Free printable holiday savings tracker

This free printable holiday savings tracker turns a $600 holiday budget into 24 small steps of $25. Color in a circle each time you set money aside and the gifts, food and travel are paid for before December arrives, instead of landing on a credit card in January. Think of it as a Christmas budget you can print and color in.

What is on the page

• Twenty-four $25 circles to color in, $600 in total.
• Monthly checkpoints: 8 circles ($200) by October 31, 16 circles ($400) by November 30, all 24 ($600) by December 20.
• Where it goes: lines for gifts, food and hosting, travel, and decor and extras, so the $600 has a plan before you spend it.

Prefer a Christmas tree?

There is a second version of the same plan: a Christmas tree with 23 ornaments and a gold star, framed by retro string lights. Each ornament is $25, and the star on top is your last $25, so filling the tree is the same $600. Pick whichever one you will actually want on the fridge.

How to use it

1. Pick your number. $600 is a starting point; if your holidays usually cost more or less, change the target and the value of each circle.
2. Decide how often you will save. Starting in early October, two circles a week gets you there in 12 weeks.
3. Move the money into a separate savings account and color in a circle each time.
4. Before you shop, split the total across the “Where it goes” lines. When a line is used up, that part of the budget is done.

Why a separate holiday fund works

Holiday spending is not a surprise, it arrives on the same date every year. The problem is that it arrives all at once, on top of normal bills. Saving a little each week spreads the cost across the fall, so December feels like any other month and nothing new lands on a credit card.

Starting late

If it is already November, you have not missed it. Save what you can, lower the target, and spend only what you saved. A partial fund of $200 or $300 still means fewer charges to pay off in January, and next year you can start in the spring.

For a full plan with monthly amounts for different budgets, read the guide to saving money for the holidays.