1st Day
- Pay your tithing.
2nd Day
- Pay a generous fast offering.
3rd Day -
Budget. Make a Christmas budget for
each person you are buying gifts for (including extended family). Assign a reasonable amount to each person and
then track what you spend on your budget.
Make sure to write down what you buy as soon as you buy it so you don’t
overspend. Follow your budget
carefully.
When this Christmas is over total up what you have
spent this year. Divide your total by
12. Put that amount (your total/12) in a
savings account every month next year and let it sit until Christmas. Next year when Christmas comes around you
will already have your budget funded and ready to go. It will take away stress and make your
Holidays more enjoyable.
4th Day - Keep it Simple. Remember that children are easily
pleased. Don’t overdo it. One fun toy can make their entire Christmas
memorable.
5th Day - Be Practical. Kids get excited opening presents, even when
it is a package of new underwear underneath the wrapping paper (see
pictures at end of blog). Buy your kids things they
need for Christmas. Things you will need
to buy them anyway. Socks, underwear,
boots, hats, coats, pants, shirts, undershirts, etc.
6th Day - Stay Home. Rather than going out and spending money for
Christmas family activities, try starting new traditions right at home. Have a family game or movie night, make
crafts together, bake Christmas treats, tell Christmas stories, sing Christmas
songs, play in the snow, make up a game to play together. Make more memories with your family for
free. The memories will last
forever.
7th Day -
Watch for sales. If you stay on top of sales, you rarely have to pay full
price for anything. Buy things you know
you will need when they are on sale.
8th Day - Clip Coupons. There are many coupons available to print
from home for food and holiday goodies.
Follow our link to Savvy Shopper Deals.
Set your location as Utah. Go to
shopping wizard>grocery deals. Search
your favorite stores for great deals. If
a printable coupon is available for an item, it will be listed as a link under
the item information. $1/one Desitin
coupon link, for example.
9th Day - Cut back on neighbor
gifts. It is a nice tradition we
have to share gifts and warm wishes with friends and neighbors during the
Holidays. However, sometimes sharing a
thoughtful card or short note can be just as meaningful if not more that giving
a gift. Have a fun family night and make
cards for your neighbors out of items you already have at home. Deliver the cards as a family and spread the
Christmas spirit.
10th Day - Don’t feel
obligated. Remember this is a season
of giving, not of stress or guilt. If
someone gives you a gift, you don’t have to feel obligated to return a
gift. Receive it with gladness.
11th Day - Can you afford
it? Don’t pay interest on credit
cards. If you don’t have it, don’t spend
it. Remember Elder Hales’ April 2009
Conference talk: “The
first lesson was learned when we were newly married and had very little money. I
was in the air force, and we had missed Christmas together. I was on assignment
overseas. When I got home, I saw a beautiful dress in a store window and
suggested to my wife that if she liked it, we would buy it. Mary went into the
dressing room of the store. After a moment the salesclerk came out, brushed by
me, and returned the dress to its place in the store window. As we left the
store, I asked, “What happened?” She replied, “It was a beautiful dress, but
we can’t afford it!” Those words went straight to my heart. I have
learned that the three most loving words are “I love you,” and the four most
caring words for those we love are “We can’t afford it.”
12th Day - Do you need
it? Again from Elder Hales’ talk:
“The second lesson was learned several years later when we were more financially
secure. Our wedding anniversary was approaching, and I wanted to buy Mary a
fancy coat to show my love and appreciation for our many happy years together.
When I asked what she thought of the coat I had in mind, she replied with words
that again penetrated my heart and mind. “Where would I wear it?” she asked. (At
the time she was a ward Relief Society president helping to minister to needy
families.)
Then she taught me an
unforgettable lesson. She looked me in the eyes and sweetly asked, “Are you
buying this for me or for you?” In other words, she was asking, “Is the purpose
of this gift to show your love for me or to show me that you are a good provider
or to prove something to the world?” I pondered her question and realized I was
thinking less about her and our family and more about me.
After that we had a serious,
life-changing discussion about provident living, and both of us agreed that our
money would be better spent in paying down our home mortgage and adding to our
children’s education fund.
We hope at least one of these tips will save you
from spending money on 12 drummers drumming to a partridge in a pear tree this
Christmas! Happy Holidays, love
Kevin & Kammi.
