Holidays or Holi-daze? Part #2

The season of over-doing, over-eating, over-committing and over-spending is upon us. As we approach the holiday season, many people call this the time of “holidaze.” Internal and external pressures seem to paralyze us, causing behaviors, which are out of our normal range of functioning.

One of the most common concerns of the holiday season is financial pressure created by overspending. Overwhelmed by the season, many people discover their wallets, checkbooks, and credit cards take a beating, bringing some people to their knees. Many people report overspending which creates a financial crisis, which takes months to repair.

But there are some common tips to help during this holiday season:
•Create a budget for the holiday season and stick with it.
•Use only cash for your purchases (credit spending generally isn’t
felt until it’s too late.)
•Avoid guilt buying. Make a list of gifts to be purchased and stay
with the list.
•Give gifts “of the heart” such as making picture albums, coupons for services, baby-sitting, cooking, or special surprises.

With a little planning you can make this holiday season a holiday instead of a holidaze.