TIPS TO A BUDGET FRIENDLY HOLIDAY SEASON
I'm no professional budgeter, trust me. I like to enjoy my money here, cause I know it ain't going with me in the end. The older I become, though, the more frugal I get. Here is my two cents when it comes to a budget friendly holiday season--cause who doesn't like to have money left over when the holidays are all said and done?!
1) If you don't remember anything else that I've said about your holiday season and budget, remember this: don't lose sight of the reason for our Christmas celebration. JESUS is the REASON for the SEASON.
"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and we will call him Immanuel." --Isaiah 7:14
Let your Christmas celebrations also be a time of Thanksgiving for the multitude of blessings in your life. It's so easy to lose sight of the real meaning of Christmas with the way the media markets Christmas. When I'm feeling frustrated that I can't go buy everyone the most spectacular, expensive gift....when I'm frustrated that it's not practical to go buy all new Christmas decorations.....when I'm frustrated that we didn't get new lights for our shrubs.....when I'm frustrated that there aren't enough hours in the day to play the good elf....I simply remember the REAL meaning of my celebration, and it always puts it back into perspective for me.
2) Shop with cash. Once you've created a list of gifts, taking cash on your shopping excursion will help provide a visual for your spending.
3) Don't hesitate to give a baked or homemade gift. Baked goods (cookies, fudge, candies, breads, etc) can be so inexpensive to make, and I believe they make gift-receivers feel all warm and fuzzy inside :)
Without having children around at the holidays, Alan and I like to spoil each other--we do a good job of it! I know that there will be more pressure to provide GREAT gifts once we have children. My wish for our family is that Christmas will always stay about Jesus, our family, and our traditions...and, of course, that we never fall in the downward spiral of letting it get out of control in a worldly sense.
That's the only wisdom I got for y'all. Sorry for the seriousness of the post, I'll get off my soapbox now :)
.....by the way, as your reading this, I'm up in a tree stand waiting on the perfect deer to come along. As of this moment, they are predicting the temperature to be 23-degrees about the time I'm getting to the woods. Yikes! Say a little prayer that a nice big buck with 8+ points comes along :)
I'm no professional budgeter, trust me. I like to enjoy my money here, cause I know it ain't going with me in the end. The older I become, though, the more frugal I get. Here is my two cents when it comes to a budget friendly holiday season--cause who doesn't like to have money left over when the holidays are all said and done?!
1) If you don't remember anything else that I've said about your holiday season and budget, remember this: don't lose sight of the reason for our Christmas celebration. JESUS is the REASON for the SEASON.
"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and we will call him Immanuel." --Isaiah 7:14
Let your Christmas celebrations also be a time of Thanksgiving for the multitude of blessings in your life. It's so easy to lose sight of the real meaning of Christmas with the way the media markets Christmas. When I'm feeling frustrated that I can't go buy everyone the most spectacular, expensive gift....when I'm frustrated that it's not practical to go buy all new Christmas decorations.....when I'm frustrated that we didn't get new lights for our shrubs.....when I'm frustrated that there aren't enough hours in the day to play the good elf....I simply remember the REAL meaning of my celebration, and it always puts it back into perspective for me.
2) Shop with cash. Once you've created a list of gifts, taking cash on your shopping excursion will help provide a visual for your spending.
3) Don't hesitate to give a baked or homemade gift. Baked goods (cookies, fudge, candies, breads, etc) can be so inexpensive to make, and I believe they make gift-receivers feel all warm and fuzzy inside :)
Without having children around at the holidays, Alan and I like to spoil each other--we do a good job of it! I know that there will be more pressure to provide GREAT gifts once we have children. My wish for our family is that Christmas will always stay about Jesus, our family, and our traditions...and, of course, that we never fall in the downward spiral of letting it get out of control in a worldly sense.
That's the only wisdom I got for y'all. Sorry for the seriousness of the post, I'll get off my soapbox now :)
.....by the way, as your reading this, I'm up in a tree stand waiting on the perfect deer to come along. As of this moment, they are predicting the temperature to be 23-degrees about the time I'm getting to the woods. Yikes! Say a little prayer that a nice big buck with 8+ points comes along :)
6 comments:
i love it when people at work bake cookies for presents! it brightens my day and i get to enjoy a wonderful little snack!
OMG! You are nuts! Hunting?! In that weater?! Whoa! Haha!!
Great tips! I hope you have fun hunting! I could never be quite enough to hunt :)
I'm an Oklahoma girl as well :)
I was reading your bio thinking, omgosh I wish we were friends! Haha... I hunt, I love Jesus, the outdoors, and pink :) seriously you are lovely! hope you had a great thanksgiving and i can't wait to keep reading on your lovely little life!
you were in a tree? with an actual gun? that actually shoots something out? I had no idea you were a hunter. You crazy! :) Hope you had a good time. I'm gonna be honest, I prayed you would not shoot anything. Makes me sad :(
great tips!
i'm your newest follower from the 12 days of christmas challenge.
i'd love for you to stop by my blog and follow back!
http://diaryofadevildogwife.blogspot.com
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