Post by Mominul on Jul 28, 2021 4:27:21 GMT
It's no secret that many families are on extra tight budgets this holiday season, mostly as a result of the Wall Street fiasco, the effects of which reverberated around the world and we're all still feeling the after shocks.
As a self-employed contractor, I'm in the same boat and can speak from experience. I'm in Australia. I have friends in New Zealand, Singapore, the U.S., and the U.K. and family in Norway. Everyone has stories to tell of people losing their jobs, their Singapore Phone Number List homes, businesses closing, contracts disappearing, invoices not being paid, and how this year's holiday season is going to be a very small "affair" in comparison to years gone by. Well, it might not be the "jolliest" of seasons this year, but here are some tips to help make your dollar go further and enable your family to partake of the season.
1. Plan ahead - make a list so you do not shop on impulse. Know exactly WHAT you have to buy (presents, cards, food) and work out how much you can afford to spend on each - then stick to it.
2. Shop Around for the Best Price - if you are on the internet, do some price checking online. Save your petrol and ring various local stores for prices on the same items. Sometimes you can buy something cheaper online, even factoring in the postage costs!
3. Pay Cash - obviously not a possibility if you're buying online, but many stores will offer discounts if you pay cash on large items. In addition, when you pay cash you avoid high interest rates on your credit cards and you also tend to spend less when you use "real money" instead of cards.
4. Save. I know for some families that is a ridiculous notion at the moment - they're in debt up to their ears and have nothing left over to save. However, if you can forgo an unnecessary item or buy a cheaper version of it, the money saved can go into a jar or a savings account and while a few cents here and a couple of dollars there doesn't sound like much, it will add up and go towards anything you need.
5. Manage your Debts - if you are falling behind in loan or credit card payments, don't wait until the company sets the debt collectors on to you - contact them and work out a new payment plan until your financial situation improves. When you contact them first and are honest about your situation and willing to work out a plan whereby you can still afford to pay them something, most companies are very accommodating. They'd rather get paid something than nothing at all.
6. Christmas Cards - review your list. Do you really need to send all those people a card? Consider sending postcards (cheaper) or better still, an online e-card. Many online card companies offer an excellent range of free e-cards for all occasions. One very creative family I know cuts their old cards in half and uses the front part of the card as a greeting postcard, writing their message on the back and posting it off. This not only provides you with a free seasonal postcard to send but it is very environmentally friendly! If you must buy cards, buy them from a discount store. Why pay $8 for a box of cards you can get for $1?
7. Need to make phone calls? It's not always possible given the number of people ringing internationally at Christmas time, but if you can, try to call at a time of day that is off-peak for you.
8. Gift Wrapping - again, shop from a discount store - your wrapping paper is usually going to end up torn and in the bin anyway. You can buy plain coloured paper and a bit of pretty string to tie it and still present a lovely wrapped gift. You don't have to buy the fanciest paper and all the fancy ribbons and bows to go with it. You can buy "curling" string that you run your scissors along and turns the string ends into lovely "curls". You can have your children paint pictures on spare paper and wrap gifts in that. You can also recycle magazines - pretty glossy photo pages from magazines also makes a uniquely wrapped gift. If YOU receive presents, encourage your family to open them carefully and save the paper - you can use it next year.
9. Make your Own Gift Tags - You can take a small piece of matching paper and fold it into a card and write To and From on it yourself. Or you can give your children some paper and scraps and let them be creative and make their own gift tags. Old Christmas cards also make excellent gift tags.
10. If you need to buy new decorations, shop from a discount store. Cheaper decorations can look just as pretty and effective and you won't cry if you break one! If you can, try and keep a few dollars aside to buy decorations at the after Christmas sales and you will then have them ready for next year and have bought them at a fraction of their original price. Don't forget children love arts and crafts - why not let them create some new decorations!
11. Trees - not only is this eco friendlier but it is a lot cheaper and easier to use an artificial Christmas tree each year rather than a real one. There are different varieties and sizes - something for everyone. Grab one after Christmas when they are on sale and you will have it for next year... or start saving now to buy one next year if you can't afford to spend on sales this year.
12. Christmas Fare - You don't HAVE to have turkey this year... chicken will do and still tastes nice with cranberry sauce! You can spice up your simple vegetable varieties with sauces and sliced almonds. Buy your shopping at cheaper stores - it really doesn't matter if your food comes in "Christmas" wrapping - it's what is inside that counts. Keep sales vouchers, flyers and coupons and use them. Buy store brands - despite the fact it might be against your principles, if you're broke and desperate, these are excellent value for money and will save you $$'s. For non-perishables that you can buy in advance and store, buy a bit each week leading up to Christmas - tinned puddings and custard powder, nuts...
