25% Americans Still Paying Off Holiday Debt From 2022, Here Are 12 Ways To Avoid It in 2024

Debt is a frequent unwelcome visitor of the holiday season that frequently remains after the lights go out and the New Year’s confetti falls. Unbelievably, 25% of Americans are still struggling with debt from holidays in 2022—a financial hangover no one wants to celebrate. Don’t worry, though—this year could be unique. This blog will explore tips to avoid holiday debt in 2023. 

Accept Digital Gifting

Consider opting for digital or subscription-based gifts, such as streaming service memberships, online course enrollments, or e-book acquisitions. These options are convenient for last-minute gifting and often more affordable than physical items. Digital gifts provide immediate delivery and various choices to suit any interest.

Workshops on Handmade Gifts

Consider hosting or attending DIY gift-making workshops in your area. These sessions can empower you with skills to craft cost-effective personalized gifts that enhance mindfulness. Engaging in the art of handmade presents offers a meaningful and thoughtful touch to your gifting.

Make Use of Reward and Cashback Programs

Leverage reward and cashback programs by utilizing credit cards offering points or cashback for year-round purchases. Allocate these rewards exclusively for Christmas shopping, transforming regular spending into a secret holiday savings strategy. This approach enables you to accumulate savings for the festive season effortlessly without altering your usual spending habits.

Create a Club for Holiday Savings

Why put off thinking about Christmas spending until December? Create a Holiday Savings Club with your loved ones. Like the old-fashioned Christmas Clubs of yesteryear, each member contributes weekly or monthly. When the holidays arrive, you’ll have savings for celebratory expenditures.

Organize a “Pre-Holiday” Yard Sale

Plan a “Pre-Holiday” Yard Sale to declutter and financially prepare for the festive season. You achieve dual benefits by selling items no longer needed: creating a more spacious, organized home and accumulating extra funds to enrich your holiday spending. This method presents a prudent financial move, ensuring you enter the holidays with a tidier space and a healthier wallet, embodying sustainability and smart planning.

Have a Unique Gift Exchange Idea

Each year, innovate your gift exchange by proposing unique themes like “Handmade Only,” “Thrift Store Finds,” or “Books Only.” This approach injects creativity into the tradition and often reduces financial pressure, making the exchange more about thoughtfulness and less about cost.

Reevaluate Your Holiday Customs

Discuss the idea of rethinking your holiday traditions with your loved ones. Consider shifting the focus from giving gifts to sharing experiences or performing acts of kindness. This change in perspective could lead to holidays that are not only less financially burdensome but also more fulfilling and meaningful.

Get Extra Money for the Holidays by Starting a Side Business

Boost your holiday budget by launching a side business based on your skills or hobbies. Whether graphic design, crafting, or freelance writing, tapping into your talents can provide extra funds for holiday spending. This strategy enhances your financial flexibility during the festive season and allows you to pursue passions that could turn into profitable ventures.

Accept the ‘Gift of Presence’ Idea

Why not place more emphasis on “presence” than “presents” in a society that is fixated on material presents? Rather than buying gaudy things, think about donating your time and expertise. A handcrafted picture album, a customized cooking lesson, or a commitment to assist with a DIY project might hold far greater significance than any item purchased from the shop.

Leverage Technology for Budgeting and Savings

Utilize technology to manage your holiday finances effectively. Budgeting apps help monitor spending, ensuring you stay within your holiday budget. Savings apps, meanwhile, automate saving small amounts over time, creating a fund specifically for holiday expenses. Additionally, price comparison tools ensure you get the best deals, making your money go further without sacrificing the quality of your gifts.

Embrace Community and Shared Experiences

The essence of the holiday season is found in community and shared experiences, not extravagant gifts. Engage in community events, which often are low-cost but rich in spirit, offering enjoyment for everyone. Alternatively, consider giving your time or skills as gifts, such as offering personalized lessons or assistance. These gifts of experience strengthen relationships and create lasting memories, all while keeping your budget intact.

5 Easy Ways to Earn Money on Valentine’s Day

5 Easy Ways to Earn Money on Valentine's Day

Earn Money Instead of Spending It

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching, and for many people this means expensive gifts and dining. However,  there are others who prefer not to become victimized by the commercialism. They take advantage of this holiday to make some extra cash rather than spending it. Here are 5 easy ways to earn money on Valentine’s Day.

Easy Ways to Earn Money on Valentine’s Day

1. Get Busy Creating

Valentine’s Day is a huge money-making day for anyone working in retail, flowers, or confectionery goods. Small businesses can make a killing by attracting new customers with discounts and themed pieces. Therefore, this holiday is the perfect opportunity for the artistic and crafty types to get to work.

If you are a baker, start whipping up your favorite desserts to bring in some extra cash. If you’re an artist, perhaps greetings cards or commissioned work will earn you some additional income. For the musicians out there, consider learning some popular love songs and try your hand at busking. There are endless possibilities for finding the perfect gift, so get your name out there! Use your talents as an easy way to earn money on Valentine’s Day.

2. Throw a Singles Party

It’s no shock to hear that many singles dread Valentine’s Day. However, you can bring people together and celebrate your status by throwing a singles party. Whether you are looking for love or simply want to meet new people, a party is a great way to mingle. Choose a location and charge a flat fee to cover the expenses for food and beverages as well as your time. With the right theme and entertainment, you could create an annual event people look forward to and talk about the rest of the year.

