How much to save each week for Christmas
Find your budget on the left and the number of weeks you have left across the top. Amounts are rounded up to the nearest dollar. If you're paid every two weeks, double the weekly amount for each paycheck.
| Budget | 10 weeks | 8 weeks | 6 weeks | 4 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $300 | $30 | $38 | $50 | $75 |
| $500 | $50 | $63 | $84 | $125 |
| $800 | $80 | $100 | $134 | $200 |
| $1,000 | $100 | $125 | $167 | $250 |
| $1,500 | $150 | $188 | $250 | $375 |
Notice how fast the numbers climb. Starting with 10 weeks to go instead of 4 cuts the weekly amount by more than half. If the amount for your budget looks too high, it's a sign to trim the total now rather than make up the difference with a credit card in January.
One year our family did Christmas for four kids on $300 total: $50 per child for four gifts each (want, need, wear, read), plus $100 for stocking stuffers and a homemade Christmas meal. An automatic $25 a week into a separate account for 12 weeks covered it all, and January came with nothing to pay off. Read how we did it.
What to include in your Christmas budget
Gifts are usually the biggest piece, but they're rarely the only one. Before you settle on a total, add up the extras that sneak in during December: holiday meals and baking, stocking stuffers, wrapping paper and tape, cards and postage, decorations, travel to see family, and small gifts for teachers, coworkers and party hosts.
Once you have one number for the whole season, put it in the calculator above. Then give each person a dollar amount and write it down, so you know when to stop. The printable monthly budget worksheet can help you find room in your regular budget for the payday amount.