After The Holly Days

After The'Holly Days'

Will You Be Counting Coins?

When the Christmas lights are dimmed; the wreaths, garland and trees come down; the wrapping paper crumbled; and the novelty of a new gift wears off, what will be the condition of your pocketbook?

After the holidays are over, many of us pass up lunch at work because we are simply broke. We monitor the calendar on a daily basis to see how many days are left before the end of the month. And once pay day finally arrives, it is only then that we are rescued from the deep abyss of debt that was racked up throughout the Christmas season.

BE wants to ensure that when 2014 rolls around, you still have some dollars – and cents – in your wallet or purse, so we offer a few tips to ensure that you financially survive “The Holly Days”.

Opt Out Of “Secret Santa” Arrangements

If you can’t afford it, don’t pretend you can. That $50-$100 that you’ll be obligated to spend could go toward gas for your car, or bus and train fare. Your co-workers and family members will understand.

(For The Younger Folk) - Look For More Holiday Parties And Limit Bar Hopping

Everyone loves a great holiday party for one reason or another. One, you save having to buy food and drinks, although you might be required to bring a bottle of something for the bar. But even that beats spending three times the cost of a bottle for three mixed drinks.

Christmas Light Curfew

Set a curfew for when your Christmas lights will shut off. If you live in The Bahamas, then you know power doesn’t come cheap. And as beautiful as your homes and Christmas trees may look adorned in those traditional icicle lights, your power bill for the month of January won’t be as attractive. Unlike other places around the world, power in The Bahamas does not come without an additional fuel surcharge, which means if your lights are on for hours and hours, then you’ll pay the price for beauty. They say beauty doesn’t come without some pain.

For Next Year - Catch Black Friday Deals

Since the infamous Black Friday Holiday has already passed, here’s something to consider for next season. Doing the bulk of your Christmas shopping year round especially during big sales like President’s Day, Tax Free Weekend and Black Friday. Buying gifts for those constants in your life will leave you with extra cash come Christmas to spend on other things including the Secret Santa at work.

Set Budget For Extra Activities

Undoubtedly there are things we don’t foresee all the time. But the trick is to plan for the unexpected. Set aside a reasonable amount to do things that will inevitably pop up, like a new production or the Christmas Carnival.