Finding the Perfect Gifts

 

Christmas is a time of giving and receiving gifts. You may be both the giver and receiver.  If you are anything like me when I shop, I have a tendency to stumble upon things I would like when shopping for others.  Surprise! Surprise! These items I want have a way of finding their way into my shopping bag.   Although material gifts are beneficial, I know gifts of peace, joy, and love surpass them.  Somehow the comparison is bleak when you have a new sweater but peace, joy, and love are lacking. What gifts are you in need of finding for yourself this Christmas?

Recognize that money worries have a tendency to steal these precious gifts of peace, joy, and love.  What can you do to prevent this? One way which helped me break the cycle of worry is taking note of my thoughts. How do I think? What things do I say to myself?  In turn, I ask you the same question.  What kind of thoughts do you generate in your mind?

One of the greatest inspirational books ever written is The Power of Positive Thinking by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale.  When a book makes the bestsellers’ list you know it’s good.  When a book sells over 5 million copies, you may want read it. Amazing how much a book can offer a person when you have an open mind to what it is teaching. Dr. Peale’s commentary on the back cover states, “This book is written with the sole objective of helping the reader achieve a happy, satisfying, and worthwhile life.”  If money worries are taking away your ability to live a happy, satisfying, and worthwhile life, this book may offer some solutions.     

Ways of finding the perfect gift for yourself

The gift of peace is derived from a positive attitude.  Winston Churchill said, “Attitude is a little thing that makes a BIG difference.”  You will make significant progress by adopting a positive attitude.

 

The gift of joy comes from reading positive and encouraging resources, books, and articles.  Replacing negative thoughts with creative and healthy thoughts happens when you feed yourself a generous dose of inspiration.

 

The gift of love will propel you to be, to do, or have everything you want. The first chapter in Dr. Peale’s book starts with “Believe in Yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.” 

 

If you are hunting for these precious gifts, you may choose to follow a guiding light within you, a gentle nudge that will lead you in the right direction. However, it’s up to you to interpret which direction to take. Take stock of your life and live within your means. This is the best advice a financial planner can give. As the New Year approaches have faith and hope that your dreams will be attained. Perhaps they will not come as soon as you may like, but they will come.

Merry Christmas!

Ho! Ho! Ho! Are You Ready For Christmas

Every year Christmas comes as a financial shock (and burden) to many who are unprepared for the annual holiday even though everyone knows it is coming.  Judging by the calendar today, it soon will be here. Christmas should not catch us off guard. Here are some C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S tips to prepare you.

 

C H R I S T M A S

C – Create a Christmas list and budget early (now is a good time but preferably January).  Write the name of each person and set a price limit.  Tally up the total and revise the list if the budget is significantly high.  Discuss Christmas gifting with family members and friends.  Set protocol in regards to price limits, the concept of exchanging names, and conditions such as buying only for children and excluding adults.

H – Hunt for an appropriate gift for each person on your list. Once you know what you are buying, scout for the items all year around.  Ensure you are checking your list more than twice.  Keep your eyes open when you go on your regular shopping excursions.

R - Routinely “stash away cash” from each pay cheque to save for your Christmas expenditures.  Setting up automatic transfers to a separate “Christmas Savings” account is a sure way of preventing you from accessing the funds. To calculate the amount of your PAC (Pre-authorized Contribution), divide the amount of your budget by the number of pay cheques in a year.   By saving, you will not rely on credit cards and pay the high interest charges when the credit card balance is not paid in full. 

I - Investigate, investigate, investigate.  Treat Christmas shopping like a scavenger hunt.  Look for the best price (prices) in sales flyers, on-line, and in stores. Chat with family and friends about the items they own and places to shop.  Compare brands, features, warranties, and service. Consider everything which will secure a pleasing purchase. 

S – Stay smart about spending.  Ask yourself, “Will the recipient of this gift love me more if I spend more; and (or) less if I spend less?”  Seriously, if love and appreciation is determined by the cost of the gift, you need to re-evaluate your motives (or theirs).

T – Train yourself to say, “No!”  Do not allow yourself to give in to compulsive shopping.  Regardless of how cute something is; no matter how much Johnny would love a new toy; or “Gee, we only have one grandchild; let’s spoil her”, the answer should still be, “No!”  You are not Scrooge; you are Frugal.  There is a difference.  

M – Make Christmas fun by keeping it simple and sweet.  Keep the joy of Christmas and the intent of giving in proper context.  One gift or ten gifts ~~ maybe, just maybe, one gift would suffice and the other gift could be a contribution to your children’s education savings plan.  

A – Assess, assess, assess! People who are known to start Christmas shopping early in the year are also known to spend more than they intend. They simply forgot what they bought.  Is this you? Keep track of your purchases.  Another misconception is every child should receive gifts of equal monetary value.  No one except you will know how much you spent on a gift for one child as opposed to another.  Don’t make up the difference by buying more presents to ensure the purchases are equal.  You can’t compete with that logic.     

S – Stick to your Christmas Budget.  In the end you will be glad you did, for the simple reason that you will be stress-free.   Always remember: once this Christmas passes, you should start preparing for the next. 

From the tips above, you may take what you need and leave the rest.  If you do a great job, you may have enough money to buy yourself a Christmas present.  Nevertheless, enjoy the holidays with family and friends.  For this is the true gift of Christmas.