Lynnae McCoy is a freelance writer, homeschooling mom, and frugal living enthusiast. She writes about frugal living at Being Frugal.net and about balancing work and homeschooling at Freelance Homeschool Mom. When she has a rare spare moment, you can find her on Twitter.
We’re more than halfway through 2010 already. Have you started planning for Christmas yet? If you want to avoid last minute Christmas panic or Christmas credit card bills, now is the time to start thinking ahead.
If you haven’t started saving for Christmas yet, here are a few ways to jump start your Christmas budget.
Hold a Yard Sale
Summer is the perfect time for cleaning out the house and getting rid of things you no longer use. Make a plan to go through every room of your house and declutter.
When you’re finished, hold a yard sale. Put all the proceeds into savings for Christmas. Even if you don’t raise enough money to cover your entire Christmas budget, your yard sale proceeds will give your Christmas savings a good head start.
Earn Gift Cards
If money is tight this year, start thinking outside the box. By being a savvy internet user, it is possible to earn rewards and turn them in for cash or gift cards.
If you need to do some online shopping, make sure you shop through sites like MyPoints or eBates. You will earn points toward gift cards (MyPoints) or cash back (eBates) that you can use for Christmas. Similarly, if you need to do an internet search, use Swagbucks. By using their search engine, you can quickly add up points to redeem for gift cards. Give the cards away at Christmas or use them to buy presents.
Automate Your Savings
The most tried and true way to save money for Christmas is to open a savings account dedicated to your Christmas budget. Set up an automatic transfer every month to make sure you remember to save. Even if you think you can’t afford to save anything now, put a little aside every month. You will be glad in December, when you don’t have to come up with your entire Christmas budget at the last minute.
