Don’t stress! There are still deals to take advantage of, even after Black Friday!

Budgeting isn't easy, but it’s a GREAT feeling knowing you have a healthy bank account. Let us help make holiday budgeting and purchasing easier—attend December’s Credit Club! In the meantime, here are some suggestions from our budgeting professionals.

Have a plan

Avoid holiday headache overspending and make a detailed budget plan. Encompass all that is part of the holiday season into the budget, including travel, food, events and parties. There should be a long list of what your holiday expenses are. While planning and spending, think of ways where you can cut back on your budget or save on expenses.

Comparison shop all your planned purchases

Check ads in newspapers and visit retailers’ social media pages or websites. Saving just a few dollars on each expense adds up! If getting the better deal means driving to several different shops, save gas money by grabbing everything while you are already out or try carpooling with a friend.

In the true spirit of the season, the thought really is what counts

It’s tempting to use shopping as a way to get into the holiday spirit. Instead of making time for shopping, make time for friends and family, and creating gifts that are personal. If holiday expenses really have you worried, talk about it with friends and family; they might be just as eager to set limits on gift spending.

Food for thought for the New Year

Employ multiple saving strategies in addition to savings accounts, such as the whole family pooling and saving change over the year. Every little bit only serves to help, and you might be surprised just how much you can actually save in a year while still making ends meet.

If you do especially well this holiday season and spend under your budget, consider getting a head start on Christmas for the following year. After-Christmas sales are competitive with Black Friday deals; cards, decorations, and Christmas-themed gifts will be hugely discounted.

Don’t miss out on a workshop that is sure to help make your holiday full of cheer! This month’s Credit Club “Creating Memorable Christmas Traditions” on Thursday, Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. will help you create those wonderful Christmas memories for you and your family that will last a lifetime! Click here to learn more and register.


Written by: Sarah Cornwall, Marketing Resources, at Family Services, Inc.

Poll Reveals Consumers Committed to Retaining Cell Phone and Internet Service

When trying to save money, consumers choose to keep technology and cut back in other areas

Washington, DC – The June Financial Literacy Opinion Index poll hosted on the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) website revealed that in order to save money, people are willing to give up eating out, shopping, fancy coffees and cable TV, but they remain very attached to their cell phone and Internet services.

When asked to select the last thing they would give up in order to save money, only one percent of the 3,148 poll respondents insisted on keeping their designer coffee, one percent couldn't do without online or catalogue shopping, four percent would have trouble eliminating eating out, while eight percent were reluctant to pull the plug on their cable TV.

By contrast, 32 percent said they would be least likely to discontinue their home Internet service, while the majority, 53 percent, would refuse to say goodbye to their cell phone.

“It appears that Americans love their technology and are determined to stay connected,” said Gail Cunningham, spokesperson for the NFCC. “However, they may still have the opportunity to save money in those areas by examining their current cell phone and Internet plans. People often have plans with bells and whistles they seldom use, and discontinuing such services can save a significant amount of money.”

The poll results indicate that consumers are making logical choices when determining where to cut back, as they elected to eliminate spending in the areas where the lifestyle change would be least noticed, thus increasing the likelihood of sustainability. For instance, they can brew coffee at home, prepare meals at home, and control their shopping. Giving up cable seemed doable possibly due to the many viewing options available online or via a cell phone.

It is not surprising that consumers are reluctant to part with their Internet service and cell phones, as the poll confirms that Americans consider these as must-haves. Computer use has become ingrained as a part of people’s everyday activities as they rely on their Internet access to, among other things, search for a job, connect with friends, research a project, trade stocks, for entertainment and to stay up to date on breaking news.

Today’s consumers may be reluctant to give up their cell phone, not only due to convenience, but because they have disconnected their land line in favor of their cell as the main source of verbal communication. Considering the capabilities of today’s smart phones, tech-savvy consumers have begun to rely on their cells to perform many of the same tasks as their computer.

“It is encouraging that consumers appear to have thought through their cost-cutting decisions, and have made wise choices,” continued Cunningham. “This level of awareness will not only help people ride out the difficult economic times they’re currently experiencing, but result in a more stable financial future.”

If you need help finding realistic ways to control spending, reach out to a trained and certified housing counselor through an NFCC Member Agency. To be automatically connected to the location closest to you, dial (800) 388-2227, or go online to www.DebtAdvice.org. For assistance in Spanish, call (800) 682-9832.

The June poll question and results are as follows:

In order to save money, the last thing I would give up is

A. My cell phone = 53%

B. Cable TV = 8%

C. Designer coffee = 1%

D. Eating out = 4%

E. Internet/catalogue shopping = 1%

F. Home Internet service = 32%

Note: The NFCC’s June Financial Literacy Opinion Index was conducted via the homepage of the NFCC Web site (www.DebtAdvice.org) from June 1 - 30, 2011 and was answered by 3,148