Mother’s Day on a Budget

Posted on May 6, 2013 by karennelson

It’s that time of year again…Spring Clean Up; Window washing, clearing the yard of winter’s remnants and dusting off the grill. AND it’s also nearing Mother’s Day.

Mother’s Day doesn’t need to equate to presents. The gift of presence is SO much more valuable. Consider all the special women in your life – it may be your Mom, an Aunt, a dear neighbor…give of yourself to show how much you appreciate them.

Here are some suggestions for Mother’s Day on a budget:

• Offer to help clean up the yard or wash the windows.

• Bake a cake and delight your honoree. You don’t have to be a master baker, there are box mixes that can be easy to use and easy on the pocket book.

• Find a favorite photograph and frame it. It captures a special moment that will bring joy every time she looks at it.

• A plant for in the house – or one for outside. If you watch the stores there are great bargains this time of year.

• Offer to cook a meal. They’d be thrilled – even if you used their pantry! (Personal opinion of course).

• Make a card. Sound corny? Remind you of grade school? Believe me – no matter the age, a personal card is heartwarming

Whatever you do to acknowledge her – coming from the heart is priceless.

 

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Ways to Guarantee a Great Family Vacation

Posted on April 22, 2013 by karennelson

Family vacations. These two words can evoke memories that stand up the hairs on the back of your neck, or bring a huge smile to your face and a “warm fuzzy” all over.

Now that our children are grown and moved out I think back to vacations we took. Snippets of images captured on film can help recall a snap-shot. We traveled on a budget – no five star resorts or huge theme parks for us.

Camping – my family loved it, my back hated it. But, the boys building the fire and proudly roasting marshmallows – priceless. Exploring in the nearby woods for treasures or big brother helping his younger brother cast out his Snoopy fishing rod; I wouldn’t trade it for that theme park packed with tourists.

Whichever way you go – embrace the time you have without breaking the bank. You won’t regret it.

6 Ways to Guarantee a Fabulous Family Vacation

By Mary Hunt on 04/16/13

When I was a kid, vacation meant four kids crammed into the back seat of a sedan, poking and elbowing one another while counting the miles between rest stops.

Things have changed dramatically since then. But even with onboard DVDs, spacious minivans, air travel, cruises and theme parks, family vacations can be either delightful or disastrous. It all depends on the care you devote to research and planning.

Time and money. Quality is more important than quantity. Instead of trying to stretch your available cash over the time you can be away, consider the money you have to spend first. Then divide by a reasonable daily budget to determine how many days you can be gone.

Involve the kids. One reader allowed her teenage daughter to plan their vacation with the money they had to spend over the cost of overnight accommodations. “Our spendthrift daughter became Ms. Frugality because she wanted to parasail,” the reader recalls. “She had us fix meals in our room, and watched the expenses like a hawk. And we parasailed! It was the best vacation ever. As a bonus we went home with cash in our pockets and the priceless accomplishment of teaching our child the value of money.”

Theme-park strategy. Set on a visit to an amusement park? You can find deals and discounts on the Internet says Robert Niles, editor and founder of ThemeParkInsider.com. Birnbaum Guides Walt Disney World for Kids 2013 (Disney Editions 2012) gets rave reviews from readers of this column. “We visit several times a year for what many people spend on a single trip, and we do it with four kids!” reports one family.

Camping. If you’re careful, camping can be nearly as affordable as staying at home provided you have the equipment or can borrow it. Visit the National Park Service website, www.NPS.gov , to search affordable destinations within the National Park Service. Many campgrounds now require reservations so don’t wait until the last minute. Expect to pay about $20 on average per night for a camp site.

Living history museums. There are at least 2,000 living-history museums around the country where the past seems as real as the present. Start with a virtual visit where you can “tour” many of these wonderful attractions online. Go to ALHFAM.org, the site of The Association for Living History Farms and Agricultural Museums. Jamestown Settlement and Washington County History Society (www.historyisfun.com), Henry Ford Museum (www.hfmgv.org) and Conner Prairie (www.connerprairie.org) are just a few of the living history museums that make learning fun for visitors of any age.

