days in Pittsburgh sober?  ;-)

Last year my Christmas budget was $1000.00 and I spent $1020.48.
This year I budgeted $1650.00(due to a vacation during the Holidays)but we spent $2164.77, $514.77 more than my budget.
I will have to pull from available cash in the checking account in January to cover the overage.

 If Hubs and I hadn't bought so much booze on our trip out to Pittsburgh, we would only have been about $300 over for Christmas.  But then again, 90% of that money spent on drinks was not "drinks out" but buying in bulk at the stores to drink at #1 Son's or in our room and 90% of that 90% was brought home with us to consume over the coming months.

All totaled the only category I am not happy with myself about is the gift spending on the immediate family.  Last year I had vowed to bring that one down since two of the "kids" are now 21 or older.
Big.
Fat.
Fail.

Oh well......Christmas 2014 we try, try again and hope to do better.

If you kept track of your spending for Christmas, how did you do?
Did you spend more. less or right about what you planned on spending?
Did you have any money epiphanies(epiphany? epiphani?)when you look back at the Holiday plan?
Do you see anything you'll change about your spending for Christmas 2014?

Leave a comment and let us know how you did and what you learned about yourself & money this year!

Sluggy

Christmas 2012 Budget/Spending Autopsy

Ok, so calling this an Autopsy is not very festive or cheerful.
So call it "The Post where I talk about what I was Going to Spend for Christmas and what I Actually Spent for Christmas".

I budgeted $1000 for Christmas spending.
$1000 in money we HAD already, so no putting Christmas spending on Credit Cards to pay off sometime in 2013, or 2014, or 2015.......

Here is where the funds were allocated at the start.....

Shipping gifts/mailing Holiday Cards  $20.00
Gifts for family  $300
Cash for Kids  $300

Gifts for extended family and my mail lady  $80
Secret Santa Gift  $50

Charity  $XXX

Electricity for lights  $5

A Christmas eve meal and show or movie  $125

Extra $20 (the "just in case" cushion)

And here is where the money actually went.....


Shipping gifts/mailing Holiday Cards  $13.21 under

Gifts for family  $398.82  over

Cash for Kids  $300 even

Gifts for extended family and my mail lady  $59.60 under

Secret Santa Gift  $40 under

Charity  $XXX even

Electricity for lights  $10 over

A Christmas eve meal and show or movie  $98.85  under
TOTAL SPENT...$1020.48

Here are the Spending Details....


$13.21  *Shipping/Mailing Holiday Cards & Gifts----
We sent out 10 cards and 2 gifts.  1 gift was a check so just a stamp was needed, the other gift was a box of goodies.

$398.82  *Gifts for family----
Last year I spent $452.24 on gifts for family.  I did better this year.  It's the one time a year I really spoil the kids.  Hubs and I don't really get each other much.  ;-)  It makes it seem better when I say that I saved 43+% on what I paid, as the reg. retail came to $704.25.  I usually cash in points on my credit card for gift cards and utilize social coupon deals, but I didn't this year.  I got the gift cards to use at full price, to obtain free groceries at the grocery store.  I did shop sales, both in store and online.  In years past I've been known to start buying for Christmas if I find a deal, all through the year.  This year, I bought 1 thing in July, but did no other holiday shopping until October.


$300  *Cash for Kids----
The kids prefer money, but I need to buy stuff for them at Christmas, so they get both.  I only buy what they want or need.  No more stupid junk. lol  This year I gave them the option of cash, gift cards or a combination of both.  I looked like a Elf Pimp sitting by the tree with $50 bills in one hand and gift cards in the other.  All the gift cards(I had bought to get free groceries)were ones that if the kids didn't take, Hubs and I would use.....subway, red lobster, TGIF, Sears, KMart, etc.

$59.60  *Gifts for extended family and mail lady---

I send gifts to my brother and his wife and Hub's sister. Locally we give something to the nephew, a box of food and toiletries to his father and I give a bag of good coffee to my mail lady for the extra work I put her through with my eBay packages at the Holidays.

$40  *Secret Santa Gift----
I had the daughter's name.  She has expensive tastes so I budgeted high for her SS gift. lol  Found a great deal online Cyber Monday for a set of luggage....just what she wanted!

$XXX  *Charity----
I cut a check to an organization that we've supported since the 1986.  They had some extraordinary expenses lately so I thought it best to send the extra love their way.

$10  *Electricity for Lights----
Same stuff hung outside the house, same lights on the tree inside.  I guess we turned stuff on more this year and the rates went up from 2011.