3. Babysitting Services

Offering childcare services is a great way to capitalize on this holiday. If you prefer to stay in anyways, ask around to see if someone could use a night away from the kids. Babysitting rates usually range from $10-$15 an hour, although you should ask for more past midnight. Rates also vary based on the number of children and years of experience.

There are also agencies and periodicals you can work through if you don’t know anyone who is looking for a sitter. Try listing your services on sites like nanno.com or browse job posts on care.com. If you enjoy kids, this is a great and easy way to earn money on Valentine’s Day.

4. Photography Service

If you have an artistic eye and quality equipment, photography and videography are great ways to make extra money. Many couples celebrate anniversaries, engagements, and weddings on Valentine’s Day. You can be a part of their special day by capturing and immortalizing these moments. With the right lighting and editing skills, you can provide couples with a priceless gift they can treasure forever.

5. Date Planning

The fact is romance does not come easily to everyone – some may even need some help from something like True Pheromones when it comes to making sure that they are giving off exactly the right impression, no matter how nervous they may be. Event planning is the perfect opportunity for the hopeless romantics to really shine on Valentine’s Day. To spare someone the agony of planning an unsuccessful evening or a disappointed partner, you can put plan a romantic date for various budgets. Come up with a variety of packages that include locations, restaurants, photographers, and entertainment.

Transportation is another, less involved date service you can provide for the happy couples. Many people will be working since the holiday falls in the middle of the week. This means they will need delivery services during the day. At night, you can be certain people will need a ride home after all the bubbly. You can sign up with a taxi-hailing company or app if you have your own car, or drive with a fleet if you have a valid driver’s license.

The Bottom Dollar

If you decide to capitalize on Valentine’s Day, there are tons of easy ways to earn money. Play to your strengths and customize your marketing approach. There is someone out there who is looking for exactly what you are offering. Thanks to the internet, it is now bringing people together in new ways. If you have an idea, get out there and find your niche.

 

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New Year’s Traditions to Bring you Wealth

New Year's Traditions

Everyone will be making resolutions as the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve. Many of those will include financial resolutions. You may find yourself promising to pay off your loans or mortgage, save more, or contribute towards your retirement. Even if you aren’t the superstitious type, here are a few New Year’s traditions to bring you wealth.

Financial Prosperity in the New Year

If you prefer a simpler tradition, wearing a particular color may bring your good luck. The Chinese believe the color red wards off evil energy and increases your wealth. Latin Americans think that wearing yellow underwear ensures future prosperity and fortune.

Many cultures also associate particular foods with financial success. People believe that eating these foods on New Year’s Eve will bring wealth in the coming year. In Spain, they eat 12 grapes for each stroke of the midnight hour. Southern Americans eat black-eyed peas, while Italians prefer lentils since they resemble coins. The Swiss enjoy rich ice cream to symbolize the richness of the year ahead. Then, they throw some on the ground to share the wealth.

Some cultures even hide small objects in a dish to be shared. If you find the almond in your portion of rice pudding, Norwegians believe it guarantees good fortune. When dining with your Jewish friends, look for a coin baked into your slice of bread. Variations of this tradition exist across the world, so maybe there is some truth in this lucky game of hide-and-seek.

New Year’s Traditions of Abundance

Other common New Year’s traditions include ways to ensure abundance for the coming year. There are a variety of foods associated with money and financial success. Pork symbolizes wealth, prosperity, and abundance in many cultures. Pork is included in several different dishes such as pig trotters in Italy and pork dumplings during Chinese New Year.

The Irish have long used bread as a euphemism for money. One of their oldest traditions requires the family to bang loaves of bread on the doors and walls to rid their home of bad luck. Using bread ensures that your home will be filled with wealth, or bread, in the new year.

In Romania, they take a more literal approach towards financial superstitions. They believe that people start the new year the way they end the last one. That means if you have no money in your pockets on New Year’s Eve, your poor finances will continue into the new year. Romanians will be sure to fill their pockets with cash to guarantee abundance in the coming year.

A Gift for Luck

Gift giving is a time honored tradition in many places. Particular kinds of gifts are also believed to bring luck and prosperity. Austrians give lucky charms to their family and friends for good luck, health, and wealth. The most popular charms include horseshoes, pigs, clovers, and chimney sweeps.

The Greek custom is to exchange gifts on New Year’s Day. As the old saying goes, when you receive a gift on the first day of the year, it improves your chances of wealth and prosperity in the months ahead.

Settle Old Debts

There are fiscal benefits to settling your accounts before the new year. However, the tradition  is deeply seeded in Scottish superstition. Folklore holds that it is bad luck to begin the year with debt. During the New Year’s Eve celebration, locally know as Hogmanay, they clean their homes and balance their books. Many Scots believe it best to drive out the old year to welcome a new year one full of fresh, new opportunities.

Although this tradition has become more complicated with credit cards and mortgage payments, it still offers sound advice. New Year’s Eve is a time of self-reflection of the previous year as well as setting goals for the future.  This holiday if full of rich history and traditions thought to bring financial success. Perhaps these New Year’s traditions will bring wealth and prosperity to all your endeavors in 2020.

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New Year's Traditions

There are many Chinese New Year’s traditions to bring wealth.