Ah the wonderful holidays. It’s the one time of the year when kindness, giving and goodwill is a little more abundant and miracles are possible. People seem to have a certain glow; they smile a little more and actually have a bit of human quality about them. I was starting to get all warm and fuzzy inside. That’s when I realized I had been sucked into a Hallmark Christmas special. I (used to) LOVE Christmas time. There really was something magical about it. However, the stress of everyday life, and too many bills and not enough money has put a dark cloud over this year’s holiday cheer.

It’s understandable that people are tense. Unemployment is at 9.8% and inflation for food and energy is up 0.3% in the last three months. People are losing their homes and having trouble paying their bills. A recent survey of 1500 people showed that Christmas came in second as the biggest cause of stress and worry; finances were first. If there was ever a time when we needed a Hallmark moment and holiday miracles, it’s now.

For some, Christmas has become an “event” that they train for all year; sort of like the shop-Olympics. It’s more about the sales, bargains and keeping up appearances than anything else. According to the Consumer Credit Counsel the average family will spend almost a thousand dollars this year at Christmas. We have become hooked on having “stuff” and it’s taking us to the poor house. About forty three percent of U.S. families spend more than they earn, and the average household carries over ten thousand dollars in credit card debt. It’s no wonder that the mainstream family is spending almost fourteen percent of its disposable income on revolving credit.

We go on a month long binge, pausing only temporarily to think about the consequences. Afterwards, we wake up and think “oh my God, how are we going to pay for this”? We work overtime, week-ends, and some even get a second job, and so the cycle goes. It’s no wonder that we’re all stressed out and depressed. We all need to stop, take a deep breath and start over. Simplify things just a little. By cutting down our debt, we take a load of stress off and we don’t feel sick, anxious and angry all the time. You might even be able to work normal hours and spend more time with the family. Below are just a few tips for simplifying your life. It can’t hurt to try. Who knows, maybe by next year Christmas will be a stress free, enjoyable holiday.

1. Try to cut back on eating out so much. Start cooking at home.
2. Instead of going out to the movies, rent movies more often.
3. Make your lunch and take it with you to work.
4. Learn to do minor vehicle maintenance. You would be surprised how much you could save by detailing your own car, or changing your oil & spark plugs yourself.
5. Recycle aluminum cans. Some states pay for plastic bottles too.
6. Cut back on drinking soda and expensive coffee. Drink juice or water. Get a travel mug and take your coffee with
   you.
7. Evaluate your cell phone plan or cable/satellite plan. Are you paying for more than your actually using? Switch to a
   less expensive plan.

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