Money Saving Wednesday…the holiday season is coming
WE have been talking about preparedness gifts every Thursday for a few weeks so I decided a few holiday money saving tips would be appropriate. We all spend far too much money at this time of the year so lets make this the year we face January with a smile and not with dread. The economy is in the tank and part of the reason we are feeling it so much is because we have become addicted to consumption rather than saving. Let’s learn a lesson from the past months and commit to a wiser life style.
1. Remember lay-a-way? We used to put gifts on lay-a-way in October and pay them off before they were gifted. Now we put them on a credit card and way for them twice often times after they are broken and thrown away. So..check out lay-a -way and if you can’t redeem it with cash before the gift giving day, you can’t afford to give it.
2. Give an IOU as a gift. Everything goes on sale after the week after Christmas. Make up a fun gift certificate and then shop once the sales begin. If they are out of an item get a rain check. Again, the key is cash. If you can’t pay cash you can’t afford it!
3. Start a holiday savings plan. I suggested this months ago as one of our Seven Steps. My mom used to put $2.00 a week into a Christmas club account at the bank. That was her Christmas gift money. Of course $2.00 wouldn’t get us far now but $10.00 to $20.00 would. Start now and save enough for Thanksgiving dinner or to throw a simple Christmas party. In January start an account for nest year.
4. Share. Most of us have far more decorations than we can possibly use. I even have several Christmas and Thanksgiving table clothes. I used to have a big family at home. Now they live too far away to come. We all have friends who have done theme trees in the past. I have decorations that were my parents and last year I used those leaving mine unused. Just ask. Don’t get sucked into buying any decorations this year! None! You’ll feel so good on January 1st when you realize you did it and the holiday didn’t suffer at all. If you need to stay away from the dollar store do it! I know how tempting it is to think …but it’s only a dollar…$20.00 later you leave the store! It’s a trap!!
Make this the year you gain control of your holiday and guess what… you’ll have more time and more fun with your family when you aren’t worried about how to pay for the things that the kids really don’t care about. If they are more concerned about an expensive gift than the spirit of the holidays and giving and not receiving, you have a much bigger problem than just how to save money. Your child needs your guidance to become a self reliant adult.
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