Holiday Shopping Savvy
Holidays are a time of joy for many but also a time of financial stress. Americans tend to get into the warm feeling of the holiday season, temporarily plead financial insanity and then repent for months afterward. To add to the holiday frustration, many people try to make up for lost time and spend money in an effort to make others happy. They spend hours, even days, shopping for a special gift for every person on their list. But Cousin Bill doesn�t remember what you gave him two years ago. You may not remember what you gave him.

Some suggestions to keep your holidays happy from the Extension Service at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln:

� Before stepping one foot inside a store, set your holiday budget and gift budget. Determine the most you can comfortably spend for the holidays. Divide that amount into expense categories�gifts, cards, activities and entertaining. Keep your written budget on an index card in your wallet or checkbook.

� Use only one credit card for holiday shopping�easier to keep track of what you�ve spent in total. Better yet, use only cash. If you don�t have it, you can�t spend it. To find the cash for next year, think of how you could save money. One person carried lunch each day to work and deposited what he saved into a special savings account. The next year he paid cash for his gifts and lost weight too�his present to himself!

� Before you start shopping, "wrap" your credit cards. On half of a 3 x 5 index card, write the total you can afford to add to your credit card. Put this credit card "wrap" around each card. Each time you pull out the plastic, subtract what you spend. The new figure will be what you have left to spend.

� Writing your budget on an envelope makes a place to stash receipts and charge slips.

� We tend to overspend when we get impatient and frustrated. To avoid these negative emotions during the holiday shopping season, try to shop when stores are less crowded. Avoid lunch hours, weekends, and after-work hours. Also, take a break from shopping every two hours.

� Give something really special�you! A gift certificate promising to paint Grandma�s kitchen or to spend the day alone with that special person may be most welcome.

� Keep your holiday meal simple, cut back on what you spend on presents and give the savings to a worthy charity.

� Instead of buying something new as a gift, pass along family treasures.

� If money is really stretched, consider cutting out gifts for adults in the house, even spouses. Try for something small to keep the holiday magical for the little ones. If you suggest this, even older children may be willing to be considered adults so younger siblings can have a special gift or two.

� If you can�t forgo adult gifts altogether, consider giving gifts to adults on New Year�s Day to take advantage of after-Christmas sales.

Remember it�s not how much you spend that determines how much a gift is appreciated, and perhaps spending less money and giving more thought to gifts will result in a happier situation for everyone.

  Newsworthy Notes