13. Keeping the kids entertained - Movies: well, if you're like most, taking the family to the cinema this year may be off the menu, but depending where you live - whether it's summer or winter - there are activities you can do that don't cost the earth. So maybe you can't make it to the cinema - there are online places, like NetFlix, that lets you rent DVD's online and they don't charge late return fees. They also have a 30 day free trial so you could use this! DVD Rental stores are desperate for customers these days given the arrival of places like Netflix, not to forget the popularity of cable TV, Foxtel, etc., so you can rent the latest movies for a fraction of the price of seeing it in cinema.
14. More keeping the kids entertained - Free Light show - take a drive around your suburbs this Christmas and especially the richer suburbs and let your kids enjoy some amazing light displays. If your town has a special light display, take them into town to see it.
15. Yet more entertainment - again depending on which part of the world you live in, your town may have Christmas pageants. These are free. Take your kids to watch the parade and enjoy some free Christmas cheer.
16. Even More entertainment - You've been busy all year, and how often have you had time to spend with your kids? I'm talking quality time. I'm talking sitting down and playing old fashioned board games with them. Scrabble. Monopoly. If you don't have these games (and shame on you), then ask your neighbours or check with your local library. (Yes, some libraries do stock games.) Teach your kids cards! You know, in years to come when your kids have grown up and somebody asks them what was their best Christmas... no, it won't be the year you spent $5,000 on the fancy thingamy jig they had to have... it will be the year you were poor and spent all your time playing with them!
17. Get in the Mood - you must have a Christmas carol CD or tape of some kind in your house - play it. It will help set the mood and it costs you nothing. Otherwise, tune your radio into a station that is playing carols.
18. Make "preparing for Christmas" a family affair. Whether it be decorating the tree, wrapping gifts, or preparing food - involve the entire family this year. Have fun. Make jokes. Sing carols. Yes - pretend you're the Brady Bunch - it won't kill you for one day of the year! Your kids will love you for it. It will give you the true feeling of the Christmas spirit and it won't cost you a cent. And if you're finding it hard to be "jolly" - well, remember that old saying: Fake it until you make it!
19. Invent a new family Christmas tradition - will it be a game... a craft activity... or some other new activity you do as a family this year? Maybe you can start a new Christmas scrapbook - you can all write in it your thoughts this season, include notes and photos, and add to it every year.
20. Go out and do something for those worse off than yourself. Nothing makes you feel more special than when you do something for others. Maybe it is just cleaning up and donating unused toys to charity, or visiting the lonely in an old people's home, or helping out at a food kitchen preparing Christmas Meals for the homeless... if you are suffering this year due to unfortunate circumstances, take the focus off yourself and your family, by getting involved in doing something special for those who are even more worse off than yourself. I guarantee this will give you the spirit of Christmas!
As a self-employed contractor, I'm in the same boat and can speak from experience. I'm in Australia. I have friends in New Zealand, Singapore, the U.S., and the U.K. and family in Norway. Everyone has stories to tell of people losing their jobs, their Singapore Phone Number List homes, businesses closing, contracts disappearing, invoices not being paid, and how this year's holiday season is going to be a very small "affair" in comparison to years gone by. Well, it might not be the "jolliest" of seasons this year, but here are some tips to help make your dollar go further and enable your family to partake of the season.
1. Plan ahead - make a list so you do not shop on impulse. Know exactly WHAT you have to buy (presents, cards, food) and work out how much you can afford to spend on each - then stick to it.
2. Shop Around for the Best Price - if you are on the internet, do some price checking online. Save your petrol and ring various local stores for prices on the same items. Sometimes you can buy something cheaper online, even factoring in the postage costs!
3. Pay Cash - obviously not a possibility if you're buying online, but many stores will offer discounts if you pay cash on large items. In addition, when you pay cash you avoid high interest rates on your credit cards and you also tend to spend less when you use "real money" instead of cards.
4. Save. I know for some families that is a ridiculous notion at the moment - they're in debt up to their ears and have nothing left over to save. However, if you can forgo an unnecessary item or buy a cheaper version of it, the money saved can go into a jar or a savings account and while a few cents here and a couple of dollars there doesn't sound like much, it will add up and go towards anything you need.
5. Manage your Debts - if you are falling behind in loan or credit card payments, don't wait until the company sets the debt collectors on to you - contact them and work out a new payment plan until your financial situation improves. When you contact them first and are honest about your situation and willing to work out a plan whereby you can still afford to pay them something, most companies are very accommodating. They'd rather get paid something than nothing at all.
6. Christmas Cards - review your list. Do you really need to send all those people a card? Consider sending postcards (cheaper) or better still, an online e-card. Many online card companies offer an excellent range of free e-cards for all occasions. One very creative family I know cuts their old cards in half and uses the front part of the card as a greeting postcard, writing their message on the back and posting it off. This not only provides you with a free seasonal postcard to send but it is very environmentally friendly! If you must buy cards, buy them from a discount store. Why pay $8 for a box of cards you can get for $1?
7. Need to make phone calls? It's not always possible given the number of people ringing internationally at Christmas time, but if you can, try to call at a time of day that is off-peak for you.