Group travel. Vacationing with another family can cut the costs on rentals, food and transportation. This is an especially good choice for single-parent families who agree to pool their energy and resources. Make sure you discuss expectations and budgets ahead of time.

To this day my favorite childhood memories revolve around family vacations. Just being together was so much fun it made all the poking and elbowing that went on in the backseat worth it. Now that I have my own family, I’m more convinced than ever: There’s just nothing like a family vacation!

 

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Nine Steps to Dealing With Medical Debt

Posted on April 16, 2013 by The Village Family Service Center

A broken bone, mental health therapy, a long-term illness, a car accident, a premature baby. All of these situations—and so many more unexpected ones—can land a family in medical debt. And you can’t comparison shop for a needed surgery or delay treatment for cancer until you have the money to pay for it in full.

When most people think of medical debt, they think of a person or family with no health insurance at all, yet a large percentage of Americans who have incurred medical debt actually do possess health insurance (also known as the “underinsured”). According to an article by Eileen Ambrose in the Baltimore Sun online, “It’s not just uninsured patients who rack up steep medical bills. Even if you have insurance, you might not realize that your coverage is inadequate until you’re sick and overwhelmed by co-payments and other health costs.”

If you find yourself facing medical debt, here are some steps and options to consider.

  1. Make sure the amounts you are being billed are correct. Doctors, nurses, medical billers and other staff can make mistakes in billing, so make sure you are being charged for services you actually received. If you have insurance, call your insurance company to confirm that all itemized amounts have been written off correctly in accordance with your policy.
  2. Contact your medical provider. One of the biggest mistakes people make is to ignore their medical bills. Bob Dahlseng, Certified Financial Counselor at The Village Family Service Center, advises people to contact their medical provider right away if they are going to have a difficult time paying a bill.
  3. Ask about community care or charity care. Dahlseng encourages people to ask about community care or charity care. “Most medical providers will have a process by which they will look at reducing or forgiving a medical bill.”
  4. Work out a payment arrangement with the provider. If you aren’t able to work out a payment arrangement, the provider will most likely turn the debt over to a collection agency. Dahlseng says, “Medical providers just do not hang onto their receivables for any length of time without an agreed-upon arrangement.”
  5. If your debt is turned over to a collection agency, don’t panic. The idea of a collection agency may be a bit scary, but Dahlseng says, “It’s not the end of the world and some can be very cooperative.” On the other hand, others are not so cooperative and will use the threat of judgment or garnishment to get you to pay off the debt. The key is to stay calm and try to work with them.
  6. Stick to your payment arrangements the best you can. If you find yourself unable to pay during a given month, call the provider instead of simply not sending the money. They are more apt to work with you if you keep up the lines of communication.
  7. Use money from a savings account or other source to make a down payment. Sometimes you can negotiate a lower final payment if you are able to pay a large enough down payment.
  8. Consider carefully before borrowing on an IRA (individual retirement account) to pay medical bills. You may be able to borrow on your IRA tax-free for medical purposes, but Dahlseng doesn’t recommend it. “IRA’s are meant for retirement, not for paying off medical debt,” he says.
  9. Be wary of suggestions to put your medical debt on a credit card. It may be tempting to use your credit card to get the collector off your back, but unless it’s just a couple thousand dollars, Dahlseng doesn’t think it’s a good idea. Even a credit card with a low interest rate is probably going to charge higher interest than the medical provider, and “if you can’t handle a payment arrangement with your provider, what makes you think you can handle the credit card payment,” he says.

By Kerrie McLoughlin for The Village Family Service Center. McLoughlin is a seasoned mom of five who blogs at TheKerrieShow.com.

