Three doable steps to start saving now for the holidays

(NEW YORK) — With Fall right around the corner, now is a great time for families to think about saving up before the winter holidays.

The average consumer spends around $1,000 during the holiday season, according to the National Retail Federation.

ABC News chief business correspondent Rebecca Jarvis shared the best ways to get a jump start:

Step 1: Map out goals

Decide on a budget for your holiday spending, including gifts, food and travel.

Once you have a total amount, you can use a savings calculator like Bankrate and Nerdwallet to discover what you would need to set aside to stay on target to meet your monetary goal by the holidays.

Step 2: Decide where that money will come from

Once you create a budget, apps like Mint can help show exactly where your money goes in real time. It puts all credit card payments and bills under one umbrella and can be accessed by your spouse or partner.

Step 3: Get the whole family involved

“Envelope budgeting” is a great way to teach kids about money.

Plot out the holidays based on the above categories and set aside cash in an envelope for each one when you get a paycheck, based on what the apps calculated is an appropriate amount to save.

Research shows that people are much less likely to overspend when they use cash only. This helps children see how quickly cash can be spent, too.

Once there is a routine with this process, it’s a great technique to establish a monthly budget.