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No Pain No Debt
December 10, 2014
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It all adds up: even if she's set a Christmas budget there are so many extras not accounted for. Spending is up this year the experts say. Forbes Women warns of setting a holiday budget without remembering the extra essentials like cards, tape, wrapping paper, special food, clothes, and gas. It's one thing to plan for the gifts, but all these extras add up as well. Last year I put together a box for my mom complete with gifts, pictures, and ornaments made by the kids and a loaf of cranberry nut bread. I shipped early to ensure its arrival, but first class postage on this box of goodies came to $23.00. That's the cost of a gift for some people. Now when I shop I calculate how much extra it would cost to ship the gift myself; that's the big reasoning behind my sending gift cards: they fit nicely in the card I was planning on sending anyway so no extra cost is concurred. Statistics are now showing that a gift cards is not as welcome as they used to be.
Shopping always poses an impulse buy with so many merchants vying for business. There are brightly wrapped gifts under $20 all over the place along with the perfect stocking stuffer staring at you when you go to check out. It's a time to feel more generous and a time to go into debt, even deeper debt. The credit card association claims 72% of this year's shoppers will not be able to pay their bill in full come January. Meaning that extra $20 gift she grabbed could end up costing $100 if she doesn't pay it off in time. It's a harsh but true reality, and your gentle wisdom could be just the voice she needs in her ears to stop a potentially expensive exchange. She'll thank you come 2015.• Get more She Prep at www.ShePrep.com
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