No Pain No Debt

It all adds up: even if she's set a Christmas budget there are so many extras not accounted for. 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 giftcards: they fit nicely in the card I was planning on sending anyway so not extra cost is concurred.

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 2011.

She buzz words

• fir
• Frosty
• fruitcake
• gift boxes
• gifts
• goodwill
• greetings

Right now she could be..

• Cleaning her carpets
• Hauling a box of decorations down from the attic
• Folding towels
• Getting her ears pierced

She could be a ...

• Nursing assistant
• retail salesperson
• customer service center representative
• tree farm worker
• bookstore employee
• post office clerk

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