Merry Paid-For Christmas 2010

[ProfMoneyWise]

"Paid-For Christmas"

Don't put one present under that tree that you haven't paid for in full.

Don't let any of those over whom you have any influence put one present under your tree that they have not paid for in full.

Let your cash be your guide. If you don't have the cash, don't buy it.

As a friend of mine says, "if your plan is to pay for it tomorrow then why not wait until tomorrow to buy it?"

Merry Paid-For Christmas 2010 - Be part of the Club

More to come . . .

 

[millertc]

"Paid-For Christmas"

Don't put one present under that tree that you haven't paid for in full.

Don't let any of those over whom you have any influence put one present under your tree that they have not paid for in full.

Let your cash be your guide. If you don't have the cash, don't buy it.

As a friend of mine says, "if your plan is to pay for it tomorrow then why not wait until tomorrow to buy it?"

Merry Paid-For Christmas 2010 - Be part of the Club

More to come . . .

 

[Bann]

"Paid-For Christmas"

Don't put one present under that tree that you haven't paid for in full.

Don't let any of those over whom you have any influence put one present under your tree that they have not paid for in full.

Let your cash be your guide. If you don't have the cash, don't buy it.

As a friend of mine says, "if your plan is to pay for it tomorrow then why not wait until tomorrow to buy it?"

Merry Paid-For Christmas 2010 - Be part of the Club

More to come . . .

I positively refuse to go into debt for Christmas!

 

[vraiblonde]

My Christmas will not only be paid for, but I will actually make something off the deal. Points and cashbacks are awesome when you pay your cc bill in full each month.

 

[Bann]

My Christmas will not only be paid for, but I will actually make something off the deal. Points and cashbacks are awesome when you pay your cc bill in full each month.

 

[ProfMoneyWise]

December 4, 2010 - Do you hear it? Is that voice starting to creep in between your ears and saying things to you like:

"the kids have been good this year,"

"she/he will love it,"

"oh heck it's Christmas" and

"you know what? It's a good deal, they will be thrilled and darn it I work hard, I'll figure out how to pay for it after . . . "

Put another voice in your head that says,

"but this money is not mine. I owe this to those I have already borrowed from,"

"the reaction I get on Christmas morning sure won't be there the next day when the bill arrives,"

"I'm sure it is a good deal, but to buy on credit is to agree to pay more than they are asking" and

"if I had a hard time making ends meet in November what on earth changes just because there are Christmas Carols on the radio?"

Merry "Paid-For" Christmas . . . lot's of room here in our club, join us.

 

[vraiblonde]

A bunch of Christmases ago, when my daughter was very young, she wanted this doll that did all sorts of "real baby" stuff - we referred to her as "Baby Fart and Puke". Anyway, she really wanted this doll and talked about it all the time. Unfortunately it was $50, which I could not afford at the time.

Then I thought, screw it, in 10 years I will not remember that $50 but I *will* remember my daughter's joy when she finds BF&P under the tree.

And I was right.

BF&P got played with for approximately 90 seconds, then she went into the closet. But for just a moment my daughter was completely happy because she had gotten her heart's desire.

So let's not get too carried away with this Scroogy penny pinching, because you cannot put a price tag on happy memories.

 

[BOP]

"Paid-For Christmas"

Don't put one present under that tree that you haven't paid for in full.

Don't let any of those over whom you have any influence put one present under your tree that they have not paid for in full.

Let your cash be your guide. If you don't have the cash, don't buy it.

As a friend of mine says, "if your plan is to pay for it tomorrow then why not wait until tomorrow to buy it?"

Merry Paid-For Christmas 2010 - Be part of the Club

More to come . . .

Why do you hate America?

j/k

Sound advice

 

[vince77]

I paid $50 for 90 seconds of enjoyment when I was younger.....but just in that moment.

 

[ProfMoneyWise]

Think back. Do you really remember every gift you ever received?

In other words, piling presents on the kids is going to be lost on them in the long run. While the memories of gifts will fade, the damage to your personal finance can last forever.

