Well, December is here
and this is the holiday season. This is the month for merry making, get aways,
partying and generally just having lots of fun. Granted Jesus was born during
this month and for Christians, this is pretty significant; He is after all the
son of God and our Savior. But we all know most of what we do has little to do
with Jesus.
I love the holidays/
December because it is the month families get together and catch up. It is the
time most people get time away from work or school and can distress. It is Christmas
season so there is lots of cheer and a general atmosphere if fun. But it is
also a time when we spend the most and due to poor planning; most of us end up
having financially stressful Januarys and Februarys.
How do we go about our
December spending and reduce the level of financial stress in the first months
of the next year? As usual, my fist point of any ‘how to’ is planning. Without planning, you are almost a lost cause
and maybe have to wait until the next December after reading this article to
reap from my two cents advice. What do I mean by panning? December is always
eleven months away from January. So think eleven months prior. What would you
like to do for your next holiday season when you have enough time away from
work or out of school? What does it
entail? How much will it cost? Is it a group thing or an individual thing? How
can you start saving to reach that target? The sooner you start planning for
this the better.
Let’s say you have
been ahead of the game this year and planned for December? You have your
holiday fund nicely tucked away and are ready to party and make merry? First of
all good for you because let’s face it, most of us cannot afford the December
spending spree on our regular income because holiday or not, the bills still
have to get paid. So how do you go about spending so that you get the maximum
benefit out of your money while making sure you do not overspend and end up
eating into the non-holiday fund? Remember the non-holiday fund has to
untouched because January bills still have to be paid.
First and foremost,
spend within your means. Don’t blow it all in one day at a pricey place that is
way out of your league and be back at square zero the next day. The holiday
season is generally from 20th December to 3rd January.
That’s two weeks so pace yourself.
Being December,
everyone is out to make some money. Be very careful that you are not
overcharged or taken advantage of just for this reason. Pay for goods and
services at their fair price and if you feel you are being overcharged,
consider changing shop or venue. You do not want some establishment eating a
big chunk out of your holiday fund in its quest to make mad profits during the
season.
Go Dutch. Yes I know
it is Christmas and you are feeling generous and want to treat your friends.
But who will treat you when you are already out of cash and still have a number
of days before the end of the holidays. Treat your friends once in a while, it
is allowed. But also split the bill as much as possible. This way your holiday
fund will last as intended.
Look for good deals.
Just like you are feeling generous, most shops and establishments will be
bitten by the generosity holiday bug and will be giving away good deals. Look
out for offers such as buy one get one free or free drinks for first 20 patrons
etc. This is a great way to ensure your holiday fund stretches out.
Make early bookings. I
know we are proudly Kenyans but this culture of last minute rushes does us more
harm than good. Remember my point about businesses being out to make mad
profits? There best way for them to manage this is catch you when you are
desperate and the last minute rush makes you desperate. Book your tickets,
venues, supplies etc. in advance so that you get them at the normal price.
Last but not least,
give back to society. It is Christmas, you have had a long year, worked hard
and God has sustained you throughout the year.
Be thankful to Him and celebrate His Son’s birth by sharing with the
less fortunate. As Jesus said, whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers…that
you do unto me.
Happy Holidays!
