Tag Archives: holidays

Tis the Season to Make the Effort to Be Kind and Generous

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With Christmas right around the corner–in a week to be exact, it is important to preach both kindness and generosity. While of course I believe it is important to be kind and generous on a daily basis–I do believe that this is the time of year especially to step up your efforts up a notch. That might mean tipping higher the next time you are at a restaurant or to someone who provides a service for you. That might mean making a donation to an organization or to donate items to the less fortunate. Whether you are impacted or not by a heavily inflated economy or the financial stresses that the holidays could bring, remember that there are always people who are in need and that are in less fortunate situations than you are. Many people often only think about themselves or their families but it is important to step outside of yourself and to think about those who could be positively impacted with even a small gesture of kindness and generosity.

If you are not in a good financial situation yourself and you truly cannot afford to be generous at the moment, then if you can find a way to be kind to someone, that could still add a lot of spiritual value to someone’s life. There are many people who suffer from low self esteem and don’t feel good about themselves. Simply giving a compliment to someone who isn’t used to receiving one could really brighten someone’s day. Don’t underestimate how little actions can actually make a difference in this world! 🙂

Money Saving Tips After Overspending on Black Friday

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I don’t know about you but I definitely spent a lot more money this year from all the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals this past week. Not only did I spend a lot of money over that weekend but even the weeks leading up to Black Friday–there were a ton of online sales that began before actual Black Friday! Nowadays, the sales are not limited to just Black Friday or Cyber Monday but the sales can go on for days or even weeks. Personally, I did all my Black Friday shopping online. I haven’t shopped in-person on Black Friday for many years now. Mainly due to the fact that I don’t like to deal with large crowds but I also believe that many of the deals are better online anyhow. As I go through my credit card statement, my first reaction is okay, it’s only the beginning of December and it is time to scale it back now! At the same time, we are moving onto the abundant holiday season where it is inevitable that more money is to be spent on gifts for the people I care about most along with other holiday expenses. So what is my advice on how to save some money this holiday season?

Go Through Your Previous Purchases and Return What Is Unnecessary – It is so easy to get cart happy and add lots of items simply due to how low the prices are. However, realistically, many of the items are impulse buys and not necessarily things that you need. Many retailers have a great return policy at this time where you have as much time as after the holidays to bring back any returns. Don’t be afraid to return any items that you actually don’t need at the moment.

Make a List and a Budget (and Actually Stick to It) – It is always a good plan to plan ahead when you are spending money over the holiday season. Start off with a list of people who you want to shop for along with a tentative budget that you are working with. This way, you are making a conscious effort on establishing not only who you want to spend your money on but also how much you are looking to spend. Also keep in mind when it comes to gift giving, sometimes handmade or inexpensive gifts with a lot of thought are just as valuable as monetary gifts so there is no need to feel obligated to spend a lot of money in order to please all the people on your gift giving list.

Pick Up a Holiday Side Hustle – The holiday season is a great time to find an extra source of income and to find a part-time job to work some extra holiday hours. Many retailers could always use the extra holiday help and if you find a job as a waiter or waitress, you will most likely make higher tips as people tend to be more generous during the holidays. This might also be also a good time to pick up a holiday craft and find craft fairs to sell your goods. If you have the extra time, it does not hurt to find extra work to keep up with all the costs that naturally come this time of year.

5 Ways to Stay Financially Savvy During the Holiday Season

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Most people would agree that it is easy to get carried away and overspend during the holiday season. While it is a time to be generous, it is also important to be mindful of your spending habits so that you do not find yourself getting into major debt once the holidays are over. While it is normal and expected that you are going to spend more money in the month of December, there are definitely savvy ways to allow for your dollars to go further.

Send Digital Holiday Cards (or Make Them) – Everyone nowadays loves to create holiday cards with a family photo. While this is a nice tradition, you can easily create a digital one or even take a photo of a hard copy of one of the cards and then send them to the people you care about via text or email. Personally, I only order maybe 10-15 holiday cards at max to send to close family and then everyone else will receive a digital greeting or a regular card. This will save you a ton of money on the cards itself along with postage. You can also make holiday cards which is a wonderful gesture. Both of these options still show that you care without breaking the bank.

Set a Budget on Gift Giving – When you make a list of everyone you are buying presents for, it is also important to determine a budget for each person and to think about the maximum you are willing to spend all together. This will help you make better spending decisions because you know what your limits are. By taking the time to actually create a budget, this will make you more conscientious of what you are spending. If you happen to go a little over budget, there is nothing wrong with that! Let’s not forget that this happens to be the season of giving after all.

