Overspending during the holidays is easy to do.  Getting caught up in gift giving and going over budget can happen very quickly.  The joy of the season is lost when the bills start rolling in after the holidays.  What can you do to not overspend this year?

Financial guru Suze Orman shared her three tips with Oprah on how to avoid what she calls the "buy-it-now bug."  These are her suggestions on how to avoid the buying buy if you're prone to going over your budget:

1.  Pay only with cash.  Don't let yourself buy a single with a credit card.  Tough to do but worth it.  If you're paying with cash, you're much more likely to buy only what you can afford.

2.  Give something homemade.  Bake cookies, knit a scarf.  It doesn't matter what it is.  The gift will be more meaningful because you made it and helps you avoid all those temptations in the stores.

3.  Limit your gift giving list.  Take a good hard look at who you're buying for and have an honest discussion with your nearest and dearest on the benefit of cutting back on holiday giving.  After all, giving gifts isn't the only reason for the holidays.

I'll add one more to Suze's list.  When shopping, go with a list and stick to it.  Set a budget ahead of time and stick to your list.  Overspending is easier if you don't have a list or haven't thought about exactly how much you'll be spending on each gift.  Are you good about sticking to a budget during the holidays?

 

 

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