Before you head to the mall or add items to your shopping cart online, you want to ensure you have enough money to cover your monthly expenses and buy your loved ones Christmas presents. You may feel overwhelmed about your finances and how you will manage to buy gifts. But if you create a Christmas budget, you won’t break the bank! HOW DO YOU CREATE A CHRISTMAS BUDGET? 1. Write down your monthly income: The first thing you want to do is tally up how much money you bring in each month. This lets you know how much money you have before you take out your expenses. 2. Write down your monthly expenses: D on ’ t G o B roke for the H olidays 4 STEPS TO CREATING A CHRISTMAS BUDGET
You want to tally up the total amount of regular monthly costs, including housing, utilities, groceries, and internet. This also includes cars, credit cards, insurance, and other monthly payments. Be sure to add any streaming or subscription fees to this total. 3. Find out how much money you have left over: Subtract your total expenses from your monthly income. The number you get will be the money you have left over for discretionary spending, such as dinner out, a concert, or Christmas presents. But make sure you leave some wiggle room for any unexpected costs. 4. Plan out how much you want to spend on Christmas gifts: Write out whom you want to get gifts for and how much you want to spend. Track your spending as you go to ensure you don’t overspend or forget to buy someone a gift. SHOP FOR CHRISTMAS ON A BUDGET. 1. Look at last-minute sales: Tons of retailers will offer holiday sales as we get closer to Christmas. So be on the lookout
for stores that mark prices down as St. Nick prepares for his journey. 2. Recycle gift cards: If you received a gift card to a store that you never used (or forgot about), re-gift it this year! Just be sure the card hasn’t expired. 3. Go thrifting: You can find great gifts at your local thrift store. Depending on where you go, you can get clothes, books, silverware, furniture, gadgets, and more. Christmas shopping can be stressful, but by creating a budget and sticking to it, you will survive this holiday season like a pro.
C heck O ut T hese A ctivities performances per weekend between Dec. 2 and 18. You can also head to the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta to see their version of “A Christmas Carol.” If you want to experience something new, the cast at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre will be presenting “The Hip Hop Nutcracker.” ICE SKATE OR VISIT SANTA AT AVALON. There’s always something exciting happening at Avalon. They’ve already built their Rockefeller Center- inspired ice skating rink, which provides a fantastic opportunity for those wanting to ice skate outdoors. Santa will also be making regular appearances at Avalon. Santa will read his favorite holiday stories at Story Time with Santa, which starts at 6 p.m. every Monday leading up to Christmas. Make sure you get your tickets to this event early, as they tend to sell out quickly. ENJOY THE WINTER SOLSTICE LANTERN WALK. One unique event in Alpharetta is the Winter Solstice Lantern Walk on Dec. 21, the shortest day of the year. You’ll make your way along an illuminated path with a lantern and your loved ones at The Grove behind the Alpharetta Community Center. There will be firepits along the path to keep you warm. You can even toast a marshmallow on them! LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO?
As we inch closer to the holiday season, we’re starting to look for things to keep our kids busy while they enjoy their winter break from school. Thankfully, there are some great holiday and winter activities to check out around Alpharetta and the surrounding area. If you’re looking for something fun to do before the holidays or are simply trying to create some holiday cheer with your family, check out the following activities this month. SEE A HOLIDAY PLAY. While there are plenty of opportunities to watch Christmas movies in the days leading up to the holiday, some people may prefer to see their favorite stories on stage. There are some great options to see a play this holiday season. ACT1 Theater is performing “A Christmas Story, the Musical” right here in Alpharetta, with three
No matter where your interests lie, there are plenty of great winter activities to check out in our area!
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