Christmas is an exciting time of year filled with good food, family and friends. But before the prawns are thrown on the barbie and beers are open, the lead up to the holiday season can be a little stressful. Between paying for presents, taking time off work, doing the groceries for Christmas lunch, paying for a well-earned trip away and not to mention the inevitable hiccups along the way - the holiday rush can be a little stressful on the back pocket.
But with Christmas just around the corner, it’s not too late to start getting a plan together to help you manage your family budget and reduce your stress. Here are four simple tips that help you relax and enjoy this Christmas season.
Make a Christmas family budget
Budgeting isn’t the most sexy topic, but it is a really helpful planning tool for the end of the year rush. Setting a dollar amount on your holiday expenses can be a helpful milestone to help you make good financial decisions in the lead up to the holidays.
If you’re new to the wonderful world of budgeting, Christmas is a great time of year to start getting into good financial habits. Start tracking your income, spending and savings so you can set goals and get on top of your finances for the New Year!
WeMoney is a great way to give you control over your finances. The app lets you connect all your accounts in one place, monitor your spending and reach your financial goals. Plus it connects you to a wide financially savvy community that can help you find new ways to earn, save and invest.
Reach your savings goals by doing Christmas differently this year
Let’s be honest, the reason Christmas can become an expensive time of year is because of all the expectations there are on the season. You’ve got to buy everyone a present, you’ve got to go on holiday, you’ve got to celebrate the silly season - the list goes on. But if there is a particular savings goal you and your family are working towards, maybe it’s important to consider what it looks like to do Christmas differently this year.
That might look like doing a Secret Santa for gift giving, where you buy one good gift for someone else, over a range of small ones for everyone. It might look like delaying your big family holiday till the middle of the year when it’s cheaper and going camping instead? There are a lot of ways you can still enjoy the season with friends and family without falling into the trap of breaking the bank. Plus if it helps you achieve your financial goals, you can always go back to your normal Christmas traditions next year!
Use Afterpay to help manage cash flow
For most Aussies at Christmas time, money stresses aren’t about not having enough money, but rather not having enough money at the right time. While you’re running around trying to make sure you’ve got everyone's presents, you’ve booked everything you need for the holiday and bought all the groceries for Christmas lunch, it’s easy to forget you’ve still got everyday bills to keep on top of. This is where personal cash flow management becomes critical in reducing your level of financial stress in the day-to-day.
If you’re feeling the pinch at this time of the year, Afterpay is a great way to help smooth some of those expenses out over a couple of weeks. Rather than taking a big hit to the bank balance all at once, Afterpay gives you the option to break these large payments into smaller instalments that won’t affect your ability to access cash in an emergency or when you need it most.
Afterpay is more effective than taking out a loan from a bank because they don’t charge any interest. As long as you make the fortnightly payment, you’ll and your loved ones will be able to enjoy their gifts sooner. And to top it all off, Cashrewards and Afterpay work hand-in-hand, so not only can you get access to the products you need sooner, but you can also still receive cashback on your purchase!
Shopping with Cashrewards is like having a stocking up all year
Finally, another great way to save this Christmas is by simply shopping with Cashrewards. Whether you’re looking to buy drinks for the New Years Eve Party or booking a hire car on your family holiday. Shopping with Cashrewards can make getting ready for the Christmas season a little more rewarding.
Don’t understand how it works? It’s easy! When our members shop with one of our 1800 partner brands, we earn a commission. We share a percentage of that commission back with Cashrewards Members in the form of cashback. Whether you shop online or in-store, there is plenty of cold hard cashback waiting for you this Christmas season. Sign up to become a member today.