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Making the Case against Receiving a Federal Income Tax Refund

Posted on March 8, 2013 by The Village Family Service Center

Millions of Americans celebrate receiving an income tax refund each year. Many of these same people live each month under the burden of financial hardship, struggling to make ends meet, often falling behind on living expenses and debt obligations.

The February poll hosted on the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) website revealed that a significant majority of respondents, 58 percent, intentionally plan to always receive an income tax refund, unnecessarily allowing Uncle Sam the use of their hard-earned money, only to have it returned to them without benefit of interest.

“Not only is the American taxpayer self-inflicting financial pain, they are doing so with intentionality,” said Gail Cunningham, spokesperson for the NFCC. “It boils down to a simple choice of determining if it’s more important to have extra money in their pocket each month or once per year.”

The average income tax refund in recent years has been in the $3,000 range, or approximately $250 per month. For many people, that amount can mean the difference between financial solvency and financial distress, yet they continue to have too much money deducted from their paycheck month after month. Further, although well-meaning, many who receive the refund don’t spend it wisely, and even for those who do, once the money is gone, the cycle of struggling to responsibly pay monthly bills begins all over again.

Many consumers argue in favor of an income tax refund saying that it is a forced savings. That is correct, but there is a better way to save. The NFCC advises consumers to implement the following three-step program when they receive this year’s refund:

1. Put this year’s refund into an interest bearing savings account. Upon receipt of the refund, seize the opportunity to establish an emergency savings account. This will protect against the financial unknown and create a position of financial stability.

2. Adjust W-4 withholding allowances. Although receiving a refund is not a good idea, no one wants to end up owing the government, either. To determine the correct number of withholding allowances, use the worksheet at www.IRS.gov, then submit the revised form to your employer. Know that changes such as the birth of a child, a death, or divorce may impact the number of necessary deductions, thus requiring further revisions. An adjusted form may be submitted at any time during the year.

3. Responsibly allocate additional monthly income as appropriate. Now that the money that was going to the government is coming to the consumer in the form of a larger paycheck, it is his or her responsibility to make smart decisions regarding how to spend it. Make it a priority to keep living expenses, the rent or mortgage, utilities, and insurance premiums current. The next most important payment is any secured loan, for instance a vehicle payment, followed by unsecured debt such as credit cards. If the savings account has been tapped, replenish it.

This system stops the dependency on an income tax refund, establishes savings, and provides additional money each month in order to remain financially stable.

“Since worker’s paychecks are smaller this year due to the Social Security deduction having been increased to its former level, it becomes even more critical that consumers find ways to increase their disposable income. For those receiving a refund, adjusting withholding allowances is an easy and effective way to put more money into their pockets each month,” continued Cunningham.

The actual poll question and answer choices are below:

Regarding income tax refunds

A. I intentionally plan to always receive a refund each year = 58%

B. I intentionally plan to never receive a refund = 29%

C. I have not given it any thought = 13%

 

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Survival Plan for Maintaining Financial Stability during Sequestration

Posted on March 6, 2013 by The Village Family Service Center

Sequestration is now in place, and along with it came a good amount of uncertainty, causing many Americans to wonder how they will be impacted. By some estimates, more than one million employees of federal agencies may receive furlough notices.

Some workers are not adequately prepared to deal with a loss of income, even a short-term one. For those living from paycheck to paycheck or without significant savings, any income interruption is likely to put them over the financial edge.

For example, consider the statistics below from the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) Financial Literacy Survey:

• Thirty-three percent of respondents admit to not paying all bills on time;

• Thirty-nine percent have zero non-retirement savings;

• Thirty-nine percent carry debt over from month to month, and

• Sixteen percent have utilized overdraft protection in the last 12 months.

“Even if a person does not anticipate being impacted by sequestration, now is a good time for a comprehensive financial review,” said Gail Cunningham, spokesperson for the NFCC. “Whether due to an unplanned expense or a job loss, no one has ever regretted being financially prepared, and preparation starts with understanding where you stand today.”

