CHRISTMAS IS COMING!
I read recently that Americans spend an average of $1,000 on Christmas gifts. I can believe it because I hear about many folks knee-deep in credit card debt. Think about our economic problems where people have bought bigger houses than they can afford. Mortgage companies and banks are facing collapse because of consumer greed and ignorant lending practices.
Don’t let greed and envy drive your Christmas. Celebrate in 2007 without a noose of debt around your neck. Now is the time to start preparing! If you wait until the week of Christmas, you can find some deals if you have great discipline. However, you can find yourself being seduced to spend beyond your means. With each passing day, you draw closer to Christmas and the pressure mounts to get your gifts wrapped and delivered.
Before the frenzy of advertising sets your mind into believing you have to give the biggest and best glitzy gift in order to express your love, here are a few tips to help you have a debt-free celebration of Christ’s birth.
First, establish now what your budget will be. Don’t detour from this amount. Find creative ways to live within your means. When you reach the amount you’ve designated for Aunt Claire’s gift, stop shopping! In cases where you anticipate gift-giving, such as an office/work environment, tell co-workers early in the holiday season, such as in late November, that you will not participate this year. Consider offering a suggestion for your office to skip the gifts and contribute to a local charity.
Second, if you want to give hand-made gifts, start now or you’ll have no time to get your crafts or photos prepared once Christmas parties and children’s programs fill your schedule. Giving family members, such as grandparents, pictures of your family is one way to give a gift that can be enjoyed year-round. Take the opportunity to schedule photography sessions now before rates increase in December and appointment slots are filled. You can get great portrait packages at studios such as JCPenney (offers coupons) or Wal-Mart.
Third, ask your family now what they want for Christmas. This will help you give gifts that are truly needed. In particular, if you have teens on your gift list, ask them for 3-4 ideas. Believe me, they will tell you. You can enjoy giving a gift that is truly wanted. Relatedly, this year, I have added a few relatives to my list of “not exchanging gifts.” If you have a large family, and drawing names won’t work, then suggest that you gift each other a gift card for a restaurant or a favorite coffee shop. This can result in a night off from cooking or even a date night with your spouse. Again, give relatives ideas for restaurants you frequent.
Fourthly, numerous websites have ideas for inexpensive gift ideas. Please read my archive SONshine Newsletter from October - December 2006 for a few suggestions. As you shop, bear in mind the expense of shipping if you buy a gift on-line. Also, consider what you can create yourself, such as gift baskets, versus paying a few dollars more to have a merchant create the gift basket.
If you are purchasing gifts, try to establish an area in your home to store gifts. Shop year-round if you know what your friends/family want. Buy gifts when they are on sale, such as end of season. The risk to this approach is over-spending and/or buying items that are not what the recipient wants/needs. However, if you know your child likes a particular toy, then buying it now when you have a coupon or a deal can help you spread out the holiday expense over time plus save a few pennies.
Now for those who are looking for a few creative ideas for dealing with children and family, let me share two I heard four years ago at a MOPS meeting. For your children let each one “have” $100 that the designate the charity recipient. In other words, the money is not theirs to keep but to give. This allows your children to enjoy giving and to identify values or causes that excite them. Then, for those struggling with the hassles and expense of holiday travel, consider selecting another date or holiday for your family to convene. Avoid the crowded December interstates and higher airfares by celebrating with a family gathering in February or April. Then, enjoy a more peaceful Christmas celebration in the comfort of your own home.
WEBSITES
www.froogle.com: Operated by Google, this site can give you a quick price comparison if you want a ballpark idea of the cost of an item.
www.emiliebarnes.com: Emilie Barnes has written over 60 Christian books. Some of her topics involve time management and home management. This site can provide ideas in addition to those you might gain in one of her books.
www.kiplinger.com: This site is an excellent resource for educating yourself about financial topics.
www.crown.org: If you have not studied God’s Word about finances, then consider this Bible study. An excellent investment of time, the Crown Ministries’ study offers an array of topics from a Biblical perspective. The Christian organization also offers tools, such as software to assist in budgeting, for example.
