"Paid For" Christmas

[ProfMoneyWise]

Make some deals. Tell anyone who is buying you a gift to pay down their debt instead. Tell them you'll do the same on your end of the arrangement.

I've been asked in the past how one does this. I say be up front and if you have friends or family who are struggling you just say it.

I have those who argue, "but I don't want to offend anyone." To them I say:

"If a friend was about to step into traffic or off a ledge would you warn or help them? If yes would you do it nicely or would you jerk them back with as much force as it took to save them? Funny how we don’t equate those close to us making dumb financial moves with the same line of thinking."

Paid-For Christmas . . . spread the word!

 

[ProfMoneyWise]

Christmas Gift Idea: If you are out of debt except for the house, commit today to begin paying off your house early.

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.

Housing is usually our largest monthly expense. It used to to be common practice to pay cash for housing. This turned into having a mortgage but having the mortgage paid before retiring. Now many retire with a mortgage and hope their retirement income is enough to carry them and their mortgage. Remove the worry, get the house paid off and own where you sleep.

 

[ProfMoneyWise]

You don't diet and exercise for a month and then gorge for a week without degrading the hard work and sacrifice you put in prior.

You can't go through the pain of not smoking for weeks ane then go out on a Saturday night and smoke a pack and help your chances of quitting.

But I have never met a former smoker who does not still think about a cigarette from time to time. I have never met a person who has dropped a lot of weight who does not still like chocolate cake.

However, I have never met a person who got out of debt and in control of their personal spending and finance who wants to go back to those ways.

Don't blow the "Paid For Christmas" work you have done thus far on this final weekend.

If you don't have the money in your hands don't buy the present. Use your stash of cash as your guide. All you have to lose is the bill arriving in January. Or as a friend of mine is known to say, "if you plan on paying for it tomorrow then wait until tomorrow to buy it."

Paid For Christmas . . . spread the word.

 

[punchbuggy]

I have to agree with ProfitMoneyWise. I paid for all gifts with cash and bought one or two gifts each pay day starting in September. Our family is supporting making a gift or re-gifting something IF you choose to give at all.

 

[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.

 

[ProfMoneyWise]

A fresh blanket of snow, a warm home, paid for presents under the tree, a full pantry of food, nowhere of any importance to be and no debt. As in beholden to no one financially.

Now don't get bored today and go crazy buying things on credit on the internet. Go shovel the drive instead. This will save you from messing up the "Paid For Christmas" you have going and you will get some exercise as well.

Paid For Christmas . . . stay strong!

 

[terbear1225]

read an article recently about filling stockings with things you find around the house that people have forgot they have instead of buying more junk they'll forget about. Haven't had a chance to look myself but the spouse says he found lots of stuff.

 

[bohman]

read an article recently about filling stockings with things you find around the house that people have forgot they have instead of buying more junk they'll forget about. Haven't had a chance to look myself but the spouse says he found lots of stuff.

Not exactly...I found stuff that will be made into a present, though.

 

[MDTerps]

"Paid-For Christmas"

Don't put one present under that tree that you haven't paid for in full. This is your life, take control.

This will be a continuing thread this months as the giving and receiving of debt for Christmas (i.e. buying gifts on credit, receiving gifts bought on credit) is not conducive to good personal finance.

Join the "Paid For" Christmas Movement. There are not many of us, we have room for more.

ALL of the gifts I brought the last 3 years have been paid for in cash.

 

[ProfMoneyWise]

Christmas Gift to Self Idea: Start a Home Maintenance Fund. Set it up to always total 1% to 3% of your home's value and keep it separate to handle all things related to home maintenance and upkeep.

If your home is older, lean toward 3% as your total. It's yet another shield against life’s happenings.

I call mine my "Dumbo, DRANO and FLAME-O" account. It is for things I break, things that plug and things that need gas.

Mower gas, furance filters, light bulbs, batteries, paint, plants, etc, are not emergencies so don't touch your emergency fund for these items. You know they will be needed, you know stuff will break, plan for it and fund it up[ front. And as always if you set it aside and don't have to use it guess what? It is still yours.

 

[ProfMoneyWise]

The Financial Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future.

If you're not learning from the Past how to plan in the Present for a bright Future, your Christmases to come won't be worth looking forward to.

If you don't learn from the mistakes you made in the past you leave your financial future to chance and that's irresponsible, impacting not just you but those depending on you.

 

[ProfMoneyWise]

Collect all your credit card statements, put them in a box, and put the box under the Christmas tree.

Open the box on Christmas morning and stare at those statements. Vow that next Christmas will be different.

This gift is for you and your family. Each Christmas from this point forward will be better financially. This is a great gift to give and receive.

Paid For Christmas is ever so close. Don't blow it at this stage. It only takes one swipe of the card to turn "jingle bells" today into "juggle bills" tomorrow.

 

[happyappygirl]

read an article recently about filling stockings with things you find around the house that people have forgot they have instead of buying more junk they'll forget about. Haven't had a chance to look myself but the spouse says he found lots of stuff.

I did that one year, and couldn't NOT giggle when he opened and ohhed and ahh'd over them. Hubs was REAL mad, but he never lets gifts go unused, unopened or unreturned now

Last 2 Xmases have been all cash since I stopped 'making Xmas wonderful' every year for my GROWN up kiddos. They weren't too happy about it but I am

 

[ProfMoneyWise]

Most people actually find money when they put pen to paper and do a real budget. Money always makes a nice gift. Why don’t you give yourself some this Christmas?

Name every dollar on paper on purpose. Tell your money where to go instead of wondering where it went. Become the Boss of you. Don't ever say, "I have no idea where the money goes" again. Why? Because you do know where it goes, you just have to admit it to the person in the mirror.

"Paid For Christmas" is so close. Don't swipe that card unless it says "Debit" on it. Don't hit "Enter" on that on-line purchase unless you are using an account with real money. You are so close, don't mess it up at the finish line!

 

[ProfMoneyWise]

Merry PAID-FOR Christmas!

May your day be blessed with good fortune, good people, hearty laughter and personal contentment.

 

[punchbuggy]

To ProfMoneyWise: Thank you for all of your posts. They are encouraging & oh so true!!! I was feeling so bad spending so little this year (cash only). After reading your posts and talking to some friends I realized I was right on track. Some of my friends mentioned all of these wonderful gifts they bought for family. In the next breath I hear that they'll be paying for it all year because they used their charge cards. They've had debt problems from the get go and just added to it. It's not worth it to me to charge and all of our friends and family were thankful for the gifts they received from us. Keep up the posts! Happy New Year!!