Tag: holidays

Recovering Financially from the Holidays

Recovering financially from the holidays can take some time. From gifts, to going out with friends, or hosting parties, the holidays can be extremely expensive. And even if you planned out a budget, it’s easy to go a little overboard. It’s helpful to look back at your overall spending to get an idea of how you need to adjust your budget for next year’s holidays. Create a budget based on the money you have coming in and going out each month and stick to it. Finally, fix unhealthy spending habits and start focusing on things like paying off debt and reining in spending. Hopefully, you can reset and start focusing on saving so that next year’s holidays don’t put such a large dent in your wallet.

Recovering Financially from the Holidays: Getting Back on Budget

Look at the Overall Spending

One thing that can be extremely helpful when recovering financially from the holidays is looking at your overall spending. Make a list of how much you spent on things like gifts, cooking, hosting any events, holiday activities, decorations, and traveling expenses. Getting organized and figuring out exactly how much you spent can help you with creating a more realistic budget for next year.

Make Changes for Next Year 

Recovering financially from the holidays also means making a plan to not take such a financial hit next year. Once you see how much you spent on everything this year, go ahead and make yourself a budget for next year. Take that number and divide it by however many months between now and when you need the money again (usually November so that you can begin purchasing gifts). That will give you an idea of how much you need to set aside each month so that you have all of the money already saved by the time the holidays roll around again. You can also divide it up by paychecks between now and then.

Create a Budget

Figuring out your finances in genera is easier if you have a budget. To create one, begin by taking a look at all of the money you make each month. This can include revenue from any side gigs, your job, stocks, or any other money you have coming in. Then, look at the amount of money you typically spend in a month. Look at things like rent, utilities, restaurants, groceries, hanging out with friends, and childcare fees. Don’t forget those pesky subscription services either. Then, create a budget so that each dollar you make is assigned a job, whether that’s paying for some of your expenses, paying off debt, or going to savings.

Fix Bad Habits

Finally, recovering financially from the holidays means fixing some of those bad habits that are too easy to fall into when you are on vacation-mode. For example, ordering takeout or heading to restaurants for most meals. Make a grocery list and try to fix meals at home as much as possible. Additionally, try to rein in spending on frivolous things that you don’t need. Consider selling items that you no longer use, and shop second-hand whenever possible. Cut out as many expenses as possible, and make sure to stay on-time with payments. 

As we move through December and into January, everybody needs help recovering financially from the holidays. If you’re feeling like there’s a big hole in your pocket from all of the recent spending, you aren’t alone. Getting back into a routine and focusing on healthy spending habits can help you recover some and build back your savings. First, organize yourself and take a look at your overall spending for the season. Then, take that number and divide by however many months until next holidays, and start setting aside a little money each month. That way, the holidays won’t be such a hit to your bank account. Create a budget based on your monthly income and expenses, and try to stick to it as much as you can. Finally, start focusing on healthy money habits like cutting out extraneous expenses, eating at home more, and cutting out any subscriptions you don’t use. Hopefully, by preparing a little for next year, you’ll avoid getting behind with money when the holidays roll around again.

Dealing with Family Conflict Over the Holidays

Dealing with family conflict over the holidays is never fun. And with an election just barely over this year, things might be more intense than usual. If you anticipate that you might be dealing with some arguments or heated discussions with your family, prepare yourself mentally ahead of time. Try to avoid polarizing topics, and set boundaries about what you will and will not be discussing. Stay calm if things start to become combative by trying to regulate your tone and body language. Deep breathing or taking a short break can help you calm down when needed. Pivot the conversation to something less controversial, and have some topics in mind just in case. Finally, if you need to, walk away from a conflict. Or, if you feel that your family will not be respectful of your boundaries, it’s okay to set limits on how much time you spend with certain people. Taking care of your mental health and enjoying the holidays are the most important things.

Dealing with Family Conflict Over the Holidays: Keep the Peace

Avoid Polarizing Topics

Dealing with family conflict tends to become more of an issue if your family is prone to discussing polarizing topics. For example, things like parenting, politics, or religion. If you feel like your loved ones will probably want to discuss something like this with you, you can set a boundary early on. Simply say that you aren’t going to be engaging in political conversations. If they don’t respect that boundary, you can choose to walk away.

Stay Calm and Take Breaks

It’s also important to regulate your body when dealing with family conflict. Keeping your posture neutral can be helpful, so avoid standing with arms aggressively folded, pointing, or using dramatic hand motions. Try to keep your voice calm, even, and in a moderate volume. Even when you get angry. Often, the louder we are, the less people actually hear. Finally, try to practice deep breathing and relaxing your muscles if you are feeling tense to help calm your sympathetic nervous system down..

Pivot the Conversation

It’s always helpful to keep a few safe topics in your back pocket in case your family is intent on turning things into an argument. Come prepared with some things to talk about that don’t involve controversial topics. For example, plans for New Year’s, any upcoming trips, or how your children are doing in school. 

Walk Away

Finally, if you’re dealing with family conflict over the holidays, sometimes you just have to walk away. Especially if your loved ones aren’t being respectful of you or your boundaries. Often, people feel obligated to see family over the holidays, even to the detriment of their mental wellbeing. If you feel like you need to take some time apart from family, it’s okay to prioritize your mental health. You can always come back next year, or go for a visit another time.

Dealing with family conflict over the holidays is likely something that a lot of people are going to be experiencing in the coming weeks. Especially in the wake of an intense political situation in our country. If you suspect that your family will be trying to pull you into disagreements or political conversations that you don’t want to be having, it’s best to go into events with a game plan. You can set boundaries up front about topics you aren’t willing to engage in. Setting boundaries I doesn’t mean that you are trying to control other people’s behavior, it just means that you are deciding what you are and aren’t willing to engage with. Try to keep things neutral by paying attention to your body language, tone of voice, and breathing. If you feel like you are getting overheated, take a short break and practice deep breathing exercises to calm down. Come prepared with some topics to pivot to if things start to get controversial. And finally, don’t feel guilty about walking away from certain events, or avoiding them altogether. You can always reconnect with your family later, but if you need to take some space for your mental health, do it. You deserve to have the holiday season you want free from any conflict or awkward conversations.