FINDING WAYS TO STRETCH YOUR DOLLAR
Recently, the Lord allowed me to encounter some young folks who are in need of ideas for stretching their dollars. “Frugal living” is a new concept for them. The idea of saving money is appealing, but they’re not sure where to start. This article is for anyone who wants to curb his spending, but needs ideas on quick and easy ways to do so. Bear in mind what I tell audiences when I speak. Do what works for your lifestyle. Not every idea or tip will flow smoothly with your family members. Better to spend a nickel than to cause an argument over saving a penny.
1-Meatless meals: Plan your weekly menus to include 3-5 of your meals without meat. Eating vegetables and fruit is usually less costly than adding a meat entree. If you purchase vegetables in quantity (ex: large can of corn), you can save money per serving. You might have to get creative with your cooking to use the food before it spoils. Thus, do not purchase in bulk more than you can eat within a 2-3 day period.
2-Lunch options: Eat salads or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Both can be quick and easy options.
3-Water: Drink lots of water because it’s healthy and inexpensive.
4-Snacks: Opt for popcorn, inexpensive cereal, fruits or veggies that are in season, and drink water with your snack to help fill you.
5-Lower utilities by turning off your lights when you’re not in a room. I’m convinced we could send a child to college one semester with the wastefulness I see in my own house. Granted, I’m trying to teach the rest of my family to turn off lights, electrical appliances, etc. It’s a slow learning process. Try for a couple of months to keep electrical use to a minimum. You will be amazed at how quickly you see a difference.
6-A few degrees up or down on your thermostat when you are not home can aid the effort of reducing utilities even more than the lightswitch turning off. When you go to work, cut your heat back or turn your air conditioning up. Then, when you are in your home, set your temperature to a reasonable setting. I can write a book about what is unreasonable. Don’t freeze your family to save a few pennies! This only creates resentment and strife. Plus, you are not going to be able to take your money to heaven with you. Maintaining a comfortable room temperature is one area you can easily reap relationship rewards for minimal costs!
7-Bundle errands so you minimize gasoline usage. When possible accomplish tasks via phone or internet. When driving, plan to tackle all errands in a community all at once to avoid multiple trips. Relatedly, consider carpooling to work or taking an alternate means, such as cycling or public transportation.
8-Cleanliness is next to Godliness is a matra you can challenge when trying to save. With children, during Winter, when play is less strenuous, consider whether your child needs a daily bath versus every other day. Relatedly, when you wear clothing for short periods of time, especially during non-Summer months, challenge whether the garment needs to be laundered or if it can be worn again.
Some of these easy ideas sound crazy, but if you implement some of them, over time, you will be amazed at how many other ways you can identify in your routines to save. Change adds up quickly, particularly when you examine the areas of your life most demanding your finances. For example, we all eat. Most of us dine out periodically. Just making a less expensive menu choice at a restaurant can put a few dollars back in your pocket!
The key is to pray about your finances. Ask the Lord to show you creative means to save. Read my archive editions for websites where you can garner more ideas and expand your vision for frugal living.
BOOKS
Go to your public library at least once a year and check out books about financial topics. Educate yourself this year about at least one topic, such as an estate planning topic. If you learn about one topic each year, then within a decade, you have likely educated yourself well about a variety of topics. Chances are, you will learn about more than one topic per year!
This month, I’ve chosen to read three books about time management and family-life balance. Two of the books are written by Kathy Peele. Emilie Barnes has some good books on this topic. Frankly, many books in the business sections of the library address ways to improve time management. As stewards, we are called to manage more than our finances. We have to manage our time as well.
When I worked at Ernst & Young, I embraced the idea that “time is money.” We often pay extra for food items for the convenience and ease in preparation or even not having to cook at all. Our level that we purchase convenience is often dictated by our income level coupled with age and stage in life. For example, a mother of young children might pay a dime more per ounce to have a meal ready in half the time of preparing from scratch. Not always, but sometimes, saving money and saving time can be married together to yield even greater gains.
Gain a few ideas about how to make household cleaners for less or how to use common household items for more than you first imagine their use. I recently read Jerry Baker’s Supermarket Super Products! book and discovered a few ideas I want to try in the next 12-24 months. You can read similar books from your local library and identify new frugal ideas for your lifestyle.
