Every year, I work with clients to create Holiday Spending Plans.

This has always been important, but with this year’s economy, Sandra Jensen, author of Guide To stress Free Holiday Entertaining says we can’t emphasize this enough!

In an unstable economy, it is dangerous and foolish to acquire debt. Especially now we should be managing our incomes as carefully as we can, and we should be saving for emergencies.

If these things concern you, or if you spent too much money on your Holidays last year and don’t want that burden hanging over your head again next year, now is the time to change that!

• Plan where and how you’ll celebrate the Holidays
• Determine to pay your November, December and January bills on time.
• Make your menus and grocery lists.
• Make your gift lists.
• Be realistic with how many people you can bless.
• Be realistic as to how much you’ll spend on each gift.
• Announce to your family and friends any changes you’re making this year. (Do it now before people start making purchases.)
• NEVER go into debt for gifts!

Be thoughtful and get creative with your gift-giving:

• Shop for bargains.
• Shop e-bay and other on-line discount places.
• Try making some of your own gifts.
• Give coupons for gifts of your time or talents.
• Remember, and teach your children the true meaning of Christmas.
• Practice selflessness, and stop selfishness.

Thanksgiving should be a great time of reflecting on the many things we have to be thankful for! Christmas should be a beautiful time of remembering the gift God gave us, His Son, Jesus Christ.  Hanukkah is the Jewish festival of lights. New Year’s should be a fun time of recalling triumphs of last year, and making plans for the new year.

These should be happy, peaceful times, not stressful or dreaded. The burden of debt is a real joy-stealer.

Decide NOW not to let debt rob you of your Holiday joy!

Sandra Jensen makes family meal time a priority and enjoys putting homecooked food on the table even when budgets and schedules are tight. Be sure to pick up Sandra’s newest ebook Stress Free Holiday Entertaining where she’ll provide you with tips and tricks to help you breeze through the Holidays and enjoy your friends and family for once.