If you haven’t yet downloaded my free Debt-Free Holiday Workbook, allow me to remind you to do it!
I had planned on posting this last week but it felt a little weird with it being Election Day so here it is today :). If you’d like more commentary on the election, feel free to follow me on Instagram @basicbrittblog. I have plenty of thoughts but doubt I’ll be doing a post about it any time soon.
Perhaps the top feedback I’ve had from the Holiday Budget Workbook it is the idea of ranking. In it, I have people write down everyone they’re buying for and rank them as a 1-10, with 1 being the closest to you and 10 being the least close. I know it sounds harsh to “rank” people, but the fact of the matter is this–not everyone in your life is equal and relationships change over time. In the workbook, I explain that we really should only have one 1. This is typically a spouse, significant other or parent. It’s the one and only person who knows you the very best. As for the 10s, these are people like your favorite barista or the mailman. While it’s nice to given them a little token of appreciation for their work, it should not require breaking the bank.
Here I’ll explain how to rank people so as to not overspend this holiday by using my ranking system. You’ll still be able to show people how much you love them but you’ll also love your financial future by doing that!
Write down everyone you plan on shopping for.
And I mean everyone! Scroll through text messages. Check your calendar. Figure it ALL out. It’s easy to get to December 20 and realize, “Oh crap, I forgot to get a gift for ____.” I don’t know about you, but those kinds of gifts often are the ones that put me over budget!
Go with your gut by giving them a ranking 1-10
Now that you have your list, give each person a number from 1-10, with 1 being the person closest to you (you should really only have one 1) and ten being the people that you want to show appreciation to, but you aren’t super close with. Anywhere in between are family members (probably 2-5s, but maybe not). Don’t overthink it. Just go with your gut.
Now For The Tricky Part
I explain more in the workbook, but, in short, you’ll need to use the ranking system as a means to allot a certain amount of money per person for gifts. I do a whole formula, in fact 🙂
Did you download it? Here it is again!
Happy Tuesday, friends!