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Easily Forgotten Christmas Budget Categories

October 28, 2022 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Holiday Expenses You Shouldn’t Forget This Year.

The holiday season will be here before we know it!  It seems that at every store I’ve gone to recently I keep seeing little pops and hints of Christmas, and I am SO excited about this.  Truly, Christmas is the most magical time of the year!  If you haven’t already started putting together your Christmas budget, I highly recommend you begin now.  Not sure how to do this or what belongs in a Christmas budget?  No worries!  That’s why I am here!  I’ll tell you exactly what a Christmas budget is and remind you of the most commonly forgotten Christmas budget categories.

What’s a Christmas Budget?

But, first things first, let’s talk about what a Christmas budget actually is!

A Christmas budget is a budget that you make for keeping track of all of your Christmas expenses.  It should include any gifts you want to buy for the year, parties you will attend, household decorations you might want to buy, food you will make, etc.

Why Do I Need A Christmas Budget?

We all know that the holidays can get expensive fast!  I recommend that everyone make a Christmas budget each year to help prevent them from going into debt and overspending during the holiday season.  A Christmas budget gives you the permission to spend in the way that YOU want.  So you can buy and enjoy what you need for the holidays, without having to feel guilt or buyers remorse.

When you commit to a budget you will be much more likely to spend the amount that you have already decided you can afford.

Not sure how to budget?  That’s ok!  Just grab my budgeting cheat sheets below and they will tell you everything you need to know to put together a successful zero based budget!

 

 

  • Related:  How to Make a Zero Based Budget

 

What Should I Include In My Christmas Budget?

When I first started making a Christmas budget I always seemed to forget a few items.  Sure, I remembered the gifts that I needed to buy, but then there always seemed to be random little expenses that kept popping up.

It took me a few years to finally figure out every category I needed in my holiday spending budget.  But, not to worry!  I’m going to share all of the commonly forgotten Christmas expenses so that you won’t have to wait a few years to figure it out for yourself!  You can make a successful Christmas budget today!  Yay!

Commonly Forgotten Christmas Budget Categories

Below are the most commonly forgotten Christmas budget categories.  Use this as a guide when making your holiday budget, it should help you brainstorm exactly what expenses you will need to plan for this year.

1.  Holiday Travel

Do you have plans to travel for the holidays?  Maybe you are traveling far across the country, or perhaps you have a short road trip planned to visit family.  Either option will require some expenses.  Make sure to budget for any traveling you will be doing over the next couple of months.  You’ll need to budget money for gas, food, possibly plane tickets, lodging, and any activities or experiences along the way.

2.  Christmas Decorations

If you like to decorate your home for the season, don’t forget to budget some money for this expense.  This is one of the most commonly forgotten Christmas budget category!

You can find some fairly cheap decorations if you shop the after Christmas clearance sales.  I usually buy a few new decorations every year right after the holidays, and then when I pull them out the next December it’s a fun surprise because I forgot I had bought them!  It’s like a fun early present!

young child wearing santa hat looking at decorated christmas tree

3.  Gifts For Teachers

I love gifting my kids teachers a small gift every Christmas to let them know how much I appreciate their time and love they give my child.  The problem though is I would often forget to add this extra expense to my gift budget!  

If you want to give a small gift to any teachers or coaches in your life make sure to include it in your budget this year.  

  • Related:  Cheap Christmas Gifts for Neighbors, Teachers, and Friends

4.  Christmas Dinner

Do you like to cook a big Christmas dinner each year?  You know the one with ham, potatoes, rolls, eggnog, and everything in between????  Make sure to include money in your budget for these pricier foods.  

Remember, it’s ok to splurge every now and then….just include it in your budget!

5.  Holiday Cards

Sending holiday cards to your friends and family is a long loved Christmas tradition.  Don’t forget to budget for sending out cards, you’ll also need stamps and envelopes!

 

 

6.  Gifts For Co-Workers

We love to give little gifts to my husbands co-workers each year…unfortunately this is one of those expenses I tend to always forget about it.  If you want to participate in any gift exchanges at work, don’t be like me and forget to include it in your budget.

7.  Christmas Traditions

Remember to budget for any Christmas traditions or activities your family will want to enjoy this year.  This might include going ice skating, going to the movies, decorating gingerbread houses, etc.

Keep in mind that Christmas traditions do not have to cost a lot of money!  Here are some of our favorite budget friendly Christmas traditions.

8.  Gift Wrap

Another commonly forgotten Christmas budget category is gift wrapping supplies.  Don’t forget to budget for wrapping paper, bows, tape and anything else you’ll need to wrap gifts.  The Dollar Tree is my favorite place to buy gift bags and tissue paper.  And I love to stock up on Christmas wrapping paper after Christmas each year.

christmas wrapping paper and ribbons on table

9.  Giving To Others

One of my favorite things to do during the holiday season is serve others.  It is truly what brings me the most joy and happiness and is the reason for the season.  Make sure to budget for any giving that you plan to do this Christmas.  