$98.85  *A Christmas eve meal and show or movie----
We had our immediate family and son's girlfriend for our traditional Chinese restaurant meal.  #1 Son covered the tip this year so our out of pocket was a bit lower.


All totaled, I am happy with where the money went and how much.  We went over budget a tiny bit, but since we didn't have to pull money from some other need, and no balance was put on a credit card that wasn't paid off at the next statement, we are fine with it.

I would however like to bring the total amount we spend at the Holidays down in 2013.

I've told the kids that once they hit 21, the Christmas Gravy Train is leaving the station. 8-)  #1 Son got less this year since he's 21 now.  And next Christmas the Daughter will be 21 also, so I'll be spending less on 2 of 3 kids.  I won't go and make my actual Christmas Budget until mid year, but I do know there will be less spending in it for 2013.


If you kept track of your spending for Christmas, how did you do?
Did you spend more. less or right about what you planned on spending?
Did you have any money epiphanies(epiphany? epiphani?)when you looked back at the Holiday plan?
Do you see anything you'll change about your spending for Christmas 2013?

Leave a comment and let us know how you did and what you learned about yourself & money this year!

Sluggy

Christmas 2011 Budget/Spending Autopsy

Do you like this picture?  It's a Renaissance era painting of a medical autopsy.  I thought it was quite Christmas-y due to the red and green colors used.

Ok, so calling this an Autopsy is not very festive or cheerful.
So call it "The Post where I talk about what I was Going to Spend for Christmas and what I Actually Spent for Christmas".

I budgeted $1300 for Christmas spending.
$1300 in money we HAD already, so no putting Christmas spending on Credit Cards to pay off sometime next year.

Here is where the funds were allocated at the start.....

Shipping gifts/mailing Holiday Cards  $50.00
Gifts for family  $600
Cash for Kids  $300
Secret Santa Gift  $20
Charity  $100
Electricity for lights  $5
Alcohol  $100
A Christmas eve meal and show or movie  $125


And here is where the money actually went.....


Shipping gifts/mailing Holiday Cards  $39.43
Gifts for family  $452.24
Cash for Kids  $150
Secret Santa Gift  $17.94
Charity  $0
Electricity for lights  $5
Alcohol  $64.21
A Christmas eve meal and show or movie  $122.50

TOTAL SPENT...$851.32


Here are the Spending Details....


$39.43  *Shipping/Mailing Holiday Cards & Gifts----
We sent out 5 cards.  2 were mailed and 3 shipped inside of gifts that were mailed so the cost of 2 stamps.  We mailed 3 gifts(and I paid shipping for part of my Secret Santa gift bought on eBay)so that covers the bulk of our shipping expenses.  I knew we'd have a substantial amount to spend on shipping as we weren't traveling anywhere to visit family this Christmas, so we couldn't hand deliver any presents.

$452.24  *Gifts for family----
Last year I spent $369.70 on gifts for family.  I budgeted a much larger figure for this Christmas($600)but I still came in under that amount.  I know that my kids basically at their ages just want cash or gift cards, but I still have a hard time with nothing to wrap under the tree.  Plus it's one of the few times a year I get to shop since I really don't buy things anymore except for food.
Just having a pile of envelopes under the tree just doesn't do it for me...what can I say!lolol  But I do shop carefully and thoughtfully when I buy the kids 'things'.  I no longer buy silly or useless or things they don't want.  Heck, this year, I took #1 son shopping and let him pick out all his 'things' I bought him and then wrapped them up for him to open Christmas morning.  Since I don't see him but a few weeks every year now, this was the only way I could do it and make sure things fit him and were his 'style'. The money and gift card were still a surprise for him.

While I spent $452.24 on gifts, the regular retail on the gifts I bought was $1036.73.
Now how did I save over 56% on the cost of my gifts?

