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When you were a kid, you’re possibly one of those that start counting down to christmas, eager to know what gifts your parents, maybe even Santa has in store for you. Now, we’re left dealing with deadlines, family, and the ever-tightening budget. At some point, you’re probably wondering where that fun holiday spirit went.
Whether it be demanding workloads, bickering family members, or figuring out what gift to buy with whatever money you can spare, getting stressed isn’t fun.
You won’t know what to do without knowing what your problem exactly is. Do you think you are not earning enough? Perhaps you have no idea that you’re already spending too much dining out? Or maybe that you often lose track of the money you spend on weekends?
List all your income and expenses. If you find out that your expenses exceed your income, then you either need to cut down on spending (especially the unnecessary ones) or find ways to earn more.
However, if you notice that your income on paper is high enough to cover all your expenses, yet still find it difficult to make ends meet, then it’s possible that you may have a lot of impulse expenditures that easily go under the radar, and you could use a little bit of restraint.
If you cook your own food, you can buy groceries in bulk to take advantage of discounts and to avoid multiple trips. Using coupons also helps. Set aside a separate budget for dining out, coffee, and leisure. Don’t forget to set aside money for unexpected expenses such as emergency medical costs and house repairs.
As for gifts, be practical. Surprises may be fun, buying the latest sought-after gadgetry for your loved ones may show how much you adore them, but if gifting punches a hole through your wallet (or worse, puts you in debt), then you could just be getting yourself into financial trouble.
You may be keeping a tight control over your expenses to make ends meet and pay off debts, but never let that be the reason to neglect your own health. Sure, you may be taking out a huge chunk of your debts and paying off all your bills, but if all you eat is instant ramen and/or fast food every day, something is going to give at some point – and that could turn into a costly trip to the hospital, ruining whatever financial progress you’ve achieved.
Modern technology made communication a whole lot easier. Centuries ago, we’re stuck sending letters that could take days, sometimes even months or years to arrive and get replies. Now we can have video calls with our friends and family from nearly anywhere on Earth, so there’s no excuse now to reach out to them just to say ‘hello’.
Of course, there’s no substitute to meeting our loved ones in person. Being able to hug them, make food for them, and have quality time together with them are just a few of the things we look forward to during the holidays. In cases where a personal visit isn’t feasible, a video call or a virtual meeting may suffice.
If you avoid getting a mobile phone because you think they’re too complicated, there are mobile phones and plans out there that are specially designed for the elderly.
Have time for yourself. Take pleasure and appreciate the simple things around you like going for a walk, meditating, watching birds, taking up a new hobby, or just having a mug of hot cocoa in front of the fireplace. Whatever it may be, if it brings you peace, and perhaps even fun, without costing you a lot of money (best if it costs nothing), then go for it!
Learn to say “No”. Your cousin that helped you get through college called, begging you to attend his grandchild’s gender reveal party. For you, it’s a silly affair that is not worth your time, yet you feel obliged to attend simply because you owe your cousin a favor. Many of us have probably faced similar dilemmas before. While the situation may already be taxing to begin with, it’s likely worse when you find yourself in a gathering you didn’t want to find yourself in. Learning how to politely decline is a must-have if you want to avoid getting dragged into unwanted family gatherings, rid of bothersome salespeople, additional workloads, and many more.
Stay in shape. Getting sick is stressful enough, but thinking about how much money you’d have to shell out just to get well makes it even worse. The old saying “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure” still holds true. Exercising regularly, having healthy meals, drinking enough water, and having enough sleep does wonders.
The world isn’t perfect. Sometimes it’s better to just lower your expectations and accept that nothing is going to be perfect. Don’t try to “keep up with the Joneses”. Don’t compare yourself with others. Instead, just focus on what you can do for yourself and loved ones. There’s no sense trying to impress people you didn’t know, let alone didn’t like.
Get rid of clutter. It is easy to lose things in a house full of clutter. Nothing stands out when everything stands out. If you want to reduce the instances where you lose things or find doing something at home rather complicated (such as having to walk around piles of books lying on the floor), consider getting storage solutions such as shelves and containers. Sort your stuff into categories like, things that you use everyday, things that you will keep in storage, things that you will give away/sell, and things that you will throw away. You may even be surprised to find out how much money you’ve spent on junk and how much you could recover from having a garage sale.
The Holidays may be a season we are all looking forward to, but it can be very stressful for us. By minimizing potential sources of stress, staying in touch with our loved ones, and taking good care of our health, we can enjoy the season with barely any trouble at all. It just takes some adjustment, and perhaps development of healthier habits.
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