Avoid Emotional Spending During the Holidays
The most wonderful time of the year is upon us, bringing thoughts of family, friends and cherished traditions. That means different things to different people. There are nativities, twinkling trees, “parties for hosting, marshmallows for toasting and caroling out in the snow.” There are menorahs to light as night falls during Hanukkah and latkes sizzling on stoves. There are kinaras to illuminate and feasts to prepare for Kwanzaa. The list goes on.
Our traditions may differ, but they tend to run deep, tapping into childhood memories and strong emotions. And before we know it, all the cooking, shopping and celebrating can make it the most expensive time of the year! That can be especially true for service members and their families. The season may find you living away from family and friends, settling into a new duty station, celebrating long distance due to deployment, or spending money to host or visit loved ones. Emotions run high this time of year and can lead to sticker shock when the bills arrive later. Fortunately, doing some advance planning and seeking support can make a big difference. Try these tips:
*Set a holiday budget and stick to it. Having a plan establishes boundaries and helps with prioritizing. You don’t have to do it on your own. Reach out to your installation’s Family Center to make an appointment with your personal financial manager or counselor. These accredited professionals provide no-cost, trusted personal financial counseling. Call today.
* Speak with your family members and friends before the shopping season about plans to stick to a holiday budget and set up agreements on limits. You will probably find them to be glad that you did.
* Talk to someone who understands the challenges with family separation around the holidays — and throughout the year. The Military and Family Life Counseling Program assists service members, their families and survivors with flexible non-medical, no-cost counseling. Counselors are trained to understand the unique challenges you encounter. Services are confidential, not reported to the command and do not impact a service member’s security clearance.
* Focus on the reason for the season — whatever that means for you — and less on spending. You might send postcards and small souvenirs from your new duty station instead of buying and mailing expensive presents to family members and friends back home. You could share an experience, such as attending a performance or visiting a historical site. You might have a local or long-distance cookie exchange as your gift to each other.
* Make gifts. Homemade presents are often the ones we cherish. Give out jars of your prized preserves, homemade hot sauce, or bread and butter pickles. Pair your famous pumpkin bread with a recipe card. Love to knit? Make mittens, hats and scarves. Paint, draw, take portraits, write a poem, create ornaments — the options are endless. Think about inviting others in your military community to join you for a crafting session — you might gain the gift of new friendships.
* Give your time. Time is money, as they say, and gifting some of yours can save you cash. Create festive coupons recipients can “cash in” for babysitting, dog walking, your homemade lasagna, a movie at home, a coffee date — get creative. Consider volunteering, too, for an organization you care about. Helping others will help you meet people and ease any homesickness you may be feeling.
* Take advantage of technology. Service members and their families used to have to rely on snail mail to communicate across the miles. Today, you can connect virtually, using your smartphones to see your favorite faces and places while you talk, and keep each other close through videos and texts.
Make it a holiday season to remember without dreading the arrival of your bills! Follow the Office of Financial Readiness for more financial resources and @DoDFINRED on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Medium.
Written by Katherine, who celebrated childhood holidays on the move with her military family.
