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How to Stop Overspending for Christmas (+ a FREE holiday budget planner!)

December 15, 2016 By Lisa Mullen 16 Comments

Do you overspend at Christmas, panic when you see how much you’ve spent, or lose track of what gifts you’ve bought? Then you need this FREE holiday budget planner!


Do you frequently overspend at Christmas time? Do you panic when you get the credit card bills or when you see the drop in your bank account? Do you lose track of what presents you’ve bought, how much you’ve spent, or who you still need to buy for?

Well fret no more!

There is a simple solution that will keep the overwhelm at bay and keep you on track, organized, and within your budget!

What is this simple solution, you ask? A gift planning spreadsheet!

If you haven’t known me long, there’s something about me that you may not know, but you will. Oh, you will. I LOVE a good spreadsheet.

I have a spreadsheet for everything. I have a budget & expense spreadsheet, a grocery spreadsheet, even a recipe spreadsheet. (All of these will be shared in the new year. I know, you’re chomping at the bit to get your hands on them, but you’ll have to wait!)

So when Christmas rolls around and I have to keep track of Christmas presents, I, of course, head to my trusty friend Excel. (Well … Numbers now since I have a Mac. But you get the point.)

Some have laughed at my system and thought it was overkill. Others have asked for my files. You can judge for yourself; you know what does and does not work for you. But if you’re tired of feeling frazzled, forgetful, and financially out of control, then I encourage you to give my planner a shot!

Here are a few benefits you’ll gain from using my planner:

This holiday budget planner will help you …

  • Organize your thoughts – who you need to buy presents for, what your budget should be, and any gift ideas you might have
  • Keep track of the presents you have bought
  • Quickly see who you have left to buy for
  • Stay within your per-person budget
  • Stay within your overall gift budget

If this sounds like something you could use this time of year, click on a link below to download an editable version of my spreadsheet for yourself! And feel free to share it with anyone who may benefit from a gift planner of their own!

Thanks for joining in and have a Merry Christmas!

My Christmas Gift Budget Planner:

Note: I made the spreadsheet in Numbers since I have a Mac, but I have links for Numbers, Excel, and a PDF if you’d rather download a hard copy!

For Numbers:
Christmas Gift Budget Tracker for Numbers

For Excel:
Christmas Gift Budget Tracker for Excel

PDF:
Christmas Gift Tracker PDF

I Think You Would Also Like:

  • How to Budget the Right Way
  • 8 Favorite Cash Back Apps and Sites
  • How to Keep Christ in Your Family’s Christmas
  • 5 Ways to Simplify Your Christmas (And Enjoy It More!)

(Visited 179 times, 1 visits today)

Filed Under: Family, Finances, For the Home Tagged With: Budget, Christmas gifts, Holiday Budget, Spreadsheets

Comments

  1. Mihaela Echols says

    December 15, 2016 at 11:16 am

    Im so glad iplanned out gifts this year. I made a budget and it was the best idea!

    Reply
    • Lisa Mullen says

      December 15, 2016 at 2:40 pm

      Good for you! It definitely helps keep Christmas spending from spinning out of control!

      Reply
  2. Nicola says

    December 17, 2016 at 2:13 pm

    I’m useless at organising in my personal life! At work I love a spreadsheet but at home I am completely the opposite. My partner has a spreadsheet for the kids presents this year, but yours is way better! Will definitely keep it ready for next year!

    Reply
    • Lisa Mullen says

      December 17, 2016 at 8:03 pm

      Oh, I’m so glad you found it helpful! Keep your eye out in the new year. I’ll be sharing more of my spreadsheets, including my general budget/expense sheet!

      Reply
  3. Alma says

    December 17, 2016 at 6:44 pm

    Loved this. As someone who has worked as a bookkeeper for 10 years, I know the importance of keeping track of your finances.

    Reply
    • Lisa Mullen says

      December 17, 2016 at 8:00 pm

      I definitely agree with the importance of keeping track of your finances! As we add children to our family, I’m finding that shopping for Christmas presents can quickly get out of hand if I don’t keep track of my spending.

      Reply
  4. Lana | Lifestyle Queen Bee says

    December 19, 2016 at 10:23 am

    Great post! This is something I typically am guilty of but somehow this year, I was organized and stayed on budget!

    Reply
    • Lisa Mullen says

      December 19, 2016 at 1:39 pm

      Yay! Good for you, Lana!

      Reply
  5. Hannah says

    December 19, 2016 at 11:29 am

    Great Ideas

    Reply
    • Lisa Mullen says

      December 19, 2016 at 1:38 pm

      Thank you, Hannah!

      Reply
  6. Beka says

    December 19, 2016 at 7:59 pm

    Love this! Spreadsheets make me giddy too ? Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Lisa Mullen says

      December 21, 2016 at 3:43 pm

      Thank you Beka! I’m so happy to meet another spreadsheet enthusiast. ☺️

      Reply
  7. Rhonda Swan says

    December 20, 2016 at 2:45 pm

    Way to share and be unstoppable with your budget! Cheers!

    Reply
    • Lisa Mullen says

      December 21, 2016 at 3:42 pm

      Thanks Rhonda!

      Reply
  8. rachel says

    December 21, 2016 at 11:52 am

    Good idea! It’s hard for me to keep track since I start picking up gifts so early here and there when I see a sale, so by the end I don’t know what I’ve spent, lol.

    Reply
    • Lisa Mullen says

      December 21, 2016 at 3:42 pm

      Yes! This spreadsheet is perfect for that. That’s such a smart way to shop.

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Lisa! I am first and foremost a child of God, and secondly a wife and mother of two precious little misters and one sweet little missy.

I'm here to encourage, inspire, and offer practical help for moms to empower them be the joyful, peaceful, and intentional mom they want to be!

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