My admonition to my readers this month is make this month one you learn something new in your endeavor to be a good steward.
MONEY SAVINGS TIPS
1-Consignment Sales! Tis the time of the year for consignment (& garage/yard) sales. Calvary Road Baptist Church in Alexandria (near Kingstowne) has a large sale on October 13. Shop for clothes or toys (Christmas).
2-Donate now after doing some Fall cleaning, and give yourself a nice charitable deduction for your 2007 taxes. I’ve discovered my time and energy are better spent giving out-grown clothing and non-essential housewares to our church’s community closet (to help the needy) than for me to attempt a garage sale or even consign. However, you have to weigh the pros and cons of the time involved vs. the cash flow consigning can yield.
3-If you are going to dress your children for Halloween or a Harvest Festival, grab a few deals now at The Dollar Tree. There are many costumes (such as pirates) for $1 at The Dollar Tree on Richmond Highway (one of the larger stores with expanded food, cleaners, and health & beauty supplies). Alternatively, dress your child in items you have around your home and avoid any expense! When I’ve purchased costumes in the past, I have tried to “get my money’s worth” by selecting a theme or character my child can enjoy for dressing up. Then the costume is used multiple days such as on winter Saturdays when we’re home bound.
4-Help your child’s teacher with a “back-to-school” gift card to a local store with teaching supplies. Yes, this means spending money! Giving a teacher a gift early in the year helps provide needed supplies and it makes your gift “stand out from the crowd” of gifts received during the holidays. Then, when the December comes, consider a small momento, box of tea or coffee, or even a note since you’ve already given a special gift in September or October.
5-As you either do Fall yard work or plan for the spring, consider cyprus mulch for your flower beds. Cyprus is a natural bug repellent. While you will still have insects near your plants, you’ll have less with cyprus and less need for costly chemical sprays.
6-Fall Shopping ideas—Family Christian Bookstore often features 33% off one item coupons on holidays. Watch for these helpful coupons on Columbus Day, Veteran’s Day, and near Thanksgiving and Christmas. This is a way to save on gifts or treat yourself to a new CD. When you are using your 25% off entire purchase coupons at Family Christian Bookstores, make sure you check out their $5 deals for possible birthday gifts and stocking stuffers (your coupon makes them $3.75). Starting late October, Bath & Body Works typically features all kinds of coupons and sales in anticipation of Christmas. If you aren’t already on their mailing list, stop by a store and enroll yourself. You’ll be amazed at the coupons you receive in the next 3 months.
7-For Fall…plant annuals in flower pots and bring them inside to a sunny spot. You can “winterize” some of your plants to save on 2008 gardening costs. I have done this with my geraniums for the past three years.
EXCURSIONS
a-My family had a blast at a FREE Asian Festival in Reston, VA during July. Mark your calendars for next year so you can enjoy the free educational entertainment. We did indulge in purchasing food at the festival. Most prices were reasonable. We spent about what we would have paid in a restaurant if we had dined out. Check out www.asianfestivaldc.com.
b-Hershey Park: Great amusement park for families with children of all ages. Fabulous rides for children under age 5. Not only is the park family-friendly, but it’s clean and offers a few ways to save. There are coupons at Dairy Queen for the one-day pass; however, we found the price of the 2-day pass to be reasonable. If you purchase your ticket after 5pm the day prior to entry, you can actually enter the park after 7:30 pm to preview. This can give you an extra 4 hrs in the park with smaller crowds. Three savings tips you can try are (1) request free tap water when you purchase park food, (2) bring your own snacks and water bottle into the park, and (3) use the $1 or $0.75 lockers (these are the least expensive lockers we found) across from the Boardwalk entry if you are going to enjoy the water park.
c-If you live in Northern VA, and you have children age 5 and younger, enjoy the free pumpkin climbing/exploring area at Nall’s Nursery and Produce on Beulah Road in Kingstowne (Alexandria). There’s no cost and the environment is perfect for little ones. Bring your camera!
