Did you spend a lot of money during the Christmas holidays

I didn't spend too much this Christmas and New Year, we just kept it simple. Just to feel the spirit but not too extravagant, enough to be able to share to relatives and friends. I have to admit that life is really hard these days and we need to save for the rainy days.

I was a little over my budget but I think it's not something to keep me in deep debt for the next few months. I still use my credit card simply for the points I get but I make sure that there is available cash to pay my purchase using the credit card. Since I pay my bills online, it's easy to just pay right away after a purchase. This year, I have already created my budget and as early as January, I plan to start saving for Christmas 2012 so as not to overspend.

I did spend a lot of money but luckily I paid cash for everything but $200 worth of gifts! I am lucky that I can do it that way, since hubby has a good job and my money is used for the cellphone bill then whatever other things that are not included in the household monthly budget. I work at a grocery store part time, job #2, and I really haven't seen a lot of people cutting back on their food budgets. Probably because we have to eat! A customer said to me that we actually rent food.

Indeed the one time of the year, where I tend to open up the wallet rather a bit more than I likely should. And indeed, a lot more than I do for the rest of the year. I think that I might really be spending more money from October-December than I do from January-September. Of course, I more than make up for it by some kind of supreme budgeting. Still I think that a budget really does go out of the window a lot during the Christmas season. Granted, I do think that I did spend less in Christmas Season 2011 then I did in Christmas Season 2010, so that is a moderate victory. That is really just going to be the way it is to say the very least. There are people who go more insane with their Christmas shopping that I do.

I spend some money because its a occasion day but still I spend it wisely because its really hard to earn money. And I'm not one day millionaire when I have money. When its Christmas day i'll make sure that I still have money in the next few days.

Yes, I have been doing it before. But now, with all the tragedies happening in the world, it's not wise to do it. We(our family), had just decided to buy something to cook before New Years eve as a way of gratefulness to our heavenly Father for the blessings and guidance He has given to us last year. On the 1st day of January, we chose not to spend any single cent but rather, open the store to make an entrance for an income.

Oh, No, Not really. I think i just spent for a lunch i treated my mom with and that is just about it. :D I tried to save as much as i could with all i had during the break and really did not spend as i would normally do. :D hehe

Yes. We did spend a lot of money for the holidays. We have a new baby in the family and she needed a lot of things.

We spent more than we usually do last Christmas but still I don't consider that as too much. The money was spent on food for Christmas eve and for gifts to relatives and godchildren. I think we actually spent less compared to previous Christmases since this year, me and my husband managed to buy gifts instead of giving money. Our money was well spent I must say.

Four grand is a lot of money to spend! As a college student who is about to start paying her loans (I am so nervous and scared about this) I can't afford to spend too much money but of course I wanted to buy presents for those close to me. Since I'm a part of other sites I was able to redeem some gift cards that I used to buy clothes for my little sister and some lotion and body washes for my grandmother. I bought my mother a book that she's been wanting to get, which wasn't too expensive. Then I bought some non expensive jewelry for my friends, that they loved, and some clothes for my brother. So I tried to stick to a budget but at the same time I tried to buy somethin that I knew everyone either wanted or that they would like.

I used to spend a relatively big amount of money during Christmas. I regularly buy gifts and of course food for the family to be shared during noche buena. But this time aside from the fact that our family experienced hardships in life specifically on financial matters, our city was recently affected also by a very strong typhoon which took hundreds of lives. It's but unethical or impractical to spend more when a lot of people don't have money or even food to eat. I hope it will be the other way around next Christmas, no more sorrows, but love, peace and more blessings...

I did have a budget listed for this Christmas season and I spent more than what I listed. Though it is not that much, I didn't see it coming. The good thing is, I never did want to have a credit card and still I haven't. So I would have nothing to worry about the bills that are yet unpaid. All I have to do is to focus my remaining budget until the next payday. hahaha...

This christmas me and my famlly didn't do anything special. And we are not buying gifts for eachother. So our christmas are not so expensive as christmas of other persons. We are doing onky christmas dinner and thats it. Nothing else, nothing more.

I can't say I did spend a lot of money during the holidays. In fact I was on a very very tight budget. The past couple of years I was able to spend money for my kids on Christmas but this year things are way different, and money is much tighter, they said they understood, I hope they did. We had a small quiet family Christmas and didn't do much special.

Not alot. I buy gift cards for everyone using cash then a small gift besides...so I stick pretty much to a budget and I didn't use my credit cards at all!

I always try to keep within a budget for christmas shopping. It;s those little last minute gifts that destropy that for me. i seem to end up going beyond my budget every christmas. i guess i really get into the spirit sometimes.

I know I spent a lot this year on Christmas and I did an all cash Christmas. I did not use any credit cards which I am proud of. I am trying to find ways to make a little extra money so I can get a head start for next year. I am also hoping to find a job soon so I can get back on my feet again. 2011 had been a rough year and I am just glad that it is over. For New Years Eve my husband, my brother and I went out to dinner then we came back home to play games, drink sparkling cider and watched Mr. Clark's Rock n- Eve on television. My nine year old nephew was awake and he joined us in a toast.

We have cut back on spending for the holidays over the last few years. I still use my credit card, but check daily to make sure that I have not purchased more than I had planned. We later use the points for travel. Over all, I think that my credit card bill was only about $200 more than normal.

I'm a college student with a part time job and I spent nearly $200 of my own money this season. So I do think that I spent alot more money than I should have.