'Tis the Stressful Season

The holidays can bring plenty of financial stress. You can help yourself this holiday season with awareness of these stressors and use simple strategies to overcome them. Here’s a quick breakdown.

Stress #1 – Finding the Perfect Gift

Everyone wants to find the perfect gift, but sometimes it can be quite difficult. Instead of pulling your hair out, simply ask the person a few ideas of what they want. They might have something in mind already. This can help relieve stress and they get the right gift. It’s a win-win.

Stress #2 – Not Enough Money

Not having enough to cover holiday expenses is a common stressor for many. Creating a holiday-specific budget is the perfect solution. Here’s how to do it:

• Go through your variable monthly expenses and make some temporary cuts.
• Once you have a little wiggle room in the budget, map out the gifts needed and their cost.
• Shop around for the best price available.
• Talk with your loved ones about gift budgets and price limits.

Stress #3 – Holiday Travel

Traveling around the holidays can be expensive. If you need to fly, use price comparison sites like Priceline or Kayak. Fly at off-peak days and times to keep prices low. If staying at home feels more like the right price, simply be honest with your loved ones. Maybe make a plan to be together next holiday season, and make sure you save throughout the year to make it happen.

Original article by Chris O'Shea and adapted in partnership with SavvyMoney.