8. Gift Wrapping - again, shop from a discount store - your wrapping paper is usually going to end up torn and in the bin anyway. You can buy plain coloured paper and a bit of pretty string to tie it and still present a lovely wrapped gift. You don't have to buy the fanciest paper and all the fancy ribbons and bows to go with it. You can buy "curling" string that you run your scissors along and turns the string ends into lovely "curls". You can have your children paint pictures on spare paper and wrap gifts in that. You can also recycle magazines - pretty glossy photo pages from magazines also makes a uniquely wrapped gift. If YOU receive presents, encourage your family to open them carefully and save the paper - you can use it next year.
9. Make your Own Gift Tags - You can take a small piece of matching paper and fold it into a card and write To and From on it yourself. Or you can give your children some paper and scraps and let them be creative and make their own gift tags. Old Christmas cards also make excellent gift tags.
10. If you need to buy new decorations, shop from a discount store. Cheaper decorations can look just as pretty and effective and you won't cry if you break one! If you can, try and keep a few dollars aside to buy decorations at the after Christmas sales and you will then have them ready for next year and have bought them at a fraction of their original price. Don't forget children love arts and crafts - why not let them create some new decorations!
11. Trees - not only is this eco friendlier but it is a lot cheaper and easier to use an artificial Christmas tree each year rather than a real one. There are different varieties and sizes - something for everyone. Grab one after Christmas when they are on sale and you will have it for next year... or start saving now to buy one next year if you can't afford to spend on sales this year.
12. Christmas Fare - You don't HAVE to have turkey this year... chicken will do and still tastes nice with cranberry sauce! You can spice up your simple vegetable varieties with sauces and sliced almonds. Buy your shopping at cheaper stores - it really doesn't matter if your food comes in "Christmas" wrapping - it's what is inside that counts. Keep sales vouchers, flyers and coupons and use them. Buy store brands - despite the fact it might be against your principles, if you're broke and desperate, these are excellent value for money and will save you $$'s. For non-perishables that you can buy in advance and store, buy a bit each week leading up to Christmas - tinned puddings and custard powder, nuts...
13. Keeping the kids entertained - Movies: well, if you're like most, taking the family to the cinema this year may be off the menu, but depending where you live - whether it's summer or winter - there are activities you can do that don't cost the earth. So maybe you can't make it to the cinema - there are online places, like NetFlix, that lets you rent DVD's online and they don't charge late return fees. They also have a 30 day free trial so you could use this! DVD Rental stores are desperate for customers these days given the arrival of places like Netflix, not to forget the popularity of cable TV, Foxtel, etc., so you can rent the latest movies for a fraction of the price of seeing it in cinema.
14. More keeping the kids entertained - Free Light show - take a drive around your suburbs this Christmas and especially the richer suburbs and let your kids enjoy some amazing light displays. If your town has a special light display, take them into town to see it.
15. Yet more entertainment - again depending on which part of the world you live in, your town may have Christmas pageants. These are free. Take your kids to watch the parade and enjoy some free Christmas cheer.
16. Even More entertainment - You've been busy all year, and how often have you had time to spend with your kids? I'm talking quality time. I'm talking sitting down and playing old fashioned board games with them. Scrabble. Monopoly. If you don't have these games (and shame on you), then ask your neighbours or check with your local library. (Yes, some libraries do stock games.) Teach your kids cards! You know, in years to come when your kids have grown up and somebody asks them what was their best Christmas... no, it won't be the year you spent $5,000 on the fancy thingamy jig they had to have... it will be the year you were poor and spent all your time playing with them!
17. Get in the Mood - you must have a Christmas carol CD or tape of some kind in your house - play it. It will help set the mood and it costs you nothing. Otherwise, tune your radio into a station that is playing carols.
18. Make "preparing for Christmas" a family affair. Whether it be decorating the tree, wrapping gifts, or preparing food - involve the entire family this year. Have fun. Make jokes. Sing carols. Yes - pretend you're the Brady Bunch - it won't kill you for one day of the year! Your kids will love you for it. It will give you the true feeling of the Christmas spirit and it won't cost you a cent. And if you're finding it hard to be "jolly" - well, remember that old saying: Fake it until you make it!
19. Invent a new family Christmas tradition - will it be a game... a craft activity... or some other new activity you do as a family this year? Maybe you can start a new Christmas scrapbook - you can all write in it your thoughts this season, include notes and photos, and add to it every year.
20. Go out and do something for those worse off than yourself. Nothing makes you feel more special than when you do something for others. Maybe it is just cleaning up and donating unused toys to charity, or visiting the lonely in an old people's home, or helping out at a food kitchen preparing Christmas Meals for the homeless... if you are suffering this year due to unfortunate circumstances, take the focus off yourself and your family, by getting involved in doing something special for those who are even more worse off than yourself. I guarantee this will give you the spirit of Christmas!