d-Fall means local town festivals. Watch your newspaper for free festivals that feature local crafts, moon bounces, etc. Festivals can be a fun way to support local businesses while enjoying family time, seeing neighbors, etc. For example, Clifton Days in October is a large festival in Northern VA.
e-Fall means football at my house. We find lots of free and/or inexpensive family time watching high school football. If you bring your own snacks to the games, you can enjoy a fun evening for little or nothing. Some schools are located in areas where you can view games from outside the paid seating. This is especially fantastic for families with active, young children. You can throw a little football and watch a little of the game at no cost. Some schools allow free entry to children under age 4-6. We’ve “done it all” when it comes to watching high school football, and our kids have had a blast.
f-Another great way we’ve spent a few Fall Saturdays has been with my local college alumni club. If you enjoy college football, this can be a great way to share school spirit with your family in an affordable manner. My college views games at a sports pub. Thus, we can spend as little or nothing if we choose. We typically order an appetizer and our children bring their own drinks (juice boxes) to the viewing parties. Great fun for less than $10 in most cases! Did I mention this is a good way to network, too?
A couple of personal notes to encourage you to monitor your progress against goals. We went to our swimming pool 35 times this Summer, and the kids assert we went even more, except I didn’t get the dates recorded. Challenge yourself to monitor activities to ensure you “get your money’s worth.” We find that our pool membership is one of our best entertainment values!
If your child earned a coupon book from Fairfax County’s Summer Reading Program, be sure to enjoy some of the free treats. This gives your family freebies while allowing your child to see the fruit of his labor. Do something zany (which your kids will LOVE) and see if you can have an afternoon of excursions using multiple coupons, like putt-putt followed by an ice cream followed by a free pizza.
MISC
A few thoughts from The Eternity Portfolio by Alan Gotthardt. For those who like to monitor budget and investment portfolios, you will love Alan’s book. He approaches philanthropy in much the way an investor approaches the stock market. There are lots of stocks and bonds you can buy, but what you do select determines your return on investment. So with our charitable giving, the amount we give and the recipients of our philanthropy dictate the return, or what can be done. The Eternity Portfolio is about having a vision and strategy for your giving so that your gifts impact eternity.
Think about what encourages or motivates you. Some might think about donating to an organization that helps physical needs, like building orphanages or digging fresh water wells. Some folks might want to support efforts in evangelism or discipleship. Consider what types of ministries you like to involve yourself. Then, prayerfully consider financially supporting similar types of ministries. Keep a record of your giving each year, like in an EXCEL spreadsheet. Challenge yourself to give more and to get involved with organizations, such as volunteering or even joining the board of your local crisis pregnancy center. Before writing a check to any non-profit organization, do your homework and make certain your donation will be used to serve the purpose you intend versus administrative costs. Check out www.ministrywatch.com or www.generousgiving.org for information about ministries. Ensure the organization to donate to has proper accountability and accounting practices.
One thril I’ve enjoyed repeatedly over three decades of tithing and giving beyond the tithe is the joy of seeing the Lord use my gifts for His kingdom. My needs are always met by God’s incredible provision and I’m often blessed beyond my imagination for my willingness to donate my money and my time. Truly, the eternal return on investment can only be known in heaven. However, I can testify that there is a sense of joy in this life that exceeds any other to know you’ve been a faithful steward and participated in some ministry that has life-changing results.
“Do your giving while you’re living, so you’re knowing where it’s going.”– Mark Twain.
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My family would deeply appreciate your prayers as we adopt a son. We’re traveling this month overseas to get him. This has been an exciting time for my family as we have seen God open doors and provide loads of encouragement. Please pray for us as we adjust to a third child. This will be a new opportunity for me to steward my time and talents in the coming years!
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Blessings to you until we “meet” again in November, Lord willing!
If you have a church or civic organization, and you’re looking for a speaker, please keep me in mind. I’m excited about speaking to the Lake Ridge MOPS group in November 2007!
I would love to talk with you about the opportunity. Not only do I speak about financial matters, but I enjoy sharing about spiritual topics
Joy! Michele Buschman
“I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength” Philippians 4:12-13.