Liberty Debt Relief’s Plan For a Happy (Debt-Free) Holiday Season

Credit Card Debt Relief Before it Even Starts

The holidays are known for being the best time of the year. For many people, however, that great time spent with family and friends can easily become expensive with the thousands of dollars people generally pour into gifts. This particular holiday is all about giving, but you should never allow that spirit to dictate your bank account. Instead, shop smarter, not harder this year and consider these Liberty Debt Relief secrets to success to enjoy the season of giving and avoid a season of Christmas debt.

Determine Your Budget

To avoid turning into Scrooge this year and calling off gift-giving altogether, take a look at your current financial situation. Budgeting is the first step in any financial decision, especially when you are looking into getting credit card debt relief, but this step does not have to wait until a few weeks before the holidays hit; you can start planning any time, even a year in advance.

For a debt-free Christmas, make a list of all the people for whom you want to purchase gifts — and consider adding a few extra no-names, just in case you forget one or two during planning. Then, look at how much money you expect to earn between your planning period and gift-giving season. Once you subtract your definite bills, expenses, savings, and general spending money, you will have what you are able to spend on everyone as a whole. You can then decide how you want to distribute that gift money for the people on your holiday list.

Planning your budget a few months or even a year in advance will allow you to put some money aside every month to avoid going into massive Christmas debt as soon as November and December hit.

Set Your Limits

Everyone has a different number of people they want to purchase gifts for and different relationships with those who do make the list. If you are already on the right track for credit card debt relief, the last thing you want to do is to show your love for these individuals by taking 10 steps back on your credit. If your budget will only allow you to spend $1,000 on gifts this year and you have a significant other, parents, in-laws, three siblings, five friends, and three co-workers to buy gifts for, look for meaningful items that won’t cost too much.

Try looking at sites and applications like Groupon, OfferUp, LetGo, the Facebook market, and even the clearance section of your giftees’ favorite stores to stay within your financial means. If you planned early enough in the year, you may even be able to find great deals for Memorial Day, Labor Day, the end of the season, and even Black Friday. It undoubtedly takes much more forethought, but being able to provide a loved one with a gift they love that also allows you to have a debt-free Christmas makes it well worth it.

Get Crafty

Many people deal with significantly lower budgets for gifts during the holidays, especially if they have worked hard all year to get credit card debt relief. Between decorating your home, cooking dinner and treats, and the endless gift-required parties that happen in November and December, staying under your gift budget can be difficult. Luckily, those who have a more crafty side can use their skills as an advantage in avoiding Christmas debt.

Many sites, such as Pinterest, offer great holiday crafting ideas that can save you tons of money. Investing $100 into crafts can result in gifts for as many as 15 to 20 people, depending on what you decide to create and where you purchase it from. Hundreds of stores offer low prices on crafting essentials and most of the items you will need are sold in bulk packages, making your expense list smaller. Scrapbooks, homemade ornaments, gift sets, sugar scrubs, wine bottle decorations, and candles are just a few of the thousands of ideas for debt-free Christmas gifts. Not only will creating some gifts save you more money overall, but it will also mean so much more to your loved ones that you dedicated the time to make them something special.

Spend on Socializing

Sometimes the best gift for loved ones is time well spent. If you have a large group of friends, bring up the idea of having a holiday potluck and movie night, a secret-Santa gift exchange, or even just a group outing to a restaurant, zoo, or local event. The idea will likely be appealing, especially for young adults who do not earn a large salary just yet or those who simply don’t have extra money on their credit cards while trying to get some debt relief.

Have a Debt-Free Christmas and a Happy New Year

The holidays don’t have to be stressful. A little bit of financial planning can go a long way in making sure that your Christmas debt stays minimal. This year, try setting a spending limit, looking into homemade crafts, and spending more time with your loved ones to share the true meaning of the holidays. Contact Liberty Debt Relief today for tips and strategies to save you money all year long.