Tag Archives: Christmas gifts

Holiday Reality Check for Kids

Kids & Money, , , , , , , ,

It’s often been said that the Christmas holiday period is best enjoyed by children (or those who are young at heart!) Most youngsters look forward to a visit from Santa Claus, who travels around the world on one special night, rewarding all the good kids with the presents they wished for.

Many other children, who are old enough to realise that the celebrated tale is just a fantasy, still expect to see their brightly wrapped gifts under the tree on Christmas morning. Going out to a few parties or festive events is also a major part of the seasonal excitement that children really want to enjoy.

For most parents or caregivers, the squeals of delight and enthusiastic hugs that they receive from their satisfied kids help to make the holidays extra special. I believe that there are very few adults who would willingly take away their children’s joy by denying them their heart’s desire at Christmas. Continue reading Holiday Reality Check for Kids →

Christmas Saving Plan

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Christmastime is traditionally the season for spending, so it would be unusual for us to think about saving during this period. Even the most disciplined consumers may get a little consumption-crazy over the holidays, putting aside their reservations and really getting into the swing of shopping.

Despite the heavy emphasis on seasonal splurging, it may actually be an opportune time to turn your thoughts to saving and securing your financial future. With so much money in circulation during the holidays, why should you only be thinking of depleting your reserves at this time?

Let’s face it — despite the cash that seems to be awash everywhere, how many of us really have anything enduring to show after our frenzied spending? Let’s look at some of the ways in which we can focus our minds on saving so we can have a little more financially rewarding season this year. Continue reading Christmas Saving Plan →

Christmas Spending Recipe

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Whether you’re ready for it or not, the yuletide season is now in full swing. Merchandisers persistently and persuasively remind us how much we really need to buy their products or services if we want to enjoy the holidays. Christmas is, after all, the major shopping period for the year.

It’s easy to get caught up in the wave of consumerism that engulfs us during at this time. With so many demands on your spending dollar during this month, you may feel overwhelmed by the pressures to spend, and frustrated if you don’t have enough money to satisfy all your desires.

You could develop a Scrooge complex and just hide away from the frenzy until early next year, but there are more sociable ways to cope with the seasonal shopping stresses. Here is a Christmas spending recipe which should help you to survive the holidays with your budget and sanity intact. Continue reading Christmas Spending Recipe →

The True Currency of Christmas

Money Reflections, , , , ,

Christmas is traditionally celebrated as a time to show appreciation to our family, friends and colleagues by exchanging gifts. Stores are usually overrun with frantic shoppers searching for perfect presents that are designed to impress, or inexpensive items that express ‘It’s the thought that counts.”

With the increasing commercialization of Christmas, it’s easy to put a lot of emphasis on money at this time of year. One regular feature that appears in December is the Bank of Jamaica report detailing the amount of currency in circulation; when more money exchanges hands, it’s a sign that the shopping season is in full swing.

With money being promoted as essential to the successful enjoyment of the holidays, it’s not hard to see why so many people get stressed out about it at Christmastime. Employees wait impatiently for their end-of-year bonuses; contractors work harder to finish jobs before Christmas; people descend on remittance agencies in anticipation of receiving money transfers from foreign sources. Continue reading The True Currency of Christmas →

Control Your Christmas Spending

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“Last year I really overspent on Christmas gifts. In fact, I’m probably still paying for some of them now, as I have a large credit card balance that I’m trying to pay down. I really don’t want this to happen again this year, but I feel that once I hit the plazas, I’ll lose control. Please help me to curb my Christmas spending!”

With only about 18 shopping days left to Christmas day, the seasonal spending frenzy is about to get into high gear. Sometimes reasoning and control will fly out the door, as we get caught up in the hype fed to us by the retailers.

After all, this is the time of the year when many shop owners make more money than the rest of the year combined!

While we do want to support a vibrant economy, we can’t afford to lose sight of all our financial goals, or worse, incur massive debt. Here are some tips that will help you to control the urge to splurge this Christmas: Continue reading Control Your Christmas Spending →