*First I used my credit card points to purchase $175 in Gift Cards, which were given to 4 of my recipients.  Next year, I may give these gift cards again AND 'buy' more cards and use them to pay for gifts I give as well.
*Second, I utilized 'social coupon' sites to locate great deals.  I got cheap movie tickets, free item coupons for fast food, cheap gift cards and used a wine deal to purchase wine for 2 of my recipients.
*Third, I shopped online on certain days to get % off deals on items and/or free shipping.  I shopped brick & mortar stores only 4 times.....1 trip to Kmart, 2 trips to Kohl's and 1 trip to Rite-Aid.  Just a few items(mostly for #1 son and he was with me)and I was totally done by last Wednesday.
*The Fourth way I spend so little on so much, was to pick up items all year long.  This works for both larger items and small stuff, the filler stuff.  By hitting sales, clearance racks and outlets you can save a lot of money over the course of the year by buying ahead strategically.  If you are dealing with growing kids or teens, I don't recommend buying clothing ahead because it may not fit and/or it might not be in style according to the whims and fancies of your teen.  But you can buy ahead staples like underwear, socks, gloves, hats, etc., or things like pens, notebooks, backpacks, gadgets, favorite snacks, etc.  #1 son loves fruitcake so when we go to Ocean City, MD in Oct/Nov, I get him a fruitcake at Rose's for $3-$4 then, instead of ordering the same item from the manufacturer's website in Dec. from GA at double the cost plus $6 shipping.  Daughter loves peaches so when I found peach flavored throat drops for $1 at the Dollar Store instead of the $3 they charge at the grocery store(IF I can find this flavor!), I bought them ahead for Christmas.  When I found a ginormous can of MONSTER drink for $1.50 at Big Lots I bought it for #2 son because he loves this stuff and I don't buy it normally.  Many of the toiletries I get for free at Rite-Aid(after sales/coupons/+Up Rewards/rebates)end up under the tree or in someone's stocking.
All these strategies help me spend less out of pocket and put goodies under the Christmas Tree for less.



$150  *Cash for Kids----
Last year, the first year I actually tallied up what we spent on each kid at Christmas, I was aghast to see $200+ on average spent on each kid.  I had given them each $100 cash(since they like to spend the money themselves)but I had also bought each kid over $100 worth of stuff.  I hadn't realized we had spent this much until I tallied up all the "little stuff" too.....like stocking stuffers and filler items and those 'darn cute things nobody needs but they are irresistible' things.  Believe me when I say Stockings are KILLERS!   Even if you shop for them at the Dollar Store, stocking stuffers can add up quickly to big money.  Each kid needs to be stuffed and then times it by 3 and it gets to be substantial money!
I've decided to go totally with 'necessaries' next year in the Stockings.  Things my kids need and I would have to buy anyway and things I can get for free at the Drug Stores....like socks(we already do socks in the stockings), underwear, batteries(Hubs got D batteries since he is always looking for them for his flashlights), pens/pencils, earphones, toiletries(daughter got shaving cream in her stocking this year), candy bars/gum.
So I reduced the cash given by half, to $50 per kid.  With an average spending of $80 on actual gifts of things/experiences/gift cards, $50 in cash kept the spending per kid to under $150.  I am happier with that figure than the $200+ of years past.

$17.94  *Secret Santa Gift----
I had #2 son's name.  I found a t-shirt he wanted on eBay I won for $7.99 and I had picked up a nice $25 leather wallet he wanted while down in Ocean City MD for $9.95.  We try to keep the Secret Santa gift spending around $20-$25 so I did well this year with 2 items he liked while spending below average.

$0  *Charity----
Before you call me the Grinch, I did something different this Christmas to help those in need.  I am on a YahooGroups help list.  It operates year round and is only for those physically located in PA.  Every year at Christmas time people who are in need of help providing for their families at the Holidays can post for help.  And then those who are in a position to help, the Angels they are called, either adopt a family or persons in that family and buy them gifts or food or whatever they ask for.  Other Angels who aren't in a position to do an adoption will offer items they have-mostly these are gently used items-to whomever can use them.
Since I still have eBay inventory items to downsize here, mostly of the toy variety, I took a large load of them and offered them up on this List for Christmas to anyone local to my area in PA, instead of selling them or donating them to Salvation Army for a tax write-off.  A little direct charity for a change, if you will. ;-)
I was able to put some smiles on kids' faces for Christmas and get some more items out of my house.
A win/win with no actual cash involved!

Ok, so maybe I AM a grinch since I didn't throw money in the kettles or send a check to the food bank or such.  Hubs just informed me he threw money in the bell-ringers' kettles when he was out Christmas shopping, so my no-money-spent guilt is assuaged....I think.lol
Seriously though, AM I grinchy this year for not giving cash somewhere at Christmas?....Even though I gave over $500 worth of food to the local food bank over the course of 2011?.....I gave about $4K worth of stuff to Salvation Army?....Hubs had about $600 taken from his paychecks for AFAA(a charity we have monetarily supported since 1986).  Tell me if I am a big old Bah-Humbug, I can take it. ;-)

$5  *Electricity for Lights----
Hubs strung 2 strings of lights outside and lit the Wreath on the door.  They were only up 2 full weeks and lit for a few hours each night. 


