Hello! Happy Friday! 🙂 This week has flown by for me and I can’t believe how fast Christmas is coming around. I haven’t done any Christmas shopping whatsoever – luckily my shopping will be minimal but I still don’t know what to buy for those I am getting gifts for.
I’ve budgeted £100 for gifts for everyone this Christmas, I think we should be able to stick to that providing we manage to hand make some gifts! I need to get all of my shopping done before the middle of December because that’s when the hubby and I are going to stay with relatives for a break for a while over the Christmas period. That gives me around four weeks to sort things out (gulp). I’d better get started soon! Have you tackled Christmas shopping yet?
Here’s my favourite fab links from this week:
Harry at The Four Hour Work Day wrote a post called There’s no Loyalty in the Corporate World. I could relate to this post because I felt this way about my old job (all of my previous jobs actually). Harry puts the point across about how some companies might pay you the same salary whether you work like a trojan or not, even if you end up making the company big money. When you work for yourself, it’s easy to see the link between how hard you work and how much money you could potentially make.
Keenyn at My Pennies, My Thoughts wrote a really helpful post for first time renters called Budgeting for your first place. Keenyn outlines the types of costs that crop up when you’re moving into your first home and reiterates how important it is to budget and save. I certainly wasn’t prepared financially when I moved out for the first time!
Julie at Finance Girl wrote an interesting post about the link between Debt and depression. Being in debt does have emotional implications for myself and the hubby and I suspect a lot of other people in debt too.
Done By Forty wrote about how he used his negotiation skills to achieve a great result with a supplier. In his post: They Want to Help You, Mr DB40 explains that by being nice, grateful and patient, you can win over the person on the other end of the phone and by doing so, this may make them more inclined to help you as a customer. Great advice!
Alexa from Single Moms Income wrote an inspiring post called 3 Reasons You Are Your Biggest Obstacle to Business Success. By giving in to fear and rejection or not knowing where to start, we may be holding ourselves back from achieving success.
I hope you enjoy the above reads as much as I did. Have a great weekend everyone and I’ll be back on Monday!
Posts I’ve written this week:
- Budgeting and Debt Barriers
- Frugal Feast #3 (my guest post over at Girl Counting Pennies)
- Beauty is in the eye of the debt holder
Related posts:
Image © A Disease Called Debt
16 Comments
I have to admit that I am a Christmas addict, and my Christmas shopping is pretty much complete. I have to buy for the BF, our nephew, his grandparents, and pick up stocking stuffers. Other than that, we are officially done. I get to put up my tree tomorrow and wrap all the presents we’ve already bought!!!
Wow that’s great that you’ve nearly done your Christmas shopping – very organised! I haven’t even bought Christmas cards! Thanks so much for stopping by!
I don’t get to celebrate Christmas as my family is scattered all over the world and it’s not always possible to get together for Christmas. We don’t really exchange gifts either which is a shame! I am going back home in January and will then get my family something nice. Post-Christmas gifts so to speak 😛 Happy Christmas shopping, Hayley! 😉
Eva @ Girl Counting Pennies recently posted…Ljubljana and Zagreb: My Travel Budget
Post Christmas gifts sound great! 🙂 You could make the most of the January sales in that case! Aw that’s a shame you won’t see your family for Christmas, hopefully you’ll still get to spend it with your sister though? 🙂
Ahhhhhhhh I haven’t started Christmas shopping either!!! Thanks for the reminder Hayley. 😉 Have a wonderful weekend!
Girl Meets Debt recently posted…The Underdog
Thanks GMD! Hope you’ve had a fab weekend! 🙂
I need to kick my Christmas shopping into high gear too. This Fall has been extremely hectic so I feel behind and Christmas is just around the corner! Looks like some great reads that I’m not familiar with so thanks for sharing. Have a great weekend, Hayley!
Shannon @ The Heavy Purse recently posted…Blog Round-Up: November 11, 2013
You too Shannon! Hope you had a good one!
Thank you for the link, Hayley! I’m so happy that I made your list.
I’ve shopped for Mrs. Done by Forty, but that’s it so far. The rest of the shopping will have to take place when I get back, unless I can find some good stuff on vacation.
Your budget for gifts is really impressive, too. Well done!
Done by Forty recently posted…Leaving on a Jet Plane…
You’re welcome Mr DB40! I really enjoyed your post. That’s great that you’ve shopped for Mrs DB40 already! Maybe she will help you shop for everyone else when you see her on vacation!
I’m almost done with my Christmas shopping. yay~
Michelle’s Finance Journal recently posted…MY Favorite Things
Well done Michelle! That’s super organised!
Hi Hayley, we usually get everyone gift cards because many of them are sent in the mail. That way everyone can get what they need or want. I can’t pretend to know anymore! A few Christmases ago, I made my mom a book of memories – short stories from our life. She loved it. I am not crafty at all, but I went to the craft store and used the scrapbooking paper that matched the story (sports paper for my story about playing sports, music notes for the story about when she used to crank up the music and we’d all sing in the car). I wrote a few as poetry but most were just short prose. Like I said, I am NOT crafty, and it came out great!
Have a happy weekend!
Tammy R recently posted…The Kitty in Meadow, the Piggy in the Forest
Hi Tammy, thanks so much for this wonderful idea! I love the idea of a book of memories. Really unique and who wouldn’t want a book like this? I’m going to give this a go – thanks again, you’ve just helped me out massively! 🙂
Oh yes, Christmas. Before you know it, it’s the eve already. Honestly, what I have at present is just a list of what to buy for who — a Christmas shopping list. The shopping money is yet to be raised. Uh-oh, I think I am running out of time.
Jen @ Frugal Rules recently posted…Policy Options With Term Life Insurance Coverage
Me too Jen! I have half a list somewhere, I really need to get cracking on everything! Good luck with your shopping (and raising the funds for it)!