The NFCC advises consumers to take the following steps to put themselves in a better financial position, regardless of what the coming months may hold:

• Assess current financial situation – The NFCC’s free financial self-assessment tool, MyMoneyCheckUp™, is a good place to start. The tool provides consumers with a means of evaluating four key areas of personal finance: budgeting and credit management, saving and investing, planning for retirement, and home equity. After answering a series of topic specific questions, a personalized assessment of the individual’s overall financial health and associated behaviors is generated. With areas of concern identified, the analysis suggests changes that consumers are encouraged to implement in order to become more financially independent. The traditional green, yellow and red traffic light colors signal whether the consumer should continue on their current money path, proceed with caution, or stop and make a change. Individuals can also complete an optional budget to further help them assess their financial health. The tool is available in English at www.MyMoneyCheckUp.org and in Spanish at https://www.miayudafinanciera.org.

• Face the financial facts – After completing the financial discovery step, consumers may find the results surprising. Don’t ignore them. Financial problems rarely resolve themselves, particularly in emergency situations. Take action sooner rather than later, as delaying only makes the problem harder to resolve.

• Take control – Admittedly, some things are beyond a person’s financial control, but some aren’t. Control what you can by doing the following:

o Review your credit report and score, both necessary to fully understand the current financial situation, and provide a framework for next steps.

o Create a cash-flow calendar listing all sources of income. Next, plug in the dates all bills are due. This will ensure that bills are paid on time and protect the credit report and score from future damage.

o Commit to paying down debt, and if necessary, suspend all charging, consistently moving toward solid financial ground.

o Reach out to a legitimate credit counseling agency for help creating a survival plan.

“If there is a quick resolution to the sequestration, nothing has been lost by implementing the above steps,” continued Cunningham. “If not, consumers will be better prepared to face whatever comes their way financially.”

 

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Guide to Disputing Credit Report Inaccuracies

Posted on February 20, 2013 by The Village Family Service Center

The accuracy of credit reports has been in the news lately, causing consumers to wonder how error-free their own report is. Since credit reports are the backbone of the all-important credit score, it is indeed important to fully understand what a credit report is, what consumer protections are in place, and what actions can be taken if errors are found.

“Consumers can be their own best advocate to ensure the accuracy of their credit file, but education is key,” said Gail Cunningham, spokesperson for the NFCC. “If an error is identified, it is the consumer’s responsibility to take immediate action through the proper channels in order to resolve the issue.”

The National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) offers the following Dos and Don’ts to help consumers better understand credit reports and the dispute process:

• Do understand the purpose of a credit report. A credit report is a track record that reflects an individual’s borrowing history. It also contains information about places of residency, law suits, arrests, and bankruptcies. The credit reporting agencies sell the information to those with a permissible purpose to review it, such as insurance companies, employers, lenders, and other businesses, so that they can make an informed decision. Therefore, the information contained in the report may impact loan approval, the rate at which money will need to be repaid, insurance eligibility, housing decisions, and employment.

• Do review the credit report for accuracy. At www.AnnualCreditReport.com, consumers are allowed one free report every 12 months from each of the major bureaus. Check the report for errors, confirming that all information is correct. The NFCC Financial Literacy survey revealed that in spite of it being free, 62 percent of respondents had not ordered a copy of their report.

• Do review the report often. Frequently reviewing the report allows action to be taken promptly if a problem is found, or if identity theft is suspected. Reviewing at least three months in advance of a major financial move allows time for most inaccuracies to be corrected.

• Do understand your rights. The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) provides consumers with protections around the accuracy and privacy of information in their credit file. The FCRA holds both the credit reporting company and the entity that provided the information to the bureau responsible for investigating and acting upon the dispute. The bureaus have dispute resolution processes in place, but it is up to the consumer to initiate the process by submitting the dispute form either online, by mail or by phone.

