No Limits Ladies.com

Kimber:
Holidays are all about tradition. I burn…I mean…make gingerbread cookies because my mom always made gingerbread cookies. The grinning, tatter winged angel topping my tree is almost identical to the angel topping my mom’s tree.

There may be small tweaks (no trudging out to the woods to chop down my own tree, my tree “lives” year round in a box in my basement) but the core traditions are there.

However, there is a tradition that I steadfastly refuse to carry forward. That is how I finance the holidays.

My mom, a hard working single mom of six hungry, toy crazy kids, considered Christmas the one time of year she didn’t have to look at the price tags on gifts. She would spend, spend, spend freely using the financial crutch of credit cards.

Sure, when I was too young to recognize the trend, Christmas was a carefree time but as I got older, I could see the black cloud on the horizon. I knew that the joy of Christmas would be followed by my poor Mom working 24-7, grumpy, growling and stressed out. This unhappy period would last through January, February, even into March.

Today, I make it a point not to use credit cards in December. I buy classic presents year round, stocking up on holiday paper and cards during the January clearance sales. I have the time to pick out just the right gift, the perfect present for my loved ones, and get the best price too (I buy comfy sweaters in April, classic toys during the summer sales, buy books on sale and have time to ship them to the author to autograph). By December 1st, I am done the bulk of my holiday shopping (though looking like I might have a last minute run to the store this year to pick up a Tickle-Me-Elmo) and have the time to enjoy the festivities.

The holiday future? Looking very relaxed. Yeah, I’ll still be at the mall (how can I stay away?) but I’ll be the smiling lady watching kids sit on Santa’s knee, listening to the piped in music.

Erin:
Being Broke Ain’t Cute. Especially around the holidays. (Just ask my little dogs in need of a pedicure, my white trash roots, and my pasty white body that needs a tan -yes, I fake bake).

In holidays past, I was an over-spender. I am the girl who would buy amazing thoughtful presents, wrapped all cute, that would sit for a month until I could afford to send them. If I had it, I was spending it. No saving for me. (What do you mean I’m out of money, I still have checks?! )

I am a single mom now. If I do not want to 'literally be the old woman who lived in her shoes', but instead live a fabulous life (cabana boys and all), I need to learn how to stretch my money by creating money trees that would keep on giving. We’re talking twelve days of Christmas giving here ladies.

My challenge is now this: How can I afford what I want to buy? If I want to spend $50 on books, how can I create that $50, so it doesn’t leave me broke (which ain’t cute). I recently did this myself. I loaned out some money short term with interest being paid, that would cover the cost of my books. I plant a 'money tree' that will buy several gifts, instead of blowing the money on one gift- because then it’s gone.

Being broke ain’t cute. Ladies, you do not want to end up a fabulous gift giving Fendi bag lady. We cannot change our holidays past, but we can use our present present buying to make a fabulous debt free future- pedicures, highlights, accessories and all!