Let me guess, you’re already rolling your eyes—but hear me out.
For those long time readers, you know I email about this time every year with my Black Friday Plan.
and if you’re new here….
So what’s my plan? Well, it’s super simple. I have a yearly updated, Google sheet of the family and friends who are getting presents this year. Organised in a fairly easy to follow way.
Its called “Christmas Presents.” Very inventive I know.
This, aptly named doc contains the approximate costs, items, and people. So when when the sales swing around, bang – all presents are ready to be ordered.
Does this sound like the most boring financial plannery- thing to do well yes. But, what’s your point? I love getting to do this and you’re the one still reading here so duh!
I’ve been running this now for nearly 10 years and I find it super helpful in terms of tracking who got what, as well as ensuring fairness.
‘So enough chat jacko share the sheet’. Well it’s 2024 so there’s always got to be a twist and the twist for this year is
…
AI
Womp womp.
Here’s your very own AI PROMPT to make this list.
“Create a holiday gift planning checklist organised by each family member or friend I plan to shop for. Include columns for ‘Name,’ ‘Gift Ideas,’ ‘Estimated Cost,’ ‘Order Link,’ and ‘Notes.’ Arrange the table so each row represents a separate person, and allow for multiple gift entries if I’m buying more than one item per person. Use Australian English spelling. Add a column to track whether each gift is purchased and its delivery status. Output as a table that I can use in a Google Sheet for easy updates.”
I hope it works well you guys and happy Black Friday (Christmas Shopping!?)
A small caveat – I tend to do this just for the big items and small ad hoc ones do come up closer to xmas. The system struggles a bit if you are buying multiple items for one person, but you can just add a new line for them. I run this all on my Google sheet document so it’s updated in real-time and when / if the PC crashes it’s still saved. (updated each year)
Best of luck!
Podcast Spotlight: When to DIY and When to Call a Pro
Here’s a fun one for you—Phil thought he’d save a few bucks by servicing his own car, and let’s just say there are now more car parts on his garage floor than in the actual car. In this episode, we’re joined by photographer Lauren McAdam, who helps us get real about when to just “have a crack” and when it’s worth bringing in a professional. From capturing family memories to avoiding DIY disasters, this one’s got laughs and a few lessons. Watch the episode here!