• Do expect a timely response. The FCRA requires credit reporting companies to investigate the items in question, usually within 30 – 45 days of the dispute being filed. The bureau receiving the dispute must forward all relevant information to the source of the information, thus beginning the investigation process on their end. After the provider’s investigation is complete, the results are sent back to the bureau. If the information provider finds the disputed information to be inaccurate, it must notify all three credit reporting companies, allowing them to each correct the information contained in their files.

• Don’t think that all errors have an equal impact. Some mistakes on reports can have a negative impact on the credit score, while others are not material. Examples of errors to address immediately are those containing information that does not belong to you, account inaccuracies, credit lines with limits listed as lower than they actually are, or negative information that has outlived the allowed reporting time.

• Do add a statement explaining the circumstances. If an entry is disputed, but the consumer disagrees with the results of the investigation, he or she is allowed to add a 100 word or less Statement of Dispute to be included with each future credit report, as well as to those who received a copy of the report in the recent past if requested.

• Don’t expect negative information to be removed. If information is negative, but true, it needs to remain on the report. Only time can remove it. A credit reporting agency is allowed to report most accurate negative information for seven years, while bankruptcies can remain for 10 years. Unpaid judgments can be reported for seven years or until the statute of limitations runs out, whichever is longer, while some information has no limit on how long it can be reported.

• Don’t use a credit repair company. There is nothing that a credit repair business can do for you that you can’t do for yourself, and do it for free. Further, many of the credit repair companies charge consumers high fees and deliver few, if any, results. And even worse, if their advice is taken, it could result in committing fraud. Although many attempt it, credit repair companies are not allowed to ask for a fee in advance of any service being delivered, as this is prohibited by the Credit Repair Organizations Act. Frivolous challenges to a report are in no one’s best interest, and consumers should steer clear of anyone offering a quick fix.

“Since the credit score is based on the information in the credit report, one of the smartest financial moves a consumer can make is to obtain his or her credit report and give it a thorough once-over,” continued Cunningham.

 

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Tear Down Attitudes of Entitlement

Posted on January 29, 2013 by karennelson

My financial schooling was subtle growing up. My parents bought items when they could afford it – not relying on credit. They paid a bill when it came and didn’t wait for the “due date.” In teaching my own children I wish I could say “yup, I did that…”, but to be honest – they did it themselves. They both are frugal in their spending – not feeling compelled to wear the latest fashion or drive the fanciest car. And for the past few years, they’ve even cut their own hair. (Even when I’ve offered to pay for it.) They appreciate what they have – and are building their savings accounts while putting themselves through college. I am so proud of them. Somehow they got it and I feel it’s so imbedded in them, they will carry it forward for the rest of their lives. Mary Hunt discusses the dangers to avoid in this slippery path of entitlement.

How to Tear Down Attitudes of Entitlement -
From Mary Hunt’s Everyday Cheapskate

It is strangely ironic that the freedoms and affluence we enjoy in our society are the very things that stand to ruin our children if not addressed early and effectively.

The consumer-credit industry is doing all it can to get your kids to fall for the buy-now, pay-later lifestyle. If you do nothing to intervene, statistics indicate that your child is headed for a life that will be severely impacted not by credit—credit is not the problem here—but by the debt it can create.

How to Tear Down Attitudes of Entitlement

When the following three characteristics occur at the same time in the heart and mind of a child, they create a kind of “perfect storm” that has all the likelihood of creating a disastrous situation:

1. attitudes of entitlement
2. financial ignorance
3. glamour of easy spending

For our debt-proofing purposes, “entitlement” is that demanding attitude that says, “I deserve it now even if I haven’t earned it or cannot pay for it.” Some call it the gimmes, others the I-wants. No matter what you call it, this attitude is running rampant, and not only among kids. Entitlement affects kids and adults alike.

Entitlement is subtle. It creeps into our lives when we compare our lifestyles and possessions to those of the people we respect and want to be like. It shows up in new parents who throw all caution to the wind when it comes to nursery furnishings and “mandatory” equipment. It shows up in two-income families who, because they work so hard, feel they deserve to have nice things. It shows up in adults who feel compelled to conform to society’s relentless ratcheting up of standards.