Shop Around and Compare Prices – I know this probably goes without saying but with so many shopping options, it is best to really shop around to get the best deals. You would be amazed at how much you can save from one store to the next. Timing is also everything in which you usually get the best deals on Black Friday and then the weeks leading up to Christmas. While online stopping tends to have the best deals, sometimes going to a store in-person, you can find some good deals as well.

Secret Santa Gift Exchanges – If you have a large family or a big group of people to shop for, it is a good idea to set up a Secret Santa gift exchange where everyone picks a name and shops for one person as opposed to having to buy for every single person. This can be fun as you won’t know who your “Santa” is until the day of the gift exchange. This is not only a fun tradition but allows for you to save a lot of money.

Pot Luck Meals – If you decide to have a holiday gathering, it can easily add up when you write out a list of all the foods and drinks that you need to get along with any other party decor that you might need. That is why making it a pot luck where everyone is assigned a dish to bring is a great way to cut down costs while also allowing for there to be a variety of dishes that you might not have thought to make yourself. Most people are usually okay with this arrangement so you shouldn’t feel bad to ask your guests to bring something.

How to Give a Thoughtful Holiday Card

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During the holiday season, it is a great time to mail out holiday cards to your family, friends, and loved ones to show that you are thinking about them and that you care. I have noticed in recent years that people nowadays will mail printed cards that feature beautiful photos; however, the card is completely blank. There is no handwritten message and there is not even a handwritten signature. I don’t understand when it became socially acceptable to just mail a blank card to someone. That is like buying someone a beautiful birthday card and mailing it blank without a single inscription. The recipient would probably be confused as to why it was blank and even sent in the first place if there is nothing written in it.

The reason why I point this is out is that if you are going to take the time to mail someone a holiday card (or any card for that matter), the most important aspect of the card is the actual message! Even if you do not have much space to write a message, at the very least sign your name and address their name on it. The little details go a long way in my opinion. I rather someone save their stamp and not send me a holiday card if it is just going to be blank–just like everyone else’s.

Remember that a personal touch goes a long way and people will appreciate the card more for its content than how pretty the photos are or how sparkly and cool looking it appears. Now if you took the time to actually make a card yourself, this is another way of adding your own personal touch which never goes unnoticed. I understand that many people don’t have the time and creativity to execute a handmade card to their liking but usually the other person will like the thought that went into it. However, if you are not an artist, don’t worry about it! Again, I think the most important aspect of the card is to write a message, so be sure to not leave out that important detail if you are going to give someone a card because that message could really warm up someone’s heart and make their day. ❤

Relationship On the Rocks During the Holiday Season – Break Up Now Or Later?

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The holiday season is a good time to determine the longevity of any serious relationship and to measure the quality of it. For me personally, I always say that if I am with someone who ruins my holiday or birthday, the relationship is over. I know that sounds rather extreme but typically the holiday season is meant to be filled with happy memories. So if the holidays bring tension and frustration, one really needs to evaluate whether they are with the right person. It is much better to be single than settle on being with someone who is consistently bringing your life down. (FYI, I believe this is a basic dating rule that everyone should adapt and apply within their lives).

What if your relationship has been on the rocks for quite some time and the holidays are approaching? Do you break up before the holidays or afterwards? I notice that many people choose to hold off until after the holidays thinking that this is a “better time” to do it as no one wants to be left heartbroken before a holiday or have to spend this time alone. The truth of the matter is that there is no “great time” to break up with someone in the sense that no matter what time of year it is, it typically is going to make the other person feel bad. So instead of looking at it like, “Oh let me spare my partner of feeling hurt during a happy time and let’s just keep this going until the new year,” the right mentality should be replaced with this instead: “It is a major disservice to string this person along when I am mentally checked out of the relationship. I am making the very best decision for both parties to end it NOW rather than dragging it on to protect someone’s heart–even if that means that Christmas is around the corner.” Let’s pretend for a moment that you are the person that is on the verge of getting dumped. If it was me and I was in a situation where I knew there was a chance that things were not going to last much longer, I would much rather that the other person dumped me as soon as possible as opposed to going through the motions of experiencing a holiday together when the love wasn’t fully there on their end. I just don’t understand why people feel that they need to fake their feelings for someone just to prevent that person from getting heartbroken. Yes, it never feels good inside to hurt another person but I think it is far more detrimental to waste someone’s precious time and give someone the false hope that you are in love with them when you are not.

People need to look at the bigger picture and do what is authentic, even if that means that there are going to be some uncomfortable feelings along the way. If you genuinely feel unhappy and that you’re not with the right person, as I said before, do everyone a favor and have the strength to end it now–not after the holidays.