But, also remember that you don’t even need to spend any money to serve others.  Here are 101 frugal ways to give to someone else.

10.  Christmas Parties

Do you have any holiday parties to attend (or possibly host) this year?  Budget for any expenses those parties will cost.  They might include gifts for the host, a white elephant gift, decorations, food to share, etc.

11.  Holiday Baking

And the last commonly forgotten Christmas budget category is holiday baking.  Baking is a fun party of any holiday, but especially during Christmas time!  Unfortunately, the price to buy the extra ingredients like chocolate, marshmallow cream, cream cheese, etc. gets expensive fast!  Make sure to plan ahead with these added costs and include them in your Christmas budget.

  • Related:  Christmas Tree Cookie Recipe

 

A Christmas Budget Brings Contentment

If you don’t normally budget for Christmas expenses I encourage you to begin this year.  Start today even!  Having a plan in place for how to spend your money during the holiday season will bring you so much peace and contentment and you will be able to enjoy the season so much more!

While you are planning your budget make sure to remember each of these commonly forgotten Christmas budget categories!

 

Pin For Future Reference

christmas budget categories - what to budget for christmas

christmas budget categories - christmas expenses to budget for

Make to include these commonly forgotten Christmas budget categories this year!

Gift Ideas For 5-7 Year Old Girls Under $25

October 13, 2021 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Budget friendly gift ideas for young girls.

Looking for some gift ideas for 5-7 year old girls under $25?  I’ve got you covered!  

For some reason gift shopping can be so stressful!  I always want to gift something that will be loved and enjoyed, but I also have a tight budget I need to stick to.  So, I end up shopping for weeks and weeks trying to find that perfect gift that won’t put me over budget.

If you are anything like me, I decided to save you a lot of time and stress!  I did the browsing for you!  Below you will find 25 budget friendly gift ideas for young girls!  I hope these gift ideas help you find exactly what you are looking for.

“We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

budget friendly gifts for 7 year old girls - cheap gift ideas for girls

Crafting Gift Ideas For 5-7 Year Old Girls

Crafting is so fun for 5-7 year old girls.  They are starting to understand how to create with their own ideas and are so proud of the finished project.  Here are a few budget friendly craft gift ideas!

Rainbow Scratch Paper Art Kit

Keep your young artist entertained for hours with this rainbow scratch paper art kit.  It comes with over 100 pieces to use to help her create beautiful rainbow art pictures.  My little ones always thought these kits were like magic!  They are so fun and affordable!

 

 

Color Your Own Water Bottle

My girls both had these color your own water bottles when they were younger and loved them!  It’s a fun gift idea to help girls show their creativity and then display it proudly!

 

 

Crayola Light Up Tracing Pad

I was so excited to find this Crayola Light Up Tracing Pad.  It has tens of thousands positive reviews and looks so fun for kids!  The tracing pad comes complete with colored pencils, tracing sheets, and more!

 

Crayola Coloring Kit

If you are shopping for a budding artist, you might want to buy her this Crayola coloring kit.  It comes with 64 Crayons, 20 Short Colored Pencils, 40 Washable Markers, 15 Pieces of Paper and a carrying case.  Basically everything she will need to color and draw!

 

 

Fun Game Gift Ideas For 5-7 Year Old Girls

I love gifting games to kids.  They provide a lot of fun family togetherness time, memories and laughter.  Plus, games are a great way to encourage learning and thinking skills.

Monopoly Junior Board Game

You can’t go wrong with a classic board game and one of my favorite classics is Monopoly!  Try gifting the Monopoly Junior board game version, so that young kids can enjoy this fun game too!

 

Candyland Board Game

Candyland is another fun and classic  board game for young kids!  It never ever gets old!  Kids (and adults) of all ages love playing this game (me included)!

 

Wooden Blocks Game

How adorable is this wooden blocks game?!?!  I love it and our family loves playing this game!  It always keeps us laughing!  This version of the game is so colorful and unique, a perfect combination for kids!

 

Lawn Dart Yard Game

Encourage your little ones to play outside with this lawn dart yard game.  It comes with 4 darts, 2 target rings, a carrying bag and instructions.  This is that perfect gift that will be fun no matter what age your child is!

 

 

  • Related:  Best Family Games Under $20

 

Fun Toy Gift Ideas For 5-7 Year Old Girls

Being a 5-7 year old girl means a lot of playing with toys, dressing up, and pretending.  Here are a few ideas to keep your little one having fun and using her imagination!