Entitlement is the standard message of marketing and advertising. Look carefully at everything that shows up in your mailbox this week. The message to keep up is relentless. The push for conformity creates attitudes of dissatisfaction and entitlement.

At every turn it seems something or someone is fanning the flames of entitlement in our lives—and our children’s lives too.

Attitudes of entitlement, both yours and your children’s, are an enemy that, if not dealt with, will surely sabotage your efforts to develop financial confidence in your kids.

A frugal lifestyle, where you live below your means, is the best environment in which to raise kids. When children observe their parents consuming carefully, making wise spending decisions, choosing not to buy the biggest and the best, and not living on credit, they begin to assimilate those values.

By telling your children, “We don’t choose to spend our money on that,” you send a positive message that you have money but make intelligent choices about how to spend it.

Clearly, attitudes of entitlement are a serious problem. But they are not terminal. Diligent parents who are willing to be consistent examples and limit setters will find success in tearing down attitudes that have the potential to do great harm.

Excerpted from Raising Financially Confident Kids by Mary Hunt (Revell, 2012).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Simplify in 2013

Posted on January 8, 2013 by karennelson

New year – new rules? Well, maybe not new – but something to work towards. Yes, call it a new year’s resolution or call it a feeling that you want to take charge of parts of your life that have been a little out of control.

I personally can go through spurts of being very money conscious and focusing on “wants versus needs.” Do I really “need” this to continue on or is it more of a luxury?

I’ve started reading the labels on clothes before I buy them. If it says “dry clean only” I hang it up again. I don’t need that extra cost continually adding to the price of the outfit.

There is a downfall though – the thinking process can be swayed. I’ve wanted a pair of black boots for years – I’ve seen other women wear these boots with a skirt and tights. Dang – it looks cute. But, I didn’t think I could wear it….until one day when my vulnerability was at a low –and I went boot shopping. I found a perfect pair – and they had back support! I sheepishly bought them and carried my huge box out to the car. Over the weekend I shopped clearance racks and found a skirt and tights – score! I utilized jewelry and a shirt from my existing wardrobe.

Putting the boots on was like a transformation – I’d wanted these for so long, it was like angels singing. Had I purchased these immediately when I first “wanted” them, I probably wouldn’t have had the same feeling. It was a careful decision and seriously, considered over a few years. So, in the end, I didn’t “need them” but did take thoughtful consideration – when years are involved, the want sometimes reverts closer to a need.

 

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Ways to Find Money and Offset Social Security Tax Hike

Posted on January 4, 2013 by The Village Family Service Center

Paychecks are getting smaller. While many Americans are breathing a sigh of relief that their income tax did not increase, there is nonetheless a tax increase that will impact all paychecks.

The Social Security payroll tax rate was reduced for 2011 and 2012, with the employee contribution cut from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent. The intent was to put more money in people’s pockets, thus stimulate spending. The rate will now increase to the former level, resulting in smaller paychecks for American workers.

“If a person was fortunate enough to have received a pay raise, it’s likely that this Social Security tax increase will wipe out most of it,” said Gail Cunningham, spokesperson for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC). “Americans, particularly those already living on the financial edge, need to act fast to adjust their budgets accordingly.”

To help consumers find extra money to offset the tax hike, the NFCC suggests exploring the following areas:

• Adjust withholding – Millions of Americans receive large income tax refunds each year when they could have extra money each month. Calculate the proper number of withholding allowances by utilizing the worksheet at www.IRS.gov.

• Pay with cash – People who pay for purchases with cash typically save 20 percent compared to previous credit spending, and never feel deprived.

• Refinance the mortgage – Take advantage of historically low rates to reap a lower monthly mortgage payment.

• Ten dollars from 10 categories – Carving $10 off of 10 spending categories is a painless way to find extra money.

