Boxing Day – the provider of hidden money

Aren’t you glad that’s over? As much fun as Christmas is, it certainly is a whole lot of work.

Boxing Day take a breather

Celebrations are taking a brief respite between now and the New Year. Copious amounts of food are still in fridges and bellies. Presents are unwrapped and piled high. If you feel like you went a bit overboard this festive system, you can get on the front foot to make 2017 an easier year. Now is your chance to use the relaxed atmosphere to find out where you can save.

Make room

Chances are that Christmas bought in a whole lot of presents. Bikes, surfboards and all kids of other equipment have all been replaced. This is a chance to sell off the old gear. Have a garage sale or start selling items on Gumtree between now and New Years. People are still around and in the mood to buy.

Recycle

No one is quite sure where the term Boxing Day comes from. It may be when servants of the royal court would receive a Christmas box. You could apply it to the recycling of all the boxes you used over the break! Save all your wrapping paper, ribbons, bags and decorations. Have a look at the scrapbooking sites to find some inspiration and recycle them into something spectacularly new for next year. Not only are you contributing less to the council tip, but you are saving yourself money for next year.

Shop for necessities

Boxing Day sales are the perfect time to fill the gaps in your home. It is typically one of the biggest shopping days of the year. If you need appliances replaced, a wardrobe filled or a number of kids to get ready for school, now is the best time to hit the shops. Now that the Christmas period has been exhausted, many stores will have surplus stock ready to be snapped up at huge discounts. Surplus food tends to be inexpensive at this time, including perishables such as meat, seafood and vegetables.

Evaluate your finances and make changes

Having a big of downtime is the perfect opportunity to tease out your hidden money. If you are not a budgeteer, 2017 is definitely the time to start. Before you get your next paycheck, start a budget that puts every dollar you earn to use. You will find out how much money is consumed in food, alcohol, entertainment, snacks, transport and many other things.