$500 HOLIDAY CHALLENGE UPDATE ~119 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS~

In less than four months Christmas will be here.  Are you ready?  Are you planning financially for the big spend?

Here are how some of my readers are getting ready.....

 Sharon writes: 
 Lisa,
I just cashed in another $10.00 to Amazon from swagbucks. I've started collecting stocking stuffers and made out some lists. It's time for me to get a bit more serious with swagbucks and other sites that earn gift cards to reach my $500.00 goal. I plan on using my snowflakes to add to my Christmas funds too. Gift creativity will help too! Let's hope!


ltjacobs704 writes:

I collect the My Coke Reward Points --- I usually do it to keep the Princess in her Seventeen magazine subscription. This year, I hard core saved them, and used them for our admission tickets to the World of Coca Cola when we to Atlanta for Princess Penelope's birthday concert. I had collected enough to cover the cost of admission for me, the Princess and one of her friends --- that was a $48 savings!

Carla:
This year I cut back to $1300, but I think next year I'm going to have to go to $1K, as it's just not in our budget to save that over the course of the year,

Louise:
I cut my Christmas budget back to $200 a few years ago and it's still quiet do-able, it would be more if our kids were young though. It's amazing how much less we need to spend once we start spending more consciously which is what these sort of challenges do, make us aware of what we spend. Good luck with the challenge!

Frugal Student:
I have a budget of $200 for all expenses to do with Christmas, tree, extra food, presents etc. but I hope to get it down a bit. I make a yearly budget so I just add Christmas expenses in the budget and it is there when I need it but I would like to have kids and have to move my budget around.

 Jane:
My goal is to save $1500 which seems pretty extravagant compared to your numbers, however that is also for birthday gifts/wedding gifts throughout the year. I know I have 3 weddings this summer already so I'm still going to try to save that much as last year I saved $800 just for Christmas and that wasn't quite enough! The kicker is that I take my DD on a weekend trip before Christmas so that is included in the total.

Jpkittie:
I'm planning on $600 for Christmas :)

Jan:
I have a cash gift envelope for all gifts throughout the year, but never have enough, and I don't give extravagant gifts. I'm going to start a separate Christmas cash envelope this year.

Laura: 
I would love to do this. I've set a budget of £420/$664 for Christmas, but I'd love to reduce this.
Good luck. I'm really interested to see how you all do on this challenge :)

Aspiring Millionaire: 
I decided to do this too after seeing it on The Saved Quarter and here.

My sister has decided to join in too, but we are aiming to do $100 for the whole lot, presents, food, everything. Fortunately we don't host, our mum does, we just take something nice.

I was so excited the other day as I got my dad's birthday, Christmas and Fathers Day presents for 41ea. They are the hardest to buy for and the bookstore near us is closing down. I managed to pick up 4 books he likes for $1ea! Their normal price is $33.95 (books are overpriced in Australia).

So I totally think I can do this challenge. Looking forward to your updates.

 Nikki:

You Christmas shopping is going really well. We have a goal of $1200, but I think we might lower it to $1000. 

Are you ready?  Have you started your shopping, or are you already done?  Maybe you are one of those that loves to wait until the last minute and get all the bargains?  

Feel free to share or update us!  I would love to read about your progress!

• $500 Holiday Challenge

•  $500 Holiday Challenge

• $500 Holiday Challenge 

• $500 Holiday Challenge

• $500 Holiday Challenge

• $500 Holiday Challenge