12/21/2004: "budget christmas"

I’m starting to feel the holiday guilt before Christmas is even here. I’m trying to stay within a very tight budget that I gave myself for Christmas (well, small is relative),but basically since I locked my credit cards away – everything I get for everyone has to be with cash. So it’s really been a tough shopping time for me because in addition to just finding stuff for everyone, I have to figure out if I get something for someone, will I have enough left over for someone else (please, this is a new concept to me – I’m used to pulling out the Visa and saying ‘whatever’ when getting everyone and their brother presents).

Well for most people I think I’ve done really well – I’ve gotten them some nice gifts and I think overall – most people should be happy with what I’ve gotten them, but with Moe and my Mom I feel like I’m a failure shopping for presents. I know my Mom went crazy as she always does and the pile of stuff that Moe has accumulated (I know, it’s not all for me) is getting awfully large. My pile on the other hand consists of a few bags of carefully selected gifts that haven’t quite broken my budget.

In the end I know it’s about the thought – and that’s definitely there this year since I’ve had to put so much effort into the gifts, but we were at the Mall again last night - and after two hours of wandering from store to store with Moe, Brendan and Justin - I left with a single gift because: a) I couldn't find things I actually wanted to get people; and b) when I did find something, most of it was too expensive or Moe was standing right there so I couldn't get it.

Replies: 4 Comments

And don't forget - I'll be richer too come January since I won't have indebted myself anymore.

I'm working around it - and I'm willing to bet Christmas will go off just fine, in spit of my bitching and moaning.

jeff said @ 12/22/2004 12:35 PM EST

Congrats on the 'cash christmas'!! What Moe's real present will be is a much calmer, less stressed/worried spouse in the New Year (since you won't have "January shell shock" when you open those bills!)

IMHO: Anyone who'd place that great an emphasis on a gift, might not really be a friend who deserves a gift anyway??

We're kinda getting towards "who wants all this 'stuff' around our house. We're on "inventory reduction" - i.e. if you bring one thing in , you're supposed to throw out (recycle or give away) 3 things! HA!

Alan said @ 12/22/2004 08:02 AM EST

I'm also doing all of my shopping with cash for the first time ever. It's rough. I'm still nowhere near done with my list yet.

Ryan said @ 12/21/2004 11:59 AM EST

Hey, stick with it. There's no good reason why you shouldn't have a gift budget, and putting the Visa away is simply showing restraint.

It is indeed the thought. IMHO, just receiving a gift shows that someone was thinking of me, and I'll humbly welcome that.

And if the gift isn't quite what we'd like, we can always take it back, no?

greg said @ 12/21/2004 11:04 AM EST

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