A friend once told her Mother that she remembered years when the presents were so plentiful they spilled out far from the tree. Her Mother told her, "no, those were the years things were lean and instead of stacking them we speced them out to make it look like there was more than there really was."

Funny what ends up being a memory.

Merry "Paid-For" Christmas

 

[ProfMoneyWise]

Tell friends and family you're opting out of the gift exchange this year because you are addressing your debt. You may be surprised and by some be met with a sigh of relief and kindred spirit.

If you're embarrassed it should be about being in debt, not about opting out of gift giving.

Opting out is a must if you are truly changing your behavior.

 

[ProfMoneyWise]

Presents under your tree that aren't paid for in full don't belong there.

To buy on credit and call it a gift is giving debt.

If you buy her a gift on credit and she buys you a gift on credit you double down your debt.

"Debt the halls with tons of credit . . . ?"

"Over the limit and through the . . . ?"

Not the verses to the songs I want to think about.

Merry Paid-For Christmas . . . it really is catching on.

 

[ProfMoneyWise]

Want a memorable gift idea?

Becoming debt-free is a great gift to your family. Write a letter to them, sign it, and put it under the tree to be opened and read on Christmas morning.

One couple collected all loan/CC statements and wrapped them individually and placed them under the tree. On Christmas morning they sat and opened each and vowed it would be different. This was two years ago and they now only have one loan to open on Christmas morning . . . their home mortgage. They have made a promise to themselves that this one will be gone by next Christmas. I believe them.

Merry Paid-For Christmas

 

[ProfMoneyWise]

Used to be the bills would not show up until February. Technology is making everything faster.

To add insult to injury the bills for things are showing up in advance of the item and well before Christmas.

Ho, Ho, Ho, huh?

Merry Paid For Christmas.

 

[karen_grip]

Merry "paid for" Christmas. I love this idea.

 

[ProfMoneyWise]

You are out of debt, have an emergency fund of three to six months living expenses,funding your retirement, kids education needs taken care of.

Good Job

Christmas Gift to Self Idea: Commit today to begin paying off your house.

Yes, you can live in a paid-for house. Our Grandparents would shake their heads at us for not understanding this, and our Great-Grandparents would be shocked and disbelieving we don't already know this.

Own where you sleep . . . all of it. Make your house value really mean YOUR house value.

Merry Paid-For Christmas

 

[ProfMoneyWise]

Christmas Elves named "Yeah But . . ." and "I Want" are out in force this close to Christmas.

What sounds like spirited elfish laughter today will be be unveiled to be out loud guffaws and pointed fingers at you for falling for it on December 26th.

Let your cash be your guide. If you don't have it, don't buy it.

And by the way if you have it in your pocket but have debt the cash is not yours then either. You are just holding onto it for the credit card, car loan, student loan, HELOC, or that friend you borrowed it from.

A regular sensible mortgage is tolerabe but the rest makes no sense (pun intended).

Stay strong if you have played along. Still plenty of time for "Yeah But" and "I Want" to sneak in and ruin the holiday for you.

Merry Paid-For Christmas

 

[ProfMoneyWise]

Christmas Gift To Self Idea: Instead of living paycheck to paycheck live on last month’s income.

It takes some discipline. You save up enough money to cover a month's worth of living expenses. When you have that amount saved you pay bills with that money.

At the same time you deposit your current paycheck in the same account.

You're always a month ahead and it’s a Christmas gift that gives all year long.

Merry Paid For Christmas.

 

[ProfMoneyWise]

You might think a new car is a great Christmas gift. But, ask yourself:

Would you rather have a $40,000 car and $5,000 in the bank or a $5,000 car and $40,000 in the bank?

Another thing nice about $5,000 cars is they are PAID-FOR in full, which is how your Christmas should be this year and forever more.

Merry Paid-For Christmas.

 

[Aerogal]

Didn't expect the truck to get hit and totalled 2 weeks ago, but used the ins, some cash & rest borrowed to bring down the cost on a negotiated down 2010 dealer demo. At least I got 1.9% and low enough payments to make additional ones on the principal.
Sometimes you just have to.

BTW- when's the best time to make that extra payment? I say right after the regular payment gets posted. Do you agree?