Articles - Archived Money Matters

The Ghost of Holidays Past

When the holidays are over, some people find themselves being constantly haunted by the ghost of over-spending. To avoid that from happening this year, begin planning for the season now. Consider the following tips:

Plan a holiday budget. The best way to stay out of trouble during the holiday season is to figure out how much you can spend without going into debt—before hitting the shops. Begin by looking over old checking and credit card statements to see how much you spent last year. To this amount, don't forget to add in expenditures for things like holiday meals, travel and parties. This is your budget. Stick to it by shopping smart—and early. It's often those last-minute impulse purchases that wind up blowing your budget.

Get personal. You don't always have to spend a lot of money to communicate the essence of giving. Gifts such as baked goods, handmade ornaments or pictures give holidays a personal touch without breaking your budget.

Plan holiday spending for next year now! That's right, go ahead and begin planning for the upcoming holiday season by opening a Holiday Cash Club Account at Local Government Federal Credit Union, which you are eligible to join if you are a local government employee. This is a special savings account where you can set aside money for holiday spending year-round. You can open this account today and the money will be available for use on the last business day of October. There is no minimum deposit, no service charge.

Hopefully by following these tips, the only ghosts you'll see from now on are on Halloween!