Holiday Spending Tips

I work as a counselor and see Employee Assistance clients.  One of the things I offer is help with finances.  Tough economic times, tight finances and difficulty managing money can have an effect on your overall well-being. 

With the holiday season just around the corner, I wanted to offer some tips to keep from going into debt or further into debt with holiday spending.

·         Spend Within Your Plan

·         Plan Your Shopping

·         Shop With a Buddy

·         Scrutinize Your Gift List

·         Look For Alternatives

·         Go Debit

·         Pay Bills Early

·         Start Your Shopping List for Next Year

If your finances are already out of control, you might want to get your spending under control.  The first thing you might want to do is track your spending.  You can do the envelope system, keep it on paper, much like a check register or use one of the many apps available. 

Next you want to develop a Spending Plan.  Karen McCall, in her book, Financial Recovery, introduced me to the concept of a Spending Plan.  She likes this term instead of a budget, because it offers you freedom.  With a budget, some people feel too constricted, like someone else is deciding for them.  With a spending plan, you decide how you will spend your money.  If you have financial goals, you can set your spending plan so that you can reach those goals. 

If you need help with getting your finances in order, you can  visit Consumer Credit Counseling’s website, talk to your CPA or Financial Planner.  

Track your spending, figure out where your money is going and then develop a plan so that your money goes where you want it to go.  This is a tough thing to do, but it is necessary so that you can achieve some control and freedom over your finances.

Once you have tracked your spending you can establish that spending plan, including how much you have to spend on holiday gifts, parties, decorating, etc.  You either want to keep from accumulating debt and/or keep your debt down.  Start now, setting aside cash in an account to cover your holiday spending. 

Spend within your plan.  Sticking with a spending plan is hard.  Allow yourself some wiggle room, but set limits, and decide a dollar amount that you won’t go over in spending.

If you are going shopping, start with a plan:  where you will go, what you are shopping for; maybe even do some comparison shopping online or over the phone.

When shopping, go with someone else.  Someone else can often be the voice of reason and help you to avoid over-spending.

Revamp your gift policy, especially for the people over 21.  Does everyone need a present?  Are there alternatives?  Don’t be afraid to bring this up because others may be under the same pressure you are and may be trying to keep spending in check.

  

Think about drawing names, setting a spending limit.  Do you have a talent and can you make gifts for people on your list?  These are often welcomed because you may have a talent that they don’t have.  Some examples are Cooking, woodwork, crafting, etc.  Suggest to a close friend that you don’t exchange gifts, but wait until after the first of the year and do something special together.  This will be especially welcome if it is something both of you want to do but are on tight spending plans.  Are there second-hand alternatives for gifts? Things like a family heirloom, a refurbished antique piece?  Let your imagination take you a creative place.

Go Debit:  By using your debit card, you avoid carrying around cash and you avoid incurring debt.  Be sure to stick to your limits and track what you spend so that you don’t spend the mortgage money that will be withdrawn from your account at a later date.  You want to avoid any overdraft charges.

Start your shopping list for next year early so that you can watch for good deals all year round.

If you have used your credit cards, pay the bills as soon as they come in, if possible.  If not, pay as much as you can and put it in your spending plan to avoid other non-necessities until those holiday bills are paid. 

I have mentioned Financial Recovery.  Another good book on this subject is Spent by Sally Palaian.  

HOW ARE FINANCES RELATED TO SOMEONE’S OVERALL WELL-BEING?   

We know that finances and emotions can be closely tied.  The Substance Abuse & Mental Health services administration has put out a publication “Getting through Tough Economic Times” complete with 

·         Possible health risks

·         Warning Signs

·         Managing Stress

·         Getting Help and

·         Suicide Warning Signs

Studies also suggest that sad people make poorer financial decisions.  If you recycle through getting in and out of debt, it may be time to work with someone on looking at your Relationship with Money.

 

Whatever your issues with money are, the best thing is to start.  Start looking at how you spend your money, whether or not you make enough money to pay for your obligations and whether or not you can adjust what your “necessities” are.  Use the resources we have talked about or enlist the help of a trusted friend or family member.  Start gaining freedom over your finances today.