Seasonal Gift Strategies for Spending Smart

Gregory Karp

Every year, expenses arise that can pinch the household budget. But the truth is, some of them are annual events that you could, and should, plan for.

Did you not foresee Valentine’s Day? If you’ve spent money on Christmas gifts every year of your adult life, did you think this year would be different?

If you don’t foresee and plan for seasonal changes in your job, you could be fired. Why would you operate your personal finances so haphazardly?

We often overspend for annual events because we don’t plan for them. First, we don’t save money for the expense—in which case the purchase ends up on a credit card to potentially rack up interest charges. Second, we spend too much because we ran ...