No matter how organized we plan to be, the holiday season has a habit of sneaking up on us and before you know it, there are events to attend and gifts to buy. A bit here and a bit there has a sneaky way of adding up and can be tricky to keep track of. Who hasn’t been surprised by the holiday bills that show up in January? Not a fun way to start the New Year and especially since many of us start the year with a lower pay cheque due to CPP and EI deductions.

It’s easy to get carried away during the festive season but beware of turning a blind eye to what you’re spending by saying to yourself…’I’ll figure it out later’. At the beginning of December it may be too late to stash away a little extra for the holidays so if you haven’t already stashed the funds away, here are some ways to still enjoy the season but not dread the bills that follow on the heels of all the fun.

• Do a quick check on your bank balance now. What do you expect to pay out and what will be coming in between now and December 31st? Is there any extra for the holidays?
• Do a little research before you go shopping.
  Shop with a list (draft your list before you shop). This will save you time and money on impulse purchases.
• Check your calendar..can you afford to attend everything you’ve been invited to? Maybe drinks ‘in’ with friends one evening rather than going out?
• Add up the costs of your holiday season including gifts, travel, holiday spending and events.
• Set a budget for the spending that you can control and set a plan to afford the expenses you can not. Plan to pay for Holiday Season 2012 by no later than mid-February 2013.

Finishing the holiday season in the green is so much more enjoyable than in the red!