Don't Do Debt.com : Article: Simple Steps to Happier Holidays

Article: Simple Steps to Happier Holidays

I love and look forward to the holiday season as much as the
next person, but I'll be first to admit that as much as this is
true, I simultaneously feel a great sense of anxiety when the
festive season approaches. I look forward to quality time with
family and friends but money is stressful every other month of
the year and it's intensified during the holidays.

Christmas parties, gifts and great times lend well to holiday
excitement and sadly, great expense. I want so badly to be wholly
excited, yet I find myself dreading the obsessive calculations
from the frenzied activity in my checkbook, more activity than
my checkbook sees all year.

Fortunately for those of us who experience a nagging anxiety
tugging at our heart and purse strings, there are ways to relieve
these feelings to make the holidays feel almost as joyous as you
remember before you had the burden of paying for them.

Start this holiday season by getting organized: Maintain a week
by week calendar of upcoming events for you and your family
during this holiday season. This will help you visualize where
you need to be and what you need for each upcoming week.
Organization will guide you through the holidays by keeping you
focused and will allow you to maximize your money, time and
resources. This will further help you avoid last minute
panics!

Create a spending strategy: If you're concerned about gift giving
and don't want to make a dent in your savings or rely on plastic
to foot the bill for Santa, discuss your feelings with your
spouse, family or significant other. Don't be afraid of money
stress. You're not alone. Create a strategy to survive the
expense of the holiday season. If discussing the issue with
children, help them understand that in the real world some years
are financially better than others. Money is tight for millions
of Americans and if you spend frugally through the holiday
season, you may be able to do something special later in the year
when money is more certain.

Paper or plastic? Create a pay plan: I once wholeheartedly
believed "charging it" allowed me to preserve my cash for a later
date. Remember, if you charge it, you're only delaying when and
how much extra you'll pay for purchases. Determine in advance
how much you can afford to spend this year and how you want to
pay for it. You'll feel much better when the holiday season is
over that you're not still paying for it!

Shop early. Shop sales: If you wait until the last minute to do
your holiday shopping, you risk missing current sales and
overspending on unnecessary purchases, often the result of
feeling guilty about procrastinating. Take advantage of sales
everywhere to get the most for your dollar and don't forget
stores that regularly carry discounted merchandise. One of my
favorites is Tuesday Morning. This store typically carries a
little of everything and the prices are significantly lower than
major department stores.

Get creative when gift giving: Gift giving shouldn’t cost a
fortune. The most valuable gifts sometimes come in the smallest
package. People often do without little things they desire
because they don't want to spend money on themselves. This is
where you come in. Get creative!

Take inventory: Take time to determine what you have and need to
prepare for the holiday season. To survive the cooking and baking
that go hand in hand with the holidays, make a list of what’s
needed. Use your list when grocery shopping to avoid overspending
and use coupons to save money.

Follow these simple steps to prepare for the holiday season: Get
organized, create an spending strategy and a “pay” plan, shop
early and take advantage of sales, get creative when gift-giving
and do an inventory of what you need to make it through the often
hectic holidays. Being prepared will ensure less stress and a
happier holiday season.
_______________________________________________________________________
Copyright (c) Susan Powell, 2003

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Addressing issues of predatory lending,
Susan Powell is a debt prevention/financial literacy expert
and author of the new book "Credit Card Debt: It Can Cost You
Your Life". She frequently writes and speaks on the subject of
financial literacy. Visit her online and follow her newly
launched webBLOG at www.DontDoDebt.com.

Posted by Susan Powell on December 03, 2003 at 06:10 PM | Permalink

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February 2004