Dear Clients,


It's that time of year again.  The streets are lined with lights and decorations.  There is hustle and bustle in every mall while everyone is putting their lists together and deciding what to buy their friends and family for the holidays this year.  Parents are firmly grasping their children's wish lists and some have already begun their annual rounds to their favorite shops, thus ensuring the retailer's holidays dreams come true this season.  This year, each consumer will spend an average of $816.69 on gifts, in addition to the $106.67 they will spend on themselves due to the great discount or promotion.   According to BIGresearch for the National Retail Federation, of the $816.69, we will spend $469.14 on family, $90.13 on friends, $22.79 on co-workers, $37.45 on others, $20.53 on flowers, $49.76 on decorations, $94.69 on candy and $32.21 on greeting cards and postage.

Reading these numbers can be overwhelming.  As a society, several billions of dollars are spent during the holiday season.  Unfortunately, many consumers are using their credit cards to charge their purchases and worrying about how they will pay for their purchases later.

As a client of ours, we want to provide you with alternatives to charging credit cards this holiday season. It's important to remember that you can still spread holiday cheer without racking up debt.  The best gift you can give to your family and yourself is the peace of mind that you are soon going to live debt free.  Below are a few tips on how to stay out of debt during the holidays.

Spending money is not always the solution to the perfect gift.  The best gifts require more thought and attention than money.  Our loved ones appreciate the personal touch and thoughtfulness of the gifts we create much more than the gifts we purchase.  Check out the list below for a few ideas on gifts that require your creativity, not your credit card:

• Baking Cookies.  This is an inexpensive, yet thoughtful gift that your entire family can help with.  You can top the cookies off by placing them in a decorative tin or box with a bow
• Artwork.  If you or your children are artistic, you may consider making a piece of artwork and framing it to give to a loved one.
• Framed Pictures.  If you're like many people, you probably have pictures laying around your home of some of the best memories you and your friends and family have created.  You may consider framing some of those pictures and giving them as gifts. This is a special way to show your appreciation towards your friends or family without breaking your budget.
• Calendars.  If you own a computer, create a calendar!  Find a calendar template in one of your computer programs and personalize it for your gift recipient.  You can even add pictures representing some of your best times together.

Click here for more creative gift ideas that you can make from home.

Calculate how much you can realistically afford to spend this holiday season without losing your focus and commitment to your debt settlement program.  

If you decide to spend money on any gifts, you may want to consider only buying for those closest to you.  

Many families will place their names in a hat and each person draws a name of one person to buy a gift for.  This works in large families as well as small.  Suggest a limit on the amount to spend on each person.  This will assist with your budget and save you money at the same time. 

Instead of sending Christmas cards this year, send a free e-card or create one from your own computer.  

  

You can find some of the best deals by shopping online.  Many Websites such as www.shopzilla.com offer a comparison of prices for the item you are looking for.  Just remember to use your debit card if shopping online.  The last thing you want to do is make a charge to a credit card while participating in our debt settlement program.

The suggestions we have offered to you are to make the holidays just as memorable and joyous for you as they were in years past without getting you into debt again.   Think of how relieved you will feel to have a wonderful holiday without worrying about how you're going to pay your credit cards come January.  With a careful spending plan and creative thinking this holiday season, you have a good chance of ending the year with green and not deep in the red.

And remember, the best gift you can give to your family and yourself this holiday season is the chance to live debt-free and finally achieve financial freedom.

From the staff at your debt settlement company, we thank you for your business and wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday season.