December 2008 – Page 4

Money Saving Tips for the Holidays

Let’s face it. The economy stinks, and we’ve all seen our wallets and bank balances shrink over the past few months. This year, it’s important for us to focus on the essentials during the holidays, and to refrain from the excess that has become the norm for most Americans. Whether it’s Christmas or Chanukah, Kwaanza or New Year’s, here is a list of ideas to stay on budget and keep the season simple:

* Skip expensive store-bought cards! Gotfreecards.com has a card for every occasion, and they don’t charge a cent to send good wishes to friends and family. You will find an excellent selection of cards, ranging from humorous to sincere. Whatever your requirements for the perfect holiday card, you will be satisfied with our free christmas e-cards!

* Buy small, thoughtful gifts that send a caring message. While extravagant gift displays are nice, the best gifts are truly the ones that come from the heart. Purchase an inexpensive item and have it monogrammed for a personal touch. The purpose behind a gift is to show love and sincere appreciation toward the recipient. This can be achieved without spending large amounts of money.

* Make a budget and stick to it. Treat the holiday budget just as you would your household. Make a list of recipients, plan a gift for each person, set a ceiling on the amount you can spend and stay with it. Saving receipts will also keep you from overspending.

* Use your knack for baking or crafts to create a homemade gift. A plate of warm, home-baked chocolate chip cookies is often more appreciated than a gift card!

* Plan ahead. Often we spend more money when we wait too long to buy a present. Knowing in advance what you have in mind for each person on your gift list will keep you on your budget.

My final bit of advice is to appreciate your loved ones during the holidays. Remember that this season is about friendship and family, togetherness and love. Avoid thinking that an expensive present will replace your presence at holiday celebrations. Time is extremely valuable, and each moment you spend with your loved ones is more precious than anything else. Happy Holidays!

Christmas Over Budget

As the years go by, it seems our families and circles of friends only get larger. While this is great most of the time, when holidays roll around, and it’s time to start thinking about buying gifts, the headaches can be unbearable. One year, a couple of Christmases ago, I decided to buy gifts for every member of my family, and every friend I had. To save money, I bought everyone tacky little trinkets. Of course, when they opened their gifts on Christmas Day, everyone smiled and said how much they loved their gifts, but I could tell: they were thinking, Why the heck did he get me this? The end result? I wasted—yes, wasted—a lot of money.

The next year, I decided to just focus on my closest family members and friends. That meant I could afford to buy my brother the DVD set he wanted, and my parents absolutely loved the personally-engraved ‘family tree’ gift: a ceramic tree, fitted with photographs of each of their three children. And as for everyone I didn’t guy gifts for? I called them on the phone, each and every one of them, and told them how much they meant to me. They loved the gesture, and, in many ways, it was better than receiving gifts.

This year, I’m adding free ecards onto the list, along with thoughtful phone calls. The free christmas e-cards at gotfreecards.com are completely free, and the only time they take is the time I spend choosing just the right card. You should try it, too: it’s a great way to not only save money, but also to let everyone in your life know how much you truly care.

Christmas Tree Shopping

My family has a fake Christmas Tree. I am not a fan. It doesn’t smell good, it is prickly to touch, and each branch has to be fluffed and primped and twisted to make it look like a real tree. And then when it is time to pack it up in January, each branch has to be smoothed down and folded up, and there are like 500 of them. But our fake tree has its pluses too: it cost us barely nothing as we got it at an after Christmas sale 3 years ago, it can be put up whenever we want, it fits into a box that is easy to store, and it doesn’t shed.

Our kids’ pediatrician made us get it because she says it is safer for the little ones, and I appreciate that, but I still miss going out to get our tree.

I remember a season when we went Christmas Tree shopping, and spent hours looking for the perfect tree. The tree we always ended up with was nothing to write home about, but once we adorned it with lights, ornaments, and candy canes, it immediately became a part of our home, a part of our Christmas celebrations. It was perfect because it was the one we chose, even if it was bare on one side and had a family of squirrels living in it.

For now, our fake tree is the perfect tree for our family. Christmas Tree shopping is a tradition I will share with my kids when they are older. But today, I will send my husband the free Christmas ecard “Perfect Tree” as a little reminder of the tradition we used to share. What are your Christmas Tree traditions?

Christmas traditions bring cheer

Although Christmas celebrates the birth of Christ, even people of other faiths enjoy many of the Christmas traditions. Besides having religious significance for Christians, Christmas season also brings cheer and joy to almost all corners of the world irrespective of the faith. The lights, colors, music and festivities associated with Christmas have a way of lifting one’s spirits even if he belongs to a different faith. I, for one, love the Christmassy look that shops, malls and streets take on. I love to walk around my block, observing the lights on each house and taking note of what’s new this year. I like to visit different malls just to see the different ways Christmas trees are decorated. Although I belong to a different faith, I can relate to and appreciate the feelings that abound, around Christmas time. The spirit of giving, sharing, loving. Family members traveling long distances to be home for Christmas. Parents cutting back on expenses and tighten their budgets so they can keep their promises to their children on Christmas. Christmas brings out the generous streak in almost everybody. It’s not only about shopping for one’s family, but also about giving to the less fortunate. Helping just once a year may not be enough, but at least Christmas is one occasion that drives people to think about lending a hand. This is the perfect time to teach children about giving and helping the needy. Instead of asking Santa for gifts for themselves, why not encourage kids to become Santas for a few less fortunate kids? Even giving away their old toys is a good start. There is so much about Christmas that is universal. So, this Christmas, like every year, I will put up a tree, buy gifts for my friends and kids, watch mushy Christmas movies on TV, volunteer at the food bank and cook a special meal for my family. Oh, and I will definitely be sending out free Christmas ecards from gotfreecards.com to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!