The holiday season is right around the corner. It’s a fun, festive time of the year. It’s actually my favorite time of the year. Lighthearted, colorful and filled with joy. There’s also another side, financial stress. Between holiday gifts, events, and travel, its easy to see how expenses can pile up. Suddenly, we can find ourselves swiping the plastic or tapping our phone, more times than we planned.

But, what if we start January without the holiday expense hangover. Instead, step into the new year positioned to continue our wealth journey with a smile.

The average American spends over $1,000 during the holidays, with most of it going on credit cards. If your interest rate is 33%, that $100 gift you snagged on sale? It will actually cost you $133 if you don’t pay it off right away.

Suddenly, those Black Friday “deals” don’t look so good.

But here’s the good news: you can avoid this cycle—with just a little planning.

Try the Smile Method.

Instead of using a credit card, be your own credit card.

1. Set a budget. Decide how much you want to spend.
2. Break it down weekly. Set aside money each week.

With 8 weeks, it looks something like this:

Budget $600 / 8 weeks = $75 weekly.

In this case you’ll set aside $75 a week, starting now.

You can:

• Use an envelope labeled “Smile Fund”
• Open a separate savings account
• Use a savings app that lets you stash small amounts automatically
• Or keep it old school and tuck cash somewhere safe

The method doesn’t matter—what matters is consistency and starting.

If the number you come up with is not manageable weekly consider reducing your budget. You can also get creative with your gift giving.

Make it fun, tag a friend or family member and make it a challenge. Enlist them as your accountability partner for support and encouragement. Remember to reward yourself for your commitment to prioritizing wealthy habits.

Would you like to learn more about managing money and developing wealthy habits? I’d love to help you. Schedule a free 30-minute consultation with me here!