Christmas is a jolly season filled with momentous celebrations and peaceful gift-giving scenarios. It is a season for giving, loving and forgiving.
On another note, Christmas is also a season for guilt-tripping, sobbing and splurging – at least, that’s what I thought it was.
Is Christmas another season that can just mess with our self discipline and ruin our financial future?
Or is Christmas a helpful stepping stone towards our journey to financial freedom?
Get your hot cocoa and sit down with me as I tell you the three personal finance things I learned this Christmas of 2012.
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How much would your electric bill be if your house were lit like this?
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1. I can re-gift presents without looking indecent.
I just gave a never-worn dress to a dear cousin of mine – God forbid she reads this post since I never specifically told her it was newly-bought! Anyway, when I was a more foolish, I splurged on this amazing dress which looked wonderful. Long story short: I bought it, never used it even once and gifted it to her.
You could have done the same thing, you know. You could have given wonderful never-been-used clothes, pens, notebooks, perfumes (my dad bought tons!) and planners for Christmas. Just make sure these items do look new and you’ll be fine!
Think of it as a very advanced Christmas shopping or a very classy way of cleaning your clutter.
2. Giving time is so much better than giving stuff.
Which would you rather have: a relaxing & free dinner in an awesome establishment courtesy of your friend or a recklessly picked trinket courtesy of the same friend?
I don’t know about you, but I’d rather get a free meal and an amazing experience rather than an expensive stuff for Christmas.
In the end, it’s the experience that matters.
3. You don’t need an ultra-mega fancy menu for your Noche Buena.
Our Noche Buena had lots of great food. We had fried chicken, spaghetti, honeyed ham, fruit salad, lomi, and doughnuts, among others.
But I still preferred our last year’s feast which had lomi, spaghetti and arroz valenciana only.
Why?
Simply because my grandpa was still alive back then.
After all, Christmas is not about what you eat – it’s about who you eat with.
Did you learn something new this Christmas too?