• Do it yourself – Small savings add up. Stop paying for things you can do yourself such as washing the car, cleaning the house, or mowing the lawn.

• Stop bad habits – Make good on those New Year’s Resolutions to stop smoking, drinking, and playing the lottery.

• Clean out the storeroom – It’s a double-play to sell the contents of the storeroom, thus eliminating the need for extra storage. Money in the pocket from the sale, and no more rent payments.

• Save on insurance premiums – Examine all policies and compare rates. Inquire about ways to lower premiums, and ask about any discounts for loyalty, good driving and the bundling of multiple polices.

• Examine bank statements – Don’t continue to pay for things no longer needed just because they’re set up as auto-pay. Avoid unnecessary charges by not using out-of-network ATMs. Negotiate with the financial institution for lower fees or change banks.

• Earn extra income – Getting paid to do something fun won’t feel like work, and honing a skill can pay dividends beyond financial.

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Gift Giving Doesn’t Have To Break The Bank

Posted on December 10, 2012 by karennelson

The holiday season can bring great joy – and frustration. It all depends how you approach it. In an effort to keep yourself sane – and your pocketbook within budget, try creating a gift that will have more meaning than a store-bought gift card. Mary Hunt has some excellent ideas.

One option I’ve used for my kids who have now moved out of the home is coupons. Coupons have been for their favorite macaroni salad, cupcakes, and also a coupon to do their laundry. This spreads out the gift giving throughout the year and can teach organization skills…for the child to remember where they put their coupons.

Reprinted from Mary Hunt’s Everyday Cheapskate

Replace Commercial with Consumables

Consumable gifts, as opposed to durable gifts, are meant to be used up—not stashed in a closet for the next yard sale. And that is what makes consumable gifts such a great idea.

It’s hard to go wrong giving a delicious, consumable gift.

No storage. Consumable gifts, because they are quickly eaten or used up, do not carry expectations that this gift must be displayed, used, adored and or maintained for the recipient’s lifetime. I hate feeling obligated in that way, and I will bet you do, too.

One size fits all. You do not have to wonder if your gift of homemade fudge will fit the recipient. Everyone loves a gift from an experienced cook.

Non-perceived value. There is something off-putting about trying to figure out if you are spending enough money to meet the recipient’s expectations by hitting some invisible spending target. That can zap all the joy from giving. With a consumable gift you will not worry about that—and neither will your recipient.

Allows a bit of decadence. While consumable gifts do not have to be food, most of the time they are. And usually they are nutritionally naughty. That is what makes them so great.

Saves money. While not necessary, most consumable gifts turn out to be homemade. And they usually come from the kitchen. You can spend only a few bucks and come up with a gift that is really fabulous. Try doing that at the mall.

Even with Hanukkah starting at the end of this week, and Christmas and New Years following close behind, there’s still time to make any number of wonderful things in your kitchen. If you do not have our ebooklet Gifts in a Jar, download yours now. It is all you need to make a wonderfully inexpensive gift for everyone on your list this holiday season.

Several years ago, I received this wonderful note from Susan, a DPL member. She shared how changing Christmas from commercial to consumables was transformative for her family.

We have friends who, having no children to use up their spare cash, generally buy themselves all the things they want throughout the year. Consequently, when Christmas arrives, they already have all the things we might have bought them as presents. A couple of years ago, having racked our brains for what to buy, and being on a bit of a budget ourselves, we decided that we would make Christmas baskets for our friends. Each basket contained a homemade cake, homemade biscuits, jam, pickles, all with personalized labels made on our home computer.

Our friends were so delighted with their homemade gifts, appreciating the time and effort that went into it rather than the cost, that we decided to repeat the “Homemade Christmas” the following year with our visiting family members. Everyone who participated had plenty of fun trying to keep the making of the presents a secret, and we amazed each other with our cunning and ingenuity. It took away a lot of the commerciality of Christmas and replaced it with a real family spirit. Susan N., England

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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