by Shannon Lane

Created on: November 15, 2009   Last Updated: November 17, 2009

Saving money at Christmas time

Financial planning and the holidays equals a nightmare in most households. If you are one of fortunate few that can honestly say you are one are completely confident about the costs involved in the preparations of the upcoming holidays then that's wonderful. You can write everyone an article on how to obtain that same type of financial comfort.

To everyone else that does face these financial responsibilities with uncertainty and dread I would like to say that I belong to your community. I have been so very fortunate in all the years passed to made it through regardless of the worry and stress. So this year as I sat ( without a job ) and thought about the money I needed versus the money I did not have, I started to think about those holidays past that did end up to be happy and festive. I remembered the panic the moneyless shopping trips that I did not want to make but made anyway. I remember being at least a little bit more bitter than I should have been. This year I will not be using that same approach.

Here in the south it is the dominant opinion the doing what most would consider wrong the same way each time and expecting a different result is a clear definition of insanity. So the first thing I am going to do (as advised by bank associate) is to open a Christmas account separate from my account that handles bills and my household essentials. In the past I have always just spent out of the same account and used the same charge cards for everything and let it fall where it may when it was time to sit down each month and do the banking homework. He stated that he could not advise me to close this new account at anytime but he found it personally easier to close his holiday account immediately following the close of the season. His plan automatically draws a set dollar amount from weekly deposit and places it in an account.

They even have a great design for my debit that is fun and festive. This will help me each time I use it because I will be reminded that the money is coming from an account of giving and the fun photo of stockings hung by the fireplace is a subtle reminder. By seeing the card each time I am assured that I have not over extended my household expenses. Those funds are safe and accounted for and can only be accessed when I pull out the other card.. The pretty gold one that I should leave in its slot more often.

Here is the pearl that I have found in my financial fire. I want to share a very inspirational meeting

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