presents
I haven’t crocheted one hat. I haven’t knit one scarf yet. I haven’t made one final decision about what I’m going to do about Christmas presents but one: buying Christmas presents will NOT come before my goal of paying off my old credit card debt by the end of the year. Period.
I do know I won’t buy that mp3 player for my mom until maybe Mother’s Day. I also know that I won’t buy that equally expensive electronic thingamajiggy for my honey until maybe his birthday. I think everybody’s getting clothes or something equally affordable like that. I hate shopping, but I’m good at it, and I think I can get something nice/useful/thoughtful for the Big 4 (Mom, Dad, Grandma and my honey) for less than what I originally imagined myself spending. I am not ashamed to say that. I have gone back and forth this year about whether thinking this way is cheap or prudent, and at this point, I’m tired of worrying about it. I have decided that I will do what makes the most sense to me, since I am the only one who will have to live with my checkbook balance, my credit card balances, and my old credit card debt balance after the season.
I think I’m going to, for the first time ever, get my butt up before dawn on Black Friday to brave the crowds and lines to catch good sales. I think I’m going to attempt to craft some hats and scarves for others beside the Big 4 since I already have plenty of yarn from last year - if I can pull that off, great! And if not, oh well. My goal is to fit all presents into an amount no larger than $150 - $200. I know I can do it.
One more thing: I may put my Christmas spending on a credit card so that I can use my cash to kill my old credit card debt by New Year’s Eve, which I’m determined to do. It’s a psychological thing. I am okay with carrying this into January if necessary because this small amount can and will be easily and promptly paid. Whether I do this will depend on how much I travel this season and whether payroll finally gets my deductions straight. My hope is that I will be able to clear this debt by New Year’s Eve, too.
