Holiday Finances: Smart Spending And Saving Tips From Mrs. Dow Jones

The holiday season is many things: warm, joyful, magical. But it also brings financial stress and pressure to many. Gift-giving, travel, gatherings, and the constant sales can make it easy to lose track of your spending and financial goals.

This stress is more widespread than people may think. A recent survey from Beyond Finance revealed that 66% of respondents feel pressure to buy gifts even when they can’t afford it. Only 51% create a holiday budget but 64% of them have already overspent or expect to.

To help women navigate holiday finances and head into the new year with financial clarity, Her Agenda spoke with financial expert Haley Sacks, also known as Mrs. Dow Jones. Haley offered the following advice to spend smarter and build healthy financial habits.

There is a significant temptation to buy more during the holidays because of what we consider to be great deals. According to Haley, one of the biggest pitfalls is “buy now, pay later” programs. The purchase feels great at the moment but can cause financial stress later.

“A $200 gift could become a $600 burden, even if the marketing for the item makes the financing seem easy,” Haley said.

Since holiday sales can seem like amazing deals, Haley also recommends asking yourself whether you would buy it at full price. If the answer is no, the sale is an expense, not a deal. Since retailers often inflate the original prices, checking the price history on Google Shopping is a good way to shop smart as well.

Mindset matters when it comes to holiday finances. It can seem easier to push off money concerns until January, since it is considered a reset month. However, your finances do not benefit from an “I’ll figure it out later” attitude.

“Future you is a real person,” Haley said. “Picture her checking her bank account balance on January 1. Does she thank you for staying on top of your finances, or does she resent you for pushing it off?”

Instead of avoiding thinking about your finances or relying on a January reset, stay mindful while making spending decisions.

After the expense of the holiday season, many women look to set new financial goals. Haley’s recommendation is to look at protection, investment, and habits.

“A recent study by Jewelers Mutual found that jewelry is the third-most expensive item that we own besides homes and cars,” Haley said.

Many people assume homeowners or renters insurance offers full protections but that is not always the case. Haley recommends jewelry insurance like that offered by Jewelers Mutual, especially if you get engaged or receive a meaningful piece of jewelry over the holidays.

For women looking to start investing in the new year, Haley suggests beginning with the basics. Build an emergency fund, pay off high-interest debt, and start contributing to a tax-advantaged account like a Roth IRA. Most importantly, check-in on how you are doing each month.

“A monthly money ‘date’ is non-negotiable — it should be on the same date every month,” Haley said. “It’s so important to have a set time to track your finances.”

With 2025 coming to an end, Haley hopes women leave behind unhealthy money trends.

“I really hope women leave behind the ‘girl math’ trend,” she said. “It just leads to unhealthy decisions, rebrands overspending logic, and glamourizes financial delusion.”

Instead, she hopes more women choose to invest money in the market and build wealth. Accumulating wealth requires buying assets.

By embracing smarter habits and intentional spending, women can better manage their holiday finances and start the new year with greater peace of mind.