Financial Organization |
We recently conducted our fifth annualy Holiday Stress Survey, which revealed that money, or lack thereof, remains to be a top holiday stress concern for 1,000 adult consumers. Despite the current economic climate, 61% of respondents believe they spend too much money during the holidays.
We asked our gurus, personal finance expert Jean Chatzky, and time management expert Julie Morgenstern, to weigh-in on the survey results and provide tips for surviving and thriving this upcoming holiday season.
It’s no longer what you give but who you give to.
By Dave Ulacia
Advertisers encourage heavy spending this time of year. It’s good for business, but it may not be good for your bank account. A recent Gallup poll projects Americans will on average spend more than $900 on gifts this year. While some will spend more and others will spend less—the secret isn’t how much you spend, but how well your spending fits within your budget. Here are ten ways to keep your spending at a manageable level this holiday season.
By Jean Chatzky
It’s no surprise that this year’s holiday shopping season is coming sooner, rather than later. Retailers have started prepping for big promotions and sales, and I’ve already gotten at least a dozen emails about the season’s hottest toys and video games. Chances are, your kids are at least mentally getting their wish lists together, and those new items won’t be left off.
By Jean Chatzky
In recent years the average family of four has spent over $5,300 on food, nearly $3,000 on gifts, $2,100 on clothing, and $3,000 on recreation. That's all well and good when you're spending money that you have, but what about if you’re watching your pennies because of a lay-off or a plummeting 401(k) balance?
By Jean Chatzky
In the past, I’ve talked a lot about the anxiety that money causes. I even devoted an entire chapter of my most recent book, Make Money, Not Excuses, to helping you overcome a fear of math and number crunching.
Receipts - everyone has them, but nobody wants them. As with most things organizing-related, most of us are never really taught what to do with those pesky slips of paper, so they tend to get pretty messy and out of control. Here are a few ideas for how to deal with receipts:
Don’t take them.
By Jean Chatzky
For months we’ve been hearing that consumers are cutting back. Budgeting, if not quite all the rage, is at least no longer considered uncool, and we’re all in the same boat when it comes to passing on pricey dinners out and that second $9 cocktail.
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