Tips for Last-Minute Shopping Without Breaking the Bank

Christmas is right around the corner and last-minute shopping can empty your wallet if you aren’t careful while you’re trying to fill stockings.

NBC 5 checked with Lauryn Williams, a certified financial planner at Worth Winning in Dallas, about ways to be festive and still financially responsible.

“Making your list and checking it twice. Going through that list and seeing who are the important people in your life and what is relevant for you to be able to purchase,” Williams said. “What I think we do sometimes is – ‘oh this popped up,’ and ‘so and so popped up,’ and ‘I ran into so and so and I’ve got to get them a gift,” and before you know it, the list gets really long and it’s not really meaningful.”

Williams said we can also start planning for next Christmas.

“If in January you decided to put $100 aside a month, you’ll have $1,200 to use and not pulling from this or that. You’ll know what your budget is and maybe you can contribute to so and so who wants a $500 gift,” Williams said.

How do you keep that spending under control? Williams has a few tips we can use right now:

• Budget: Plan Ahead and set a spending limit. She says the average spending for Christmas is around $1,000, of course, that’s relative depending on your income.
• Don’t be afraid to pick up a side hustle. A great way to meet short-term spending goals during the holidays without going into debt.
• Value those relationships. Going through your list and seeing who’s the most important person, or the important people in your life. A good way to keep from overbuying.
• Doing something that doesn’t cost you a dime. You can make something very thoughtful, like write a letter, or create your own greeting card. A good way to pare down your holiday spending list.

Click here for more budget and financial planning tips. Williams is offering a 12-week live online program launch for the new year.