Here’s A Genius Budget Sheet To Track Your Holiday Shopping So You Don’t Go Overboard

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If we had to guess, you’re all set to buy holiday gifts for friends, family and everyone in between. You may have already started your shopping. Before you lose track of your spending completely, make sure to draw up a budget sheet. If you’re thinking, I’m not an Excel wizard! I don’t know how to do that!, we totally hear you. That’s why we created an easy, creative holiday budget sheet that’s fun to make and it’ll keep your expenses in check.

If you need a budget sheet but really don’t want to start from scratch, there are a bunch of free editable templates out there like this one. We really hope, though, that you’ll get crafty with us.

Step 1: Make a list of each person you want to buy a present for, plus a list for extra holiday expenses.

Sami Allen

Keep in mind that we created this budget sheet to be extremely basic, so you’ll have to expand the list if you have a bunch of siblings, step parents, close cousins, etc. On this sheet, simply list each person you’d like to get a gift for and an overall budget for presents.

Then, in a separate area of the page, write out each extra expense you expect to have over the holidays, like travel and gift wrapping supplies. Add that to your running budget, then you have your total budget for the holidays.

Step 2: Break down how much you’ll spend on each person.

Sami Allen

This page will take your list to a micro level and allow you to set mini budgets for each person. For close immediate family members, like your parents and siblings, you’ll likely want to spend more. In the column below the immediate family, add extended family members and friends with a smaller money allocations. Then, below that column, create a column for coworkers, acquaintances and anyone else you want to buy for with an even smaller budget per person.

Why A DIY Budget Sheet Works

These sheets took us only 20 minutes to create, and unlike so many budget templates you can download, a DIY sheet can be personalized. We should also mention that coloring and crafting was totally therapeutic. You don’t have to follow our exact format, either.

The sky is the limit. All you need are a few sheets of plain paper, a black marker or Sharpie and some color. Ah, and of course your imagination. Budgeting has never been more fun.