Events such as First Communion and Confirmation are very important in a child’s life. The day itself is a one of joy and happiness as family and friends come together to celebrate.
But communions and confirmations can turn into expensive events. The pressure of trying to make the day special for your family can result in a lot of stress.
Here we offer some simple tips to make the experience more enjoyable for your family and avoid some of this stress. Some planning and thinking ahead may make all the difference.
Easy-to-follow tips
Follow the below steps to help you plan now for communion or confirmation costs.
Check shops for sales and reductions on items that you need. Check with family and friends if there are any dresses or suits that you can use.
Check online for the items that you need. Many Irish buy-and-sell websites will offer top quality product at great prices.
Check are there ways you can reduce the entertainment cost. Examples include having something at home instead of going out or pooling your resources with a family member or friend who is also celebrating.
Saving up for the day
Once you know how much you will need to spend , you can now look at how to save for the big day. It is never too late to save and even putting aside a little each month will soon add up.
Follow our advice below:
- Check the calendar to see how many weeks are left until you need to buy the important items on your list.
- Make a weekly saving goal. Work out how much will you need to save each week to buy the items on your list
- Work it out. If you need €800 and it is 15 weeks until you start shopping, divide 800 by 15. €800 divided by 15 is €53.33. You need to save €53.33 a week.
- Use our My Budget tool to see how much you can spare from your weekly income. Maybe you can cut back on your spending for the 15 weeks.
- Make the money hard to reach. Put the money you save each week into a savings account in the post office, credit union or bank. This way you cannot access it too easily.
Read more about how to build up savings.
What to do if struggling to meet the costs
If you feel you have to borrow to meet the cost of the day, contact MABS before doing so to see what other options are available.
If you really think borrowing is your only option, then follow our advice on things to think about before you borrow.
Get more help from MABS
If you’re struggling to manage your money or you feel like borrowing more is the only solution, help is available.
MABS can help with general money management advice and can support you to:
- Draw up a budget and money management plan
- Check you’ve applied for all the benefits and entitlements you’re due
- Make a payment plan for your bills and other debts
- Make a tackling debt plan and financial statement if you have debts
- Manage any changes in your circumstances
Find out more:
Visit CCPC’s Money Hub for impartial and comprehensive information about financial products
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