With only 2 weeks left till Christmas, most people are scrambling around finishing last minute details (myself included this year!) The bad thing about scrambling like this is that it unavoidably leads to impulse buys. Typically these buys are things we need (last minute gifts, decorations, party necessities, etc.) but the problem is that we are letting our spending go wild. It's fun to spend money! And the holidays are prime time to spend left and right. But why is this such a problem?

Your training your brain that it's ok to spend without thinking

If you've noticed, I talk a lot about thinking through your purchases & spending with a plan rather than on impulse. The allure to spend money is so tempting that in order to keep you eyes focused on your financial goal(s), we must have a plan any time we make a purchase. If you don't, you run the risk of feeding your instant gratification and impulses and failing to rein it back in.

Right now in your life, you have a financial goal...

You've heard me talk a lot about taking your time whenever you spend your money. I mean, no matter how small the amount is, think it through before you shell out the dough! You may think that running through the drive thru for an impromptu half-priced slushy, is no big deal (I mean it's only a couple bucks). But in reality, those few dollars ARE a big deal. Why?

When you make purchases that are purely based on satisfying your current desire, without any forethought, you are telling your brain that you spend frivolously. Think of this in terms of the food you eat. If you eat a cookie every day, your brain begins to change how it sees that cookie. It is no longer an occasional junk food, it is now a necessity. You taste buds change, and when you're hungry, you start thinking - what's one more cookie? Day by day your brain becomes more accustomed to junk food and then unhealthy eating is your norm. Well the same is true for spending. When you spend without thinking regularly, your...

I am not a big fan of going out on Black Friday. Why you ask? Crowded stores, rude customers fighting for the last item, insanely early mornings...(or should I say crazy late nights?). No thank you! I'll take my chances by shopping early, shopping online Black Friday deals, waiting for Cyber Monday, or waiting for those last minute Christmas sales.

Beware of low quality items during Black Friday

Did I mention that a lot of times the items for sale on Black Friday are usually sub-par items? TVs that you wouldn't normally consider because of its technology or low reviews all the sudden become the rage when they are on sale for Black Friday. Do yourself a favor and whatever the product is, research it before going out to buy it!

Me...Want...Good....Deals....

Say that heading in your best Cookie Monster voice, lol!

But what if you're the type that loves the thrill of the shopping on Black Friday? And the temptation of a potentially amazing deal is simply more than you can bare? Then by...

November begins a whirlwind of birthdays in our house. We celebrate 4 birthdays plus Christmas all in 7 weeks! Sheesh. To say our budget takes a hit during this time of year is an understatement! Not to mention the cost of party planning. So what's a mom to do?! 

Fail to plan & you plan to fail

In the past our budget has always been the number one priority for me because time wasn't really an issue. Now that I have twin babies, making 4 kids total, I have no time and am learning how to balance time without sacrificing money. Why? Because it seems that there is always a trade off - if you don't want to spend time then you'll spend more money (think meal planning vs going out to eat). And if you don't want to spend money, you'll inevitably spend more time planning.

But what if you don't want to sacrifice either? Spend as little time as possible and as little money as possible? Does that seem like a pipe dream? Well it's not! It's all about starting your preparation insanely...