As we drag our heels through what is turning out to be one of the most expensive and depressing years in millennia, people are now starting to turn their thoughts to what the end of the year will be like. After all, there is only so much economising anyone can do, therefore, surely, Christmas 2011 and the new year will be a time to let that hair down and really enjoy yourself. Well that is what I plan to do anyway!
Of course, although this time of the year can be notoriously expensive, what with present buying and Christmas parties in London etc, this does not mean to say that you cannot start to plan now for it and this way not have to worry so much about the cost when it gets here.
This is something you may definitely want to do if you have foregone a summer holiday this year: why not put a little aside every month and plan to holiday at Christmas instead. There are a couple of ways of going about this:
You may choose to put a few pounds back each week in one of the Christmas catalogue clubs that run - this is a great way of paying in advance and then having far more cash to splash when the big day gets here.
Alternatively, if you can trust yourself, how about putting some money back each month into your ISA or other savings account?
I have a sneaky suspicion that Christmas 2011 is going to be anything but lean this year. We would all have reached the end of our tethers, by the time it gets here, and will definitely want to party hard and enjoy ourselves - just wait and see, shall we?