Can you imagine January of next year without a single credit card bill?
At Cindy's Porch, we have two main goals: to pay off our debts (and avoid new debt) and to get into the habit of savings. A simple piggy bank is your start to a short-term savings account. We call it our Christmas Cash Stash. (If you don't need a "Christmas" cash stash, then how about a "vacation" cash stash? You choose.) That little brown pig at the right is MY Cash Stash.
It can be done. All you need is a piggy bank, an empty mayonaise jar, a holiday tin, or gift box. SHOP at home FIRST - don't buy anything. Find something that can hold spare change and small bills.
Put a label on it and mark it as your "CASH CHRISTMAS." Now, everytime you find spare change or leftover dollar bills, add it to your Christmas Cash Stash. You are going to be amazed by how quickly this adds up. Our home averages about $550 in our yearly Christmas Cash Stash - just in time for the holidays!
Where are you going to find this cash? Check out our reader's ideas....
Laundry pile pockets.
- Ashtray in the car.
- In between sofa pillows.
- On the top of the TV where my husband empties his pockets at the end of the day.
- At the bottom of my purse - who knew there was $9.56 worth of change in there?
- Under the floor mats in the van.
- In my desk drawer.
- In my coat pocket - $3.21!
- In my penny collection that has been collecting dust for 6 years!
- On the kitchen windowsill.
- In the bottom of the washing machine.
- In the kid's lunchbox and backpacks.
So what's this "Cash Christmas" about anyways?
Think about how your family celebrates Christmas. Think about the
traditions, the decorations, the food, the gifts, the travel, and
whatever else you DO for the holidays. Also think about what you BUY
for the holidays. CHA CHING! Those aren't bells you hear…
How do you normally pay for this? If the retailers, marketers, and
advertisers have their way, you will BUY the holidays using their
handy-dandy credit cards. And if you didn't have their handy-dandy
credit cards, they would generously offer you a 10% discount if you
sign up for their in-store credit - today. No problem, you can be
approved in minutes!
"BUY now. Pay (much more) later." And the thing with credit cards is
that "later" will always arrive (in about 30 days or so). They keep
that little bit of information hidden away in the fine print.
And "LATER" brings its friend "INTEREST." And INTEREST is a greedy
beast! The longer he hangs around, the more he grows. He feasts on
the turkey, the yams, the sweets, and the stuffing you bought for
Christmas dinner. He snacks on the slippers you bought for Aunt
Beckie, and the sweater you bought for brother Jack. He chews on the
Lego you bought for Junior. And he gorges himself on the electronic
stuff you purchased for the home. INTEREST will grow and grow. The
more you feed him, the happier he is! He can enjoy the feast of
Christmases past for years and years! One minimum payment at a time.
And you are left with the debt of Christmases past - and the worry,
the stress, and the anxiety.
Retailers, marketers, and advertisers want to control your holiday
money. And they want to control this holiday money for years (at 19%
or more, annually).
A Cash Christmas puts YOU back in control. You will spend less and DO
more.
As the weeks go by, slip in a few dollars here and a few dollars
there. Don't bother counting the cash. You don't want
to be tempted into spending it on something you don't need. This money
has a goal and it has a purpose. The goal is to leave my credit cards
at home during the months of November and December.
"This year, enjoy Christmas Present without having to pay for Christmas Past." - Cindy
Take care of you,
Cindy
Cindy's Porch: Finances - Your Cash Christmas