Make it a Green Christmas

As more and more people are becoming environmentally conscious, many families will be looking forward to a “green” holiday. Now, this doesn’t refer to how much snow is on the ground, it refers to how environmentally friendly your holiday is. The following are some tips on how to have a green holiday:

Use LED Lights:

If you like to decorate with lights, consider switching to LED lights. These lights use less energy and will save you money, too!

Buy Rechargeable Batteries:

If you have children, there will most likely be quite a few presents under your tree that require batteries. Rechargeable batteries are a “green” choice because you can use them several times before they lose their effectiveness. Again, this is a cost that can be offset by the fact that you will be spending less over the long run.

Reuse Old Cards:

Do you still have some Christmas cards from last year in storage? Put them to good use by cutting out the picture part and using them as gift tags for this year’s gifts. You can also use them as scrapbook embellishments and in craft projects with the kids.

Serve Local Food:

If possible, create a holiday dinner from food that is found locally to you. This is a “green” choice because the food you are eating doesn’t have to be transported over a long distance, which saves on gas and other transportation costs. Plus, your food will be fresh and you’ll be supporting your local economy.

Make Your Own Gift Wrap: Instead of buying gift wrap from the store, make your own by using the newspapers and magazines you have laying around the house.

Give Handmade Gifts:

Handmade items contain much less packaging than mass manufactured items. This means that there will be less waste going to the landfills! If you do not have the skills or the time to make the gifts yourself, you can buy handmade items at local craft fairs and through online marketplaces such as http://www.etsy.com/

6 tips for Sticking to Your Budget This Christmas

Every year there are reports on the news about how deeply in debt people become every Christmas. It is possible to have a nice Christmas without maxing out the credit cards. Here are a few simple tips that could save you a bundle.

Hide the credit cards

By not using credit cards you are already a step ahead of the game. There’s
no worry about the interest and all those payments that come due after the first of the year. If you are already using credit cards carefully you might be able to continue using them for Christmas gifts, just be sure to pay it off when the bill comes due.

Make a list

Sit down and make a list of all the people you would like to give gifts. Once the list is made, stick to it. Decide how much to spend on each person and write it beside each name. Then when you go shopping there will be a price range for each gift. It will help avoid overspending. Even a dollar over expected spending can add up if there is a large shopping list.

Draw names

Many families help cut back on holiday spending by drawing names. Each person in the family only shops for one other person whose name they have drawn. Instead of buying several gifts, even if they are inexpensive, each person can get one nicer gift. This makes shopping easier too.
Instead of trying to fill a huge list, just take your time and focus on getting that "perfect" gift for just one person.

Shop ahead

Get organized and have good hiding places. By doing this you can purchase Christmas gifts all year round, taking advantage of after Christmas sales, out of season and clearance sales.

Go ahead and wrap and label the gifts. This helps keep people from seeing what was purchased and you won't forget which gift was for whom.

Lay-away

Some stores offer a lay-away program, so you can pay a little at a time each month. By doing this, you can budget things out over a period of time. By combining this with the list and budget plan, you can cut out the interest incurred using credit cards and still make a monthly payment.

Gift cards

While gift cards are convenient for gift giving, many people feel they are impersonal. Gift cards can also help you shop on a budget, if shopping ahead of time. Purchase the gift cards in the amount you can afford each week or month. Tuck them away in an envelope in a safe place until
you have the amount needed to purchase the gifts. You can keep an eye out for sales on certain items this way, as well. Be sure to check to see if the cards have an expiration date. Some expire after a certain time once activated and others have no expiration date at all. Some are even "rechargeable" and more money can be added as needed.

No matter what plan you choose, the best thing is to get organized and plan ahead. Spur of the moment shopping is the worst for anyone's budget. It's too easy to just grab something on impulse and blow the best of intentions.