Christmas is known to be a period of expenses. Both the rich and the poor are somehow placed under pressure to spend in order to make the day both memorable and fun.
There's nothing wrong with spending during this period. Spending is even part of life, it's something we do daily to survive.
I have met people who believe that when you spend it's a waste, even if it's on a very important thing. They just want to save at all costs even if it means starving themselves.
There is no law anywhere that says you shouldn't spend, spend, but do it intelligently.
Some people panic whenever they hear the word "Spend." Some even see it as a sin but it's not, it's normal with life, however, it is foolish to spend unwisely, i.e, spending without considering your income and on irrelevant things.
Spending during Christmas is not bad but people tend to allow the excitement of the season to make them spend even beyond what is necessary and that is what makes it terrible.
Some people not only spend all that they have, they even go the extra mile to borrow just to celebrate Christmas and the new year. To me, that is foolishness at its peak. Christmas is Christ's birthday not yours and even if it's yours, why spend so much just a day? Why would you spend more than you can afford?
Even if you have so much, why not invest it or channel it to something that will bring returns rather than waste it?
There's a popular saying "Cut your coat according to your size," the money you don't have is not your size, don't think of borrowing or even spending it.
The season can be so tempting, this is the reason why we have to set limits to how we spend, else we would enjoy it for a week or two and cry for months.
This is not just for Christmas alone, it's applicable to our everyday life. The reason why money don't have value to us is because we spend without wisdom.
I won't say I have mastered the act of spending cautiously because money has a spirit, and our needs and wants have a means of compelling and convincing us to spend even when we do not want to.
However, here are a few ways which I manage and control my finances during Christmas season to avoid unnecessary spendings.
1 . Spend based on needs and not wants; if it's not something that is very essential, I dare not spend a dime on it. It's not easy to do because sometimes you will be tempted to do it. For instance, if I went to the market to buy a pair of shoes and I saw a shirt I have been looking for sometime, what I would do is buy the shoes and come back home even if I have extra money with me.
2 . Budgeting: if you move around during Christmas without a clear and specific budget, you will empty your account without realizing it. Even when I am going on a date, I ensure I plan how much I am spending. Once the limit is reached, I leave.
Without budgeting your account is like a house full of treasures without security. Anything that finds its way in can rob you of your assets.
3 . I don't seek to impress anyone: it's common with young people to want to impress people or to show off. In trying to proof a point you can be forced by your Ego to spend on mundane things that are not adding up anything to your life.
This is part of the reason why I don't even go out much during Christmas or New Year a lot. I avoid the crowd and friends who love to spend and show off, their influence can be contagious sometimes,
I stay in my lane and in my little corner appreciating the little I can afford.
