Take pressure out of Christmas with these budgeting tips

MOTHER-OF-SEVEN Kate Byrne has been saving for Christmas since last June — her boys are hoping to get the new X-Box One this year. Byrne, whose seven sons range in age from seven to 23 years, says this year they’ve all agreed to share a ‘family present’ rather than opting for individual gifts.

The state-of-the-art entertainment system, on which she intends to spend in the region of €600, was something everybody wanted, and the decision was made early in the year. “I started budgeting for the X-Box from the end of June — that was important because this is a big bill,” says Byrne, a psychologist who specialises in children and adolescents. “It’s important to plan ahead and stick to your budget.”

Going outside the budget, she believes, will affect the family in terms of their emotional and psychological, as well as their physical, well-being.