#HelloLifestyle by Renate Engelbrecht Images:Supplied
MONEY TALK
A
s we walked into Brooklyn Mall early in October, Christmas trees were being carried into Woolworths’ entrance and it hit us: ‘Tis that time of the year again already! While we love Christmas and all things festive, this year got way ahead of us and for a moment there, we had to stop and breathe. Yes, the festive season is here and somehow, we’re back where we were last year this time, wondering how we will keep to the budget and head into a new year debt-free. While we have been altering our lifestyles and challenging each other on making cleverer purchases and keeping to weekly budgets, we still haven’t mastered becoming debt-free. It’s an ongoing battle, especially with inflation, petrol and grocery prices constantly rising. But, we’re not here to remind you about what you haven’t mastered this year. We’re here to tell you that there are ways to reduce your spending this Christmas. A few small changes can go a long way…
60 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2023 l hellolifestyle.co.za
BE CLEVER WHEN WRAPPING GIFTS There are many ways to wrap a gift and if you work cleverly and further in advance you can save a lot of money. No need to buy expensive gift bags from the shop. You can use a piece of cloth and try your hand at Furoshiki - a Japanese gift-wrapping technique with reused cloth - or be creative when wrapping wine bottles and add some folded paper fans and flowers from the garden. Pinterest is filled with wrapping ideas that won’t cost nearly as much as gift bags, wrapping paper and ribbons from the shops. BUDGET, BUDGET, BUDGET Many of us hate the word budget, but a budget is exactly what will keep you from overspending this festive season. Plan ahead, know what you need and how much you can spend and only then go shopping. MAKE IT YOURSELF Don’t underestimate the power of homebaked and homemade gifts. Make it a
HOW TO DECREASE YOUR SPENDING OVER THE FESTIVE SEASON AND ENTER THE NEW YEAR WITHOUT TOO MUCH DEBT fun family activity and make the gifts yourself. This could save a lot of cents while simultaneously giving you and your family the opportunity to spend some quality time together. A box filled with home-baked biscuits often means a lot more than cookies from the nearest grocery store. CHOOSE YOUR SHOPPING TIMES WISELY While Black Friday might be coming up, the ideal is to start shopping earlier in the year and make use of those unexpected specials and clearance sales. If it’s too late now, remember this tip for next year and build up a gift supply from January onwards. We love having a gift cabinet from which we can grab a little something for those unplanned get togethers or belated birthday celebrations, let alone last-minute gifts for Christmas. South Africa’s original daily deals site, www.onedayonly.co.za has discounts every day, but for 24 hours only, which allows you to shop now, making things a little easier. H