| STEP 10 Planning for Birthdays, Christmas and Other Special Occasions |
Festive times can be very expensive for many families, especially as Christmas, school holidays, summer vacations and back to school expenses all seem to roll into one.
It’s a good idea to make detailed plans for these occasions. One of the reasons that people have money blowouts is because they forget things or leave them to the last minute. The better planned you are the easier it is to get things at a good price and avoid any last minute splurges. Things to consider:
- School holidays – what will your children do each day
- Childcare – will you need additional child minding
- Pet care – who will take care of them if you are away
- Christmas Day – where will you be and what will you do
- Travel arrangements – what bookings do you need
- Visitors – who will be visiting; when; for how long
- Gifts – what gifts do you ‘have to’ buy
- Christmas cards – will you send any postage – do you need to post overseas
- Phone calls – are there people you must contact
- Servicing the car – are you going away
- House minding – will you need security; watering; pet feeding.
| NEXT STEP Review Your Investments |