4th of July celebrations might not rank as high as Christmas in terms of spending but it’s a common holiday expense.

The usual fare of hotdogs and burgers for a picnic outdoors can already set you back a handful of dollars. And so do the fireworks that you might want to light come evening.

So how do you celebrate 4th of July and how much do you actually earmark for it?

Holiday celebrations are basically a yearly expense but many don’t prepare for it as such making them almost an impromptu expense.

So if you find yourself around a hundred dollars lighter after today, then be sure to prepare for it as you would (and should) the other holidays.

The burden’s mostly on guys since the Western convention is for males to provide all the gestures during February 14. And it gets tougher every year to come up with something special for your special someone.

Flowers. Chocolates. Stuffed animals. Jewelry. A movie. A romantic dinner in a fancy restaurant. Those are just items and activities that are almost always mandatory for Feb. 14. Those things get a serious mark up and that means you’re spending more.

While a lot of cheaper romantic gestures can be done, it’s pretty tough to come up with something that no romantic comedy flick has spoiled your mate.

But most people don’t matter since they’re doing it for love. But is it? Or is it just a form of social conditioning? Anyway, that’s just a personal take.

So how much did you actually spend last Valentine’s?

If you feel that its a significant amount (say, upwards $200), be sure to factor it in your monthly budget as something to prepare for a year.

The holidays are around the corner and if you haven’t taken advantage of Black Friday deals to do your early Christmas shopping then you might have to look for good deals from hereon out.

Have a budget and stick to it. People just go Christmas crazy during December. And with credit cards, it’s just so easy to purchase so many things even without having cash at hand. Remember, credit card rates are still sky high.

Look for interesting bargains and novelty. It’s the thought that counts. You need not pour so much money into giving people lavish gifts. Gifts that are in tune with their personalities would be very much welcome.

Compare prices from previous months. Many claim to be on a “holiday” or “Christmas” sale but sometimes, they’re just labels and some stores even jack up the prices. Try to find out the average retail price from last month and compare them to the prices of items today.

Stash your bonuses away. If your company offers a Christmas bonus, try channeling most, if not all of it to your savings account. You should try to factor in the holiday expenses in your yearly budget so that any bonus you get at the year’s end would be windfall.

According to a survey done by volunteer shoppers, From $44.61 last year, it will only be $42.91 instead $1.70 dollars less. This is due to retail food price declines.

Although the news maybe good for ordinary consumers, farmers may not be as happy as poultry and produce production may be expected to be down this year too. Turkey production is expected to drop 8% to 9 % this year. Wisconsin and Massachussetts cranberry growers are also expecting a drop of 18% and 30 (respectively) because of the wetter weather.

Source: Daily Finance