Managing Your Stress During the Holidays and Beyond: Tip #6 – Stick to a Budget

Before you go shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend on gifts and other items, and then stick to your budget. If you don’t, you could feel anxious and tense for months as you struggle to pay bills.

Don’t try to buy happiness with an avalanche of gifts. Try some alternatives to keep yourself on financial track. Donate to a charity in someone’s name, consider giving homemade gifts, or start a gift exchange to limit the number of gifts you must buy. Some people even choose to forego expensive gift giving and opt for memory-making activities, like mini-vacations.

What creative way will you find to stick to your budget this year?

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