Take it easy on Christmas shopping

No worries , we always buy little silly things like , darth vader shampoo, tights with cats on them , just funny stuff , and cheap because x mas is about being together not about the gifts

No. This is not why you are broke. One day a year or even a couple if you count birthdays and valentine's day are not why you are broke. I have yet to meet someone with financial issues that didn't fail themselves every day in 100 little ways. From eating out too often to getting prepackaged junk rather than staple foods those are the reasons people go broke. Not a splurge a couple times a year.

When I was living in Connecticut a few years ago just out of the military I was living paycheck to paycheck for almost a year. But guess what I was not broke due to spending several hundred on Xmas gifts. It was a planned expense month in advance as it is for many. I was broke but gaining ground because prior to leaving the military I wasted money in thousands of little ways.

So lets sum this up. In reality, you do not go broke due to a splurge day or even 5 or 6 of them. It's like getting fat. I didn't get fat because I ate a cheesecake once a year. I got fat because of a daily overabundance of calories. Same with finances. You do not go broke because of an occasional over spending. You go broke because of regular bad financial habits.

So why did I post this rebuttal when overall the message is a good one? I mean it's wise not to overspend on any day of the year never mind the temptation to do so being stronger this time of year. So why my response? Because the idea that it's a single or even a couple of times a year issue is one that many many people with money issues put forward all the time. But when you look at how they live it's often more of a series of bad habit than a couple of times a year issue. And I think that knowing this is very very important to getting people with money issues back on a good path.

In the last few years, I've been doing a lot of handmade gifts. Knitting hats/mittens/blankets, artwork, personalized RPG dice bags... I can usually use materials I already have, so it's less expensive. More time-consuming, but WAY more love.

Also, I followed that link, at it's the website of a financial self-help book.

Buys this and your financial troubles will be over!!!! Oh the irony....

Leah Starspectre wrote: Also, I followed that link, at it's the website of a financial self-help book.

Buys this and your financial troubles will be over!!!! Oh the irony....

Ha! didn't realize that. It's genius though, if you think about it. Maybe I should write a financial self-help book myself. :laugh:

MadHatter wrote: So why my response? Because the idea that it's a single or eve a couple of times a year issue is one that many many people with money issues put forward all the time.

You are correct. Thank you, I was letting myself slip into exactly the same habit you describe.

Leah Starspectre wrote: In the last few years, I've been doing a lot of handmade gifts. Knitting hats/mittens/blankets, artwork, personalized RPG dice bags... I can usually use materials I already have, so it's less expensive. More time-consuming, but WAY more love.

My wife and I are doing that this year and it's pretty awesome. I'm making a bunch of hollow secret compartment books for people. If you buy used books $30 can get you all the stuff you need to make half a dozen or so assuming that you don't already have some of the materials.

But.......but the poor books.....

I am now starting P.E.T.B! People for the Ethical Treatment of Books. #StopBookGenocide!

( Seriously creative project though )

I'm making up bathroom kits for all the women this Christmas. When I get home, I should be able to complete the rest of my handmade soaps. That's the hope at least lol. They would be fairly easy, except that I'm trying to make them look unique (snowflakes inside of the soap). Pretty awesome though

So why did I post this rebuttal when overall the message is a good one? I mean it's wise not to overspend on any day of the year never mind the temptation to do so being stronger this time of year. So why my response? Because the idea that it's a single or even a couple of times a year issue is one that many many people with money issues put forward all the time. But when you look at how they live it's often more of a series of bad habit than a couple of times a year issue. And I think that knowing this is very very important to getting people with money issues back on a good path.

I'm happy to ride the coat tails of this one, and add a little more:

Not "indulging" appropriately at times can have a worse effect -

You may say to yourself "Well, I can do this next thing, because I didn't spend big at another point in time"

If you saved $200 previously, but you use the excuse five times for $50 events...well you're still behind, and now you're behind and you have not taught yourself good habits, possibly even reinforced bad ones.


(It's a shoddy example, I'll grant, but it's all you get this early in the morning)



As for Christmas, such as it is - My gift is generally the pleasure of my company (which actually costs me several hundred dollars and many hours* to travel around the place visiting folks)

*as in days. I'm calculating 38-44 hours on the highway between towns this holiday - around 5 business days :dry:

Maybe they're just being polite, but I've never had anyone tell me they would have preferred a gift card or a new set of headphones.

I'm making up bathroom kits for all the women this Christmas.

Contrary to popular opinion, Men use bathrooms too and, thanks to oppression, many are uncomfortable about the idea of buying luxury self-care products for themselves.

Do the men in your life a favour and give them bathroom kits too. They might act macho at the time, but they'll appreciate the soft skin and smooth feet later on.