Prepping for the Holidays 10/16

More than a month has zipped right by since the last thread I posted about the Holidays, time is flying! even more reason to do as much preparing as we can for the upcoming season!

Do you have your list of gift recipients together? Keep in mind, this list doesn't have to mean you are buying everyone a gift. Maybe it includes people you are going to bake for. It costs less money, but your time is valuable.

Next to your people on the list why not write down a dollar amount (if they are going to receive a gift) or a bake item, write down any ideas you have. Are you crafty? Maybe it's something you will make for them?

I find it the list helpful, so while I am out & about over the next few weeks, maybe I will see something on sale that I had on my list? Or, if you plan to bake, look for coupons, pick up the groceries you need for these type of gifts. Most of these items have a long shelf life.

So, once you've got your ideas.....where the HECK is this money supposed to come from? Do you have money set aside for the Holidays? If not, there are creative ways you can get some.

How about, selling some items on ebay. There is still time to sell stuff, get paid and then shop with your proceeds. Ebay isn't for you? You can sell some scrap jewelry. Do you have credt card reward points to redeem? Do you have any other membership rewards to cash in? Do you have gift cards that were given to you that haven't been used yet? Or that you have no desire to use? You can spend them on someone else, or just regift the card.

Say you have no cash, no scrap jewelry, you're not crafty and just the thought of the holidays makes you want to crawl under the covers!!! If you have people in your life that you still want to acknowledge at the holidays, make it in a spend free way. Why not make homemade coupons? Give your parents a gift of your time, run some errands for them. What about giving your best girlfriend an in home manicure? Think about the people in your life and what would make them smile.

And if it comes down to not being able to, or just not wanting to (you have that right you know) give anything to anyone, take the pressure off yourself and send a note to the people in your life that expect things from you, and tell them. A simple, "I am cutting back this holiday season and am going to exclude myself from exchanging gifts this year. I hope we can still celebrate the season together in other ways" Just calling someone to wish them a healthy & happy season is gift enough. You never know the person receiving your note might breathe a sigh of relief, they may have no money either and have been trying to figure out what credit card they can use to charge everything.