Mom’s Money

Makin’ A List And Checkin’ It Twice

Have you started putting together your shopping list?  No?  Are you like so many of the “shopping challenged” folks out there that just cross their fingers and hope they will get through this year’s gift buying frenzy without spending too much money?  I guarantee, you will spend money you don’t have if you don’t sit down and make a shopping list.

Lists are tedious, aren’t they.  It’s much more fun to just go into the beautifully decorated stores and be inspired by all the sparkle and glow and let your heart do the shopping, isn’t it.  It’s also so much more fun when you don’t know how much you’ve spent until you get your credit card bill.  I mean, how uninspiring to have to stick to a budget! 

Okay, sarcasm aside, you know what you need to do.  To prevent that doomsday feeling when you get all the packages home and realize that, 1) you spent an unbelievable amount of money, and 2) you didn’t get what you set out to buy, you’re going to need a comprehensive Gift List.

Every year you start out with some ideas about what you want to buy, and every year it comes down to the last few days and you begin the “panic buying”.  Did I get enough?  What about stocking stuffers?  To prevent the last minute push that really breaks the gift budget, start with your list.

If there are a couple “big ticket” items on your list, that’s okay.  That’s where we start.  Subtract the cost of those items from your budget and begin listing the other items.  Be as thorough as possible, using newspaper flyers or the internet to find out how much each item will cost.  Now list the stocking stuffers.  Yes, those little items add up very quickly.  One suggestion when the gift budget is extremely tight; use bigger items as stocking stuffers.  It’s cheaper to buy a bigger stocking than to try to purchase a lot of additional little items to stuff a smaller stocking.

Once you have a comprehensive gift list together, stick it in your purse or glove compartment and get ready to shop.  Now, whether you shop all in one day or like to do a little bit each week, you’ve got a list from which to work.  Check off items as you go and you are on your way! 

With your gift list firmly in hand, you will no longer be tempted by that glitter-inspired impulse buying that we all succumb to during the Holidays.  You can relax, knowing that you got Junior and Sissy what you wanted to get them, no more, no less, and the budget is still on track.  And you can also breathe easy knowing that the January bills won’t harbor any big surprises.  Happy Shopping!