Ready for the holiday season 2023-2024? 5 things you may forget to plan ahead

Winter holidays, for all their cheerfulness and magnitude, can be quite chaotic, especially when they creep up on you unexpectedly. It’s just like that: you are all caught up in your work, family life, and daily errands, and it hits you – the celebration time is near!

To ease the stress, it is better to plan some things ahead of the holidays. And Genome has suggestions to help you better navigate your life before the upcoming celebrations!

#1. Vacation time, of course! 

No explanations are needed here – you had a year filled with either work, chores, family matters, or all of the above. A well-earned rest is in order! 

However, the planning here might become stressful. If you work, you’ll need to determine the best time for a vacation leave, as some of your colleagues would want some time away from it as well. Talk to them about their plans so that you can come up with the preferable vacation leaves for all parties.

Another major part of this section is vacation planning if you want to rest outside your hometown or country. Check and compare different ticket and hotel booking websites to find the best offer, as holidays, unfortunately, are a time for price speculations. Plan out your expenses for the trip and consider getting a virtual or physical card that supports multiple currencies for convenient currency exchange.  

#2. Spread out your tasks 

Speaking of vacations, sometimes people get so excited to take a break from work that they can’t properly focus on their tasks.

It is understandable – festivities and the prospects of future celebrations tend to occupy our attention span. However, it would be best to consider that returning from a holiday to a heap of unresolved tasks can be challenging. And, by the end of day one, you may feel that you haven’t rested at all. 

To avoid such regretful results, try planning out your work tasks and responsibilities evenly, and don’t leave any lingering projects until the last moment. If you feel like you need more time to finish all your work before the holidays – consider requesting more time from the management. 

#3. Unexpected issues with money transfers

This one is short and sweet: remember that some financial institutions and banking-related systems are on holiday too! Meaning that some of them won’t be processing the money transfers you placed.

It, unfortunately, can cause you some problems. For instance, you may want to send some money to your distant relatives as a gift, but the sum won’t reach them in time. Or, you are used to paying contractors at the end of the month, forgetting that they might not get their salary in time because of December festivities. 

To avoid payment delays and related issues in your personal and work life, make sure to do the following:

• Go to the website of your financial provider and find the list of bank holidays for money transfers. This one is Genome’s for SEPA transfers;
• Check the dates when transfers aren’t processed and schedule your holiday payments for an earlier/later date.

#4. Presents’ hunting: know your limits and be careful

It’s an inalienable part of this time of year! And the earlier you take care of it, the better. 

This especially rings true for businesses, as they must ensure that presents for clients and staff will reach them in time. And many processes precede the delivery: choosing the presents, figuring out the list of countries to send them to, branding, and more. 

To avoid any issues, companies need to approve their plans pertaining to holiday gifts as soon as possible. A lot goes into this process, including smart expense management – make sure that your spending on presents will not affect your cash flow negatively. The gifts you send to clients and/or partners must be of high quality but shouldn’t come at the expense of your company’s financial well-being.

As for buying presents for your friends and family – this one is easier to navigate. Our only tip is to ensure your money’s safety when ordering online. Card-not-present fraud tends to peak during the holiday season, as more people surf the web searching for festive goods for themselves and relatives. The best thing you can do is learn more about how these CNP fraud schemes work to avoid them in the future. 

#5. Check in with your loved ones

Last but not least – remember that winter is a family holiday for many people. And, if it is your way of celebrating, too, then your plans need to be discussed with your loved ones.

Have you started imagining a dream vacation already? What if your family wants to do something else? Or maybe other relatives are planning a visit to your town? And these are only some of the scenarios that can play out. 

Thus, we recommend checking in with all the people you want to spend the holidays with and doing so as soon as possible.

All in all, planning is important when it comes to winter holidays, but it is not the be-all and end-all! Don’t forget to rest, have fun and enjoy yourself!

And if you have any questions or issues with your financial services – feel free to reach out to Genome. We are always here for you – in 2023 and beyond!