Best Ways To Avoid Holiday Spending Guilt

Did you overspend on shopping and not get the satisfaction you expected?

Have you spent a lot of money on expensive but not-so-pleasing gifts?

Do you pay your bills only to realize you could have paid less for the same thing? 

Do you realize that many things are not necessary to buy after your wallet becomes thinner?

Are you always having headaches and regrets about your overspending habits?

According to a survey by TD Bank, 69% of consumers admit they have overspent during the holidays in the past, with 45% saying they overspend by $300 or more.

And a whopping 92% said they had considered adjusting their holiday spending habits in the future to avoid overspending.

The holidays are a time for spending. People always want to buy a better reunion time directly, or they tend to spend more money as a gesture of goodwill in a relationship.

And businesses are always able to capitalize on this mentality to use the holiday to achieve sales growth.

Spending big bucks on holiday shopping must make the seller happy, but the buyer is not necessarily genuinely happy. Especially if it leads to credit card debt.

How to reduce the guilt after consumption? You should ask, when will this guilt go away? The answer is before payment.

First, Make A Plan And Control The Budget

Grab a pen and paper or tablet that can help you clear your mind and write down what you need to buy for the holidays.

There are three questions you need to ask yourself when drafting this list. What is my purpose in buying this item?

Will the purchase of this item serve that purpose? Is my best bet to have to buy this item?

This list will help you figure out whether you don’t need what you want to buy at all in the process of deliberation, or if you already have it and don’t need to buy it again, or if there are other ways you can better achieve your goal without making a new purchase.

At the same time, you need to check your bank account balance, which will clearly tell you how much you can afford to spend on holiday shopping.

Don’t let your wallet weigh you down, always keep some money for your bottom line.

Second, It’s The Thought That Counts

“I can’t not give gifts on holidays. I can’t look like a miser.”  Is that what you think?

Finding the right gift for a loved one is something that people tend to do during the holidays, not only to feel good about themselves but also to connect people emotionally.

But when our definition of a gift is too narrow, stress can ensue.

Instead of worrying about whether your gift is expensive enough, you should understand that the thought and process of preparing a gift are more loving and touching.

A gift should be meaningful, and being meaningful does not mean spending a lot of money. When a gift carries enough stories and vividness, it is a meaningful gift.

It can be something that the other person needs or wants that is discovered in the ordinary course of life, or it can be a representative item in a journey or an interesting event that you want to share.

Therefore, DIY becomes a good choice. Drawing, baking, knitting…It’s a chance to shine and stretch yourself, and the value of time poured into a DIY gift will be appreciated.

A study shows that people always look forward to seeing the surprised expression on the other person’s face when they receive the gift, but it’s also comforting when no one else is around and only that person is looking at the gift and smiling.

Third, Do Not Buy Things That Are Not Planned

Holiday discounts and offers are dizzying, whether offline or online. As simple as it sounds, it’s harder than it is to buy something that’s not on your plan, and many people will inevitably pay out of their pockets willingly in a daze.

There are plenty of good things, no one denies that, but that doesn’t mean you have to have them all. Avoid the temptation to buy impulsively.

When buying, you also need to ask yourself three questions. Is this item worth the price?

Do I really need something so expensive? Am I just buying because I want to take advantage of the discount?

Fourth, Don’t Let Coupons Go

It’s annoying that merchants set prices and issue coupons to make spenders feel like they’re getting a good deal. But not using coupons means you’ll pay more than someone else for the same item, which doesn’t sound very smart either.

So, especially during the holiday season, don’t pass up any coupons that can reduce spending. You can do this by visiting some coupon sites like CouponBirds to get your favorite brand or product for less money.

If you’re worried about not applying the best coupons or missing out on coupons that save you more while shopping, the extension tools developed by these platforms are a good choice for you.

Fifth, What Matters Is A Sense Of Participation By All

You don’t have to cover all the ground. The host of the house can be just a host, doing the headcount and keeping the clock ticking.

Give the visitor time and space to be spontaneous. For example, instead of making all your own food, ask your friends and family to bring a special dish or dessert or wine to share, or bring ingredients to cook together on the spot.

There is no substitute for the happiness that this sense of participation brings to individuals, and such holiday gatherings will also become wonderful memories to be created together.

Holidays always seem to involve a lot of shopping, because people spend money to have a good time.

But if people are forced to spend money by consumerism, then the holiday exists for consumption.

In this way, people who are consumed to get together become people getting together to consume. Cause and effect are reversed, which is painful.

When you no longer pursue the momentary pleasure and instant gratification brought by consumption, but consider the rationality of each consumption and the long-term life convenience or emotional benefits it brings, overspending and the guilt caused by overspending will gradually be avoided.