by Michaeline on December 9, 2008
I know people who think that regifting is tacky or means that you don’t think much of the recipient if you regift to them. As a life coach, encouraging individuals to clear clutter from their space, I personally think that regifting is great if done with the the best of intentions and as long as a few “rules” are followed.
For those that may be new to the concept, regifting is the act of taking a gift that has been received and giving it to somebody else. If you haven’t heard the term “regifting” you may have heard the term “white elephant gift exchange” (and even those that pshaw regifting have probably participated in one of these).
Even though the practice pre-dates the term, in 1995 the term became popular in an episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld (“The Label Maker”) when one of the characters “regifted” a label maker to Jerry Seinfeld.
If you do plan to regift there are rules of etiquette that you should follow: [click to continue…]
by Michaeline on November 15, 2008
Even though I have posted about planning for a stress-free holiday, we haven’t yet touched on the topic of stressing less for the holidays by having a spending plan…it isn’t too late to mention it here. If you haven’t thought about your holiday budget yet here are some tips to build an easy system keep track of your holiday spending:
- Create a central location to collect all holiday related expenses. Decide if you will use a binder or a note book to track your spending. Place a plastic sleeve into your book or binder to store receipts.
- Categorize your expenses separately…one page for each category. Include things like gifts (for family, friends, co-workers, teachers, etc.), stocking stuffers, cards, gift wrap, postage (including out of town gift mailing costs), travel, groceries, clothing, donations, decorations and dining out.
- Determine your spending limits. Use last year’s expenses to help you determine this year’s budget. If you didn’t keep track, estimate what you think you will need in each category. Add up your projected costs and make adjustments if the number looks too high.
- Regularly keep track of expenses. Write things down as you shop. If you go over in one category, be prepared to make adjustments in another. Review your expenses weekly.
Including a holiday budget in your planning process can help you achieve a more stress resistant holiday season. So don’t get too caught up in the holiday spirit and avoid that potential financial hangover by planning ahead for holiday spending.