Handling Holiday Bills

The holidays are a great time for family, friends, food and fun, but they can also be a time of overwhelming bills. In order to avoid financial stress at the holidays, it is important to take a pro-active approach to spending. This is especially true if you are contemplating filing bankruptcy or have recently done so. Remember, money does not have to be the basis of a great holiday season for you and your family. If you are struggling with your bills, give yourself the gift of less financial stress this holiday season with some of these tips:

• Set a budget. You can stick to almost any holiday budget if you plan carefully. For most of us, impulse spending is the time when we get in trouble. Therefore, plan your purchases in advance and, if possible, order them online where you will not be as tempted to browse and purchase unnecessary items.
• Pay cash. If it is possible, pay cash for all your holiday purchases, including food. Paying cash is a great way to budget yourself automatically because you can only spend what you have in your wallet.
• Be honest. It is hard to face your family and friends and admit that you do not have the funds to indulge in a lot of spending, but it is much harder to file bankruptcy! If you are on a tight budget, be honest. You never know; your friends and family may appreciate being able to cut back, as well! You should also be honest with your family. This does not have to be a time of doom and gloom; in fact, it can be a bonding moment for your family when you all agree to work together to make the holidays happy and economical!
• Be realistic. Do not set your heart on a particular expensive gift. Instead, choose one smaller item that has real meaning and ask your family to pool their resources to give you this item. Do the same for them. One well-chosen gift is worth all the expensive, unnecessary items in the world.
• Do not forget the small things. Baking cookies together, picking out stocking stuffers at the discount stores and singing songs are all things you can do for next to no money but that you and your family will truly enjoy.

The attorneys at Oswalt Law Group in Phoenix want everyone to have a happy holiday season without stressing over finances!