Holidays are meant to be full of love, but sometimes they’re full of stress and anxiety. One of the culprits can be the unspoken financial commitment of family dinners, travel and chaotic gift-buying. Sometimes the stress is beyond your control, but there are some things you can champion like planning and
To give it a new feel, get nice packaging for the gift. If you’re not sold on the idea of secondhand gifts, start with small, slightly used items like books. It’s also possible to find new items for less in charity shops and on online platforms like eBay, although you may have to bid for them. If you aren’t into apps, there are other ways to go about sharing wish lists with your loved ones like creating a spreadsheet to exchange gift ideas. iPhone users can also use the Notes app to collaborate on gift ideas.While it is nice to give people gifts, it’s not a necessity, especially if it’s overwhelming or you can’t afford it. Editor Pamela de la Fuente experiences anxiety around the holidays, but “takes it in stride.
Consider using apps to create a holiday budget, then throw funds in there weekly or monthly, using the apps to keep track of your savings. For instance, if you’ll be spending Hanukkah out of town with loved ones, you may want to create a budget for food and travel.Buying new holiday decor every year can be expensive, especially if you go all out on ornaments and lights. Think about reusing or repurposing existing decorations.