No More Debt This Christmas - part 2

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… part 2 of the article by Vera Lang

3. Go back to the library, or peruse on your own book shelves to find some poetry books.
Copy favorite poems on pretty cards that you already own, or on decorative papers that you find around the home. Yes, even newsprint can be made to look decorative when combined with other papers, cords, stamps, ribbons, etc.

You’ll have a lovely time reading and selecting the poems for friends. For family members, open your poem-cards at Christmas morning together with the other handmade presents, for a very personal touch. You can write them on your own handmade paper (from recycled newsprint, water & white flour).

4. Put some wholesome holiday stories books in a special basket in your family room.
If you don’t already own some, again, pick them up at your public or school library.
Read a story every day with the family all on the sofa. Sure, you can actually live like in the movies.

5. Find out where & when some nice choirs will be singing holiday carols locally.
Take the whole family along to go listen. Invite cousins to come & have hot chocolates at your home afterwards.
Tip: look for carols wholesome places like community centers, schools and churches. Avoid carols at malls, as they may trigger your prior ‘I’ve got to go shopping’-compulsion.

6. Go for walks in nature when the sun is out.
November is often a beautiful fall time, when the trees change colors. It is for sure to lift your spirits.
Avoid any temptation to go to the mall. Maintain your lovely, stress-free holiday spirit.

7. Invent other presents that don’t cost you a dime. For example, Tape 5 - 10 episodes of your child’s favorite TV show and put them on a DVD. Respect copyright laws, and only implement this idea for your own-family’s personal use. Decorate the jewel box with hand-drawn or decoupaged images of the characters.

8. If all this ‘no more shopping’ makes you feel ‘guilty’ because you ‘ought to’ buy tons of gifts, here’s a simple perspective-building kind of activity: hold a winter coat rally amongst your friends, family and neighbors.
Coats, hats, mittens, scarves and gloves are all welcome at homeless shelters in winter. Last year we did this, and it for sure changed our perspective on what XMAS is all about. Our daughter now sees shelters as logical places for the cloths and toys she’s outgrown.

9. If you insist on acquiring new toys for your kids, place a few posts for what you want for them for free at
http://www.craigslist.com or http://www.freecycle.org. If you do this early, you’ll have plenty of time for pick-up.

10. If you insist on giving your children presents, consider giving them home made ‘gift certificates’ for necessary big expenditures in the upcoming year. For example, if your son will be going to see his cousins this summer, let’s Santa give him a ‘flight gift certificate’. You can make the gift package look like a little plane and build lots of fun around the theme. Don’t invent additional expenses! The idea is for you to learn to giving without spending.

Those are my 10 tips for a joyful holiday season, all free and family-oriented, honoring the spirit of XMAS.

I know that for many people, ‘making’ rather than ‘buying’ gifts is a revolutionary new concept. As with all new concepts, they might need a bit of thought before we are ready to buy into it. Don’t shop till you drop in the meanwhile. You should just try it this year, and adjust the concept to suit you perfectly for the next couple of years, till all your debt is paid off.

Try this route - it’s your least stressful option out there.

11. IF YOU INSIST TO BUY anything for Christmas that goes beyond the budget that you’ve given yourself in step 1, then you will have to make some extra money for Christmas. And you can. There are plenty of odd-jobs to be had this season, all the way from gutter cleaners, garden help, to shop assistants, bookkeepers or babysitters.

If you are taking out an extra job, I suggest you turn some of your income into gold. That means putting the first 50% in a savings account for your future, if you’re debt-free. If you do have credit card debt, by using the first 50% to reduce your debt load. The other 50%: spend it, guilt-free and stress-free, on anything except ‘impulse purchases’.

Saving is a learned behavior resulting from a mind-set. Unless you learn to take a certain percentage of ALL the money that comes in and set it aside, you’re likely to continue to overspend. Break free now. Don’t add to your debt this holiday season.

Remind yourself that, sure, holiday decorations, treats and presents are nice, but the best you can give to your children is a debt-free & a stress-free home, with lots of love!

Happy Holidays.

c Copyright NoDebtAnymore.org

About the Author

Vera Lang is a writer for Debt Help - a site committed to helping you become debt-free. We hope this article has given you a head-start in the right direction. In the New Year, check out the web site for help with your financial New Year’s resolutions.

Enjoy this article? Read Vera’s other informative stories about home and family life at
Child and Parenting Advice and True Love. You’ll find lots of ideas, tips and solutions for child development and relationships. Sign up for their free newsletters!

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December 16 2007 12:24 am | Budgeting and Credit Card and Debt Solutions and Money Management and No More Debt

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