Stress less about cost of Christmas

Think twice about those Black Friday bargains...

- WARREN SHUTE

You may not want to think about it yet, but Christmas is almost here.

Black Friday, on November 25, generally marks the start of the excessive Christmas spending period. But will this year be different in your home?

The cost of Christmas can be a real strain – especially on top of this year’s higher bills and rising prices. But by doing some planning now, you can take the stress out of your festive finances this year.

Make a list

Before you even look at the Black Friday sales, make a list of the people you will be buying for this year and set a budget. This should be an upper spending limit, not a target.