Princess Castle Play Tent

Give your little princess her very own castle with this princess castle play tent!  She will love having her own little hideout and will give her some fun opportunities for pretend play.

 

Toy Tea Set

Look at how adorable this toy tea set is??  It comes with everything a little girl would need to set up her own tea party, plus a carrying case to keep it all organized when not in use!  

 

Magnetic Wooden Dress Up Dolls

My daughters had these magnetic wooden dress up dolls when they were 5 and 7 and loved them!  It was so fun to mix and match the different outfits and the magnets make it so easy to put the clothes on and off.  It makes for the perfect travel toy too!

 

Rocket Launcher

Help your kids get out their energy with the Stomp Rocket toy.  It comes with 4 rockets that will launch 200 feet into the air.  This is the perfect activity for outdoor or indoor play and something that will entertain the neighborhood!

 

Walkie Talkies

Walkie Talkies are just the most fun ever, seriously!  My kids and their friends play with our walkie talkies for hours and hours.  You can bring them camping, hiking, or use them for playing night games, so many possibilities!  I found a great deal on kids walkie talkies and these would make the perfect gift!

 

 

LOL Surprise Dance Doll

LOL Surprise dolls were all the rage last year, so make sure to buy one before they are sold out!  This LOL Surprise Dance Doll comes with 8 surprises and doll!

 

Polly Pocket

Polly pockets were some of my very favorite toys when I was a young girl, and I have loved seeing them make a comeback the last few years!  I found the cutest polly pocket swimming set with great reviews!  Check it out here!

Doctor Kit

My daughters and their friends spent hours and hours playing doctor with our toy doctor kit!  I think it was the most used toy we ever owned!  So, I always recommend it to parents!  This is a great priced doctor kit similar to the one we owned and loved!

 

 

Gift Ideas For Her Room

I love decorating my kids rooms!  It’s a great way to let their personality and interests shine!  Below are some fun gift ideas perfect for a little girls room.

Star Projector Nightlight

How fun would it be to give your 5-7 year old girl the gift of falling asleep under the stars every night???  Well you can with this fun star projector nightlight!  Right now it’s under $20 and has over 9,000 positive reviews!  I almost want to buy it for me!  😉

 

Squishmallow Stuffed Animal

Squishmallows are all the rage right now for stuffed animal lovers.  They are soft, and oh so squishy!  This Unicorn Squishmallow is adorable and under $25!

 

Unicorn Musical Jewelry Box

Here’s another fun gift idea for a 5-7 year old girl, a new jewelry box!  This darling unicorn music box is perfect for a little girls favorite rings, necklaces and favorite trinkets.

 

Mermaid Tail Blanket

What little girl doesn’t dream of being a mermaid?!?!?  I think most do!  Help them play mermaid for a few hours with this cozy mermaid tail blanket.  It has great reviews, multiple colors to choose from and the price is right!

 

 

Learning Gifts For 5-7 Year Old Girl

Help the girl you are shopping for learn and develop with these fun and affordable learning toys!

Glow In The Dark Puzzle

The ages between 5-7 are perfect to start introducing puzzles to kids.  This unicorn glow in the dark puzzle is so fun, but you can also choose from a few other puzzle themes, such as space, dinosaur and fairies.  Just find the theme that suits your little girl best!

 

Butterfly Growing Kit

How fun is this butterfly growing kit???  The cutest!  It comes with a mesh habitat, feeding dropper, instructions and a voucher for free baby caterpillars.  This would be such a neat experience for any little girl to watch a caterpillar change into a butterfly.

 

 

Kids Baking Set

Introduce your sweet girl to baking with her very own Baking Set.  This one comes with a chef hat, apron, rolling pin, and other fun baking gadgets!

 

Science Kit

Here is a fun beginner science kit!  It comes with 11 hands on science activities to help young kids learn more about science and how things work.

 

 

Little Girl Gifts She Can Wear

I only have one item on this list, but it was worth keeping it because of how cute it is!

Knee High Animal Socks

Ok, how cute are these knee high animal socks?!?!?!  They are adorable and I wish they came in my size!  They would make the perfect gift for a little girl.

 

 

More Gift Guides

Have even more people on your list you are shopping for?  Check out my other budget friendly gift guides below!

  • Gift Ideas for Teen Girls under $25
  • 25 Gift Ideas for Tween Girls; all under $25!
  • Gift Ideas for Toddlers Under $25
  • Cheap Gift Ideas for Teen Boys All Under $25!
  • Cheap Christmas Gifts for Neighbors, Teachers, and Friends
  • 25 Gift Ideas for 5-7 year old boys under $25

 

 

Pin For Later:

gift ideas for little girls - gift ideas for 5 year olds

I hope you find the perfect gift idea for your 5-7 year old girl!

Hello! I’m Melanie!

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