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Publication #FAR9000

Budgeting For The Holidays1

Donna Davis and Josephine Turner2

The holidays are traditionally a time to get together with friends and family and celebrate. With the excitement of the season, it's also a time when people overspend. Making a holiday budget beforehand can save you these financial worries.

Planning for the holidays can save you time, energy and money according to Dr. Josephine Turner at the University of Florida. Begin by determining the amount of money you have to spend on the holidays and stick with that number. Next, make a list of holiday expenses to be paid, including gifts, travel expenses, extra food cost for entertaining and christmas cards. And... don't forget the cost of stamps. If your expense column is greater than what you have to spend, try to prioritize and then make some changes to your budget.

A large portion of holiday spending is presents. To help budget for gifts, make a list of everyone you plan to give a present to and then write what you want to give them and what it will cost. Many people go over-budget on gift spending during the holidays. Some alternatives to bring your holiday budget back under control? Try making gifts such as food or furniture, a coupon book of services such as yard work or babysitting, or handing down family heirlooms. For more information on holiday budgeting or unique, inexpensive gift ideas contact your county Extension office.

More information, please visit our website at http://www.familyalbumradio.org.

To listen to the radio broadcast:

http://radiosource.net/radio_stories/budget.wav

http://radiosource.net/radio_stories/budget.mp3

Reference

http://fycs.ifas.ufl.edu/newsletters/mmgmt_archive.htm

Footnotes

1.

This document is FAR9000, one of a series of the Family Youth and Community Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date June 2006. Reviewed by Mary Harrison. Some scientific language from the original script has been modified to better serve the listener. The script published here represents the actual broadcast as heard on Family Album Radio. Visit the EDIS Web Site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu

2.

Donna Davis, Senior Producer, Family Album Radio and Josephine Turner, Ph.D., CFP®, Professor, Family and Consumer Economics, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville FL 32611.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean.