December Budget Toolkit

Season’s greetings friends!

I kinda feel like I’m just preaching to the choir when I say it’s more important than ever to align our spending with our values this month.

December is a month full of holiday festivities, but also a marked increase in spending.

With the holidays, year-end celebrations, and colder weather driving up costs, it’s crucial to plan your budget carefully to avoid financial stress.  

Check out our toolkit to end this year on a positive note and plan ahead for a strong start to 2025 with a major money move!

What to Include in December’s Spending Plan 📝

• Events. 🗓️ Hopefully you’re able to find free events in your community, but if you plan to attend any events or festivities that cost money, don’t forget to plan for it!

• Travel. 🧳 You may have already booked holiday flights, but have you factored in other travel expenses like gas, parking, rideshares/public transportation, host gifts, etc.?

• Food. 🍽️ Holiday menus can have a big impact on our grocery budgets. Do you have a plan for staying on track yet? 

• Gifts and Charitable Giving. 🎁 Obviously, the holidays have come to be associated with gift giving. Make a list of everyone you intend to buy a gift for and make a spending plan. Or, consider DIY-ing or repurposing gifts to save a little cash. AND if you plan for any charitable giving, be sure to also factor that in!

What’s on Sale in December 📢

• Electronics. You may still be able to take advantage of lingering Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals and end of year inventory changes, especially on items like laptops, tablets, phones, smart home devices, headphones, and other high-tech items.

• Toys. the week leading up to Christmas can actually be a great time to wait to buy kid’s toys because retailers are dropping their final holiday sales. Don’t forget to also check out second hand places (even Poshmark or Facebook Marketplace) for even more savings as families clear out their homes in preparation for new gifts. 

• Holiday decorations. Did your decor feel a little sparse or just looking forward to a revamp next year? Hold out until the day after Christmas because prices are gonna PLUMMET!

• Our book! Preorder Buy What You Love Without Going Broke and you’ll still have access to two upcoming live classes with Jen and Jill for FREE. PLUS, there’s still time to apply for the Street Team to help review our book. Members of the team get a FREE advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review, so be sure to apply by December 2!

December’s Big Money Move 📝

Plan for a no-spend January

Love it or hate it… Or maybe just hate to love it?

Either way, we think a no-spend challenge is one of the most powerful money moves you can make. And what better time to participate in one than January, when we’re already pondering new money goals? 

We’ve got helpful resources to assist in your planning from Episode 190: How to Prepare for a No Spend Challenge and workbook to Jen’s actual book: The No Spend Challenge Guide. We have everything you need to move from pondering to taking action in January! 📚

Another resource we find helpful for organizing our finances, simplifying our ability to set goals is Empower.

It’s an all in one place to track transactions and net worth! **

What to Cook 👩‍🍳

With all we got goin’ on this month, we’re keeping the meal preps easy, energy boosting, and nutrient dense, like Broccoli Quinoa Casserole by Well Plated. 🥦

Happy budgeting and happy holidays,
Misti

⭐️⭐️ P.S. Want to share all this goodness with your friends AND earn cool Frugal Friends merch?

**Means this is a sponsored or affiliate section. We may earn a small fee or commission when you choose to try one of our sponsor or affiliate partners. But opinions are still 1000% our own.