$64.21  *Alcohol----
I generally don't buy liquor at Christmas but felt the need this year.  Don't judge. ;-)  I bought 2 bottles of champagne(1 for NYE, 1 for Christmas dinner), a couple of small half bottle of JD and Kahlua, 2 bottles of Vodka and a bottle of Grenadine.  The vodka was a spur of the moment decision because it was on sale(and there was a rebate.lol).  I thought I'd make some martinis but if I didn't like the brand of vodka I could always use it to make some Vanilla Extract. 8-)

$122.50  *A Christmas eve meal and show or movie----
We had our immediate family and daughter's boyfriend for our traditional Chinese restaurant meal.  We sprung for sushi as well so the bill was a bit high, but whattheheckitschristmas!lol



Yay us.....

So looking forward to Christmas 2012 for me--
* I'm basically happy with what I ended up spending.  I came in under budget but there was still enough bought and spent on everyone.
* With our schedules(and 2 kids away at college)it's difficult trying to find activities to do as a family(plus the kids don't want to 'hang' with the 'rents), but I'm going to try to find 1 thing to do as a family, besides eating out.  I'd love to find a concert for free or cheap here that we can attend.
* I'm happy with using some of my inventory to give directly to those who needed it.  Next year I am going to make an effort to get involved in a local Santa organization and give the gift of my time too.
* I cooked/bakes a LOT less this Holiday season and the world didn't end.  I think I'll plan on spending about the same reduced amount of time in the kitchen for Christmas 2012.

If you kept track of your spending for Christmas, how did you do?
Did you spend more. less or right about what you planned on spending?
Did you have any money epiphanies(epiphany? epiphani?)when you looked back at the Holiday plan?
Do you see anything you'll change about your spending for Christmas 2012?

Leave a comment and let us know how ya did and what you learned about yourself & money this year!!

Sluggy

Christmas Budget

Last Year I spent a total of $881.64 on Christmas related expenses.  I blog about my Holiday financials and call it my Christmas Spending Autopsy.

That included everything--gifts, Christmas cards, shipping costs, stamps for the cards, Christmas dinner fixings, Christmas Eve dinner out for the family, my family Secret Santa person's gift, and even the extra electricity used for Holiday lighting(estimated of course).
The only things it didn't include is what Hubs spent...which would be my gift(s), his Secret Santa person's gift and a gift for an exchange at his work.

I am hoping to stay right around that neighborhood again this year.
I've got what's left of the extra 3rd paycheck in December after deducting those unexpected expenses I talked about HERE to spend on Christmas.  Since I've got plenty of savings if I go over I can just yank money from that pile.  But I WILL keep track of what I am spending as I really don't want to yank savings money out if I can help it.

Of course, I only have 10 people on my gift list which helps me not go bankrupt.  My blogging buddy SonyaAnn has a list of people she gifts that is a mile and 3/4 long.  She has to be more frugal than I at the Holidays and she does a bang up job!  HERE is her most recent list of what she's gotten, what it's worth, what she's spent out of pocket and what she's saved.

I'm a just a little behind this year getting to my shopping for gifts. Usually by now I have finished up.  This year I have 4 of the 10 people done...one of those just has to be mailed out.
Another one I have to bake and mail out.
Yet another one I know what I am getting them, I just have to go down the road and get it(a gift cert. for a service).

That leaves my 3 kids and Hubs.
While I'm mostly done with the kids(after I throw money in their stockings), I am left with Hubs.
And this year all my usual standbys he has made it clear he doesn't want.
No special beer.
No special bags of coffee.
Except the book store gift cards.....if he EVER turns one of those down I know to call 911 as he has expired. ;-)
So I am scratching my head still trying to figure out what to get Hubs.

I won't go into the specifics of my gift list except to say that I have used a combination of discount deals online, items bought throughout the year for cheap and redeeming credit card points for gift cards to lower the out of pocket cash I spent so far.

At the moment I am OOP $127.46 for $396.88 worth of gifts.  And $19 of that $127.46 spent is for shipping.
My total OOP will be going higher later this week when I dig out a box of items from my closet I've been squirreling away throughout the year of little gifties and stocking stuff for the family.

After Christmas I'll be doing my Spending Autopsy like last year to see what went right, what went wrong and what needs to be fixed for Christmas 2012.

Did I just say Christmas 2012??
ACK

I'm gonna pretend that didn't happen.....lol


Sluggy