{"id":7892,"date":"2015-12-16T12:28:00","date_gmt":"2015-12-16T12:28:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/301webdemo.com\/oegema\/?p=7892"},"modified":"2026-02-06T05:12:01","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T05:12:01","slug":"holiday-financial-advice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/blog\/holiday-financial-advice\/","title":{"rendered":"Holiday Financial Advice: 8 Tips for Saving Your Money This Christmas"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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The holidays always have that magical ability to boost moods and promote generosity, but sometimes the spirit of giving doesn\u2019t bode well with our wallets.<\/strong><\/p>

When buying gifts for loved ones, or donating to charity of the holidays, it can be difficult to curb your spending \u2013 especially when you see that sweater that\u2019s perfect for Cheryl, or that newest gadget for Jared.<\/strong><\/p>

It may not be the easiest to do, but being financially responsible during the holidays is just as important as it is all year round. Here are 8 tips to help you balance your inner P\u00e8re No\u00ebl, while keeping your budget in line.<\/p>

1. Set Your Budget<\/h2>

Before you battle your way through the droves of fellow holiday shoppers, make sure you have your budget firmly set. By having a maximum amount set in your mind, you can ensure you don\u2019t go over your budget while shopping, and it will help fight back the impulse buys you\u2019ll no doubt have as the season\u2019s sales go into full swing.<\/p>

2. Make a List<\/h2>

Prepare yourself by making a list of who you\u2019re shopping for, and exactly what you want to get them. Not only does this help you hone down your gifts to things you think your loved ones will like, but by knowing exactly what you want to buy when you head out you won\u2019t end up with a shopping cart full of unnecessary extras.<\/p>

3. Comparison Shop<\/h2>

Another reason to build a list of gifts, is that it will help you comparison shop. If you start your shopping early enough, you can compare the prices for similar gifts from store to store. This way, not only will the gift recipient be happy you took the time and effort to get them something special, you can also celebrate knowing you took the effort to find the best deal!<\/p>

4. Coupons and Coupon Codes<\/h2>

If you\u2019re creating your gift list, and gathering your ideas from brochures, flyers, and catalogues, now would be a good time to start clipping those coupons. If you\u2019re making your gift purchases online, a good idea to help save your hard earned money is to run a quick Google search for the item you\u2019re looking for along with the phrase \u201ccoupon code\u201d. With some internet sleuthing, and a bit of luck, you\u2019ll come across an online promotion you may otherwise have missed.<\/p>

5. Give Your Time<\/h2>

Christmas is the time for giving, but this doesn\u2019t necessarily mean giving expensive gifts. Your loved ones are just as likely to appreciate spending the holidays with you as they are to be receiving your gifts. If you can organize an activity to spend quality time with your friends and family, this can be one of the greatest gifts you can give. Alternatively, you can give your time to making a gift, which can help you save on your budget as well.<\/p>

6. Cut Travel Costs<\/h2>

If you intend on travelling to visit loved ones for the holidays, you have two strategies you can take. The first strategy involves purchasing tickets for transportation early to avoid the spike in prices during peak season. This also allows you to comparison shop. The second and riskier strategy involves waiting until the last minute. Sometimes you can come across big discounts, but this also makes it more difficult to plan your\u00a0vacation\u00a0as you\u2019ll have to work it around the travel dates you\u2019re able to purchase.<\/p>

7. Save Before You Shop<\/h2>

Christmas shopping, although it only happens once a year, is an expense. In order to help relieve the expense, saving is your best tool.\u00a0Start saving early\u00a0and frequently and you\u2019ll have more money to delegate for your gift purchases.<\/p>

8. Make a Payoff Plan<\/h2>

Maybe it\u2019s too late, or you weren\u2019t able to save money for the holidays this year. That\u2019s okay, you can start saving your money now in advance for next year. Now, if you plan on using credit to make your purchases this year, reduce your interest by making a realistic payoff plan to clear your credit. Also, try not to max out your credit cards, because this could negatively affect your credit.<\/p>

Have a Happy Holiday<\/h2>

Follow our advice and ensure a happy holiday by saving money, while spending on the ones you love. For more financial advice, get in touch with your\u00a0local financial advisor<\/a>\u00a0at Oegema, Nicholson & Associates Financial Inc. and save for more than just your holiday purchases! Thanks for reading, The ONA Team.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Get summer-ready with our 2022 cottage checklist. From safety to comfort, Oegema, Nicholson & Associates helps you prep your getaway\u2014read the checklist today!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":7894,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7892","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-personal-safety-tips"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7892","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7892"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7892\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9763,"href":"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7892\/revisions\/9763"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7894"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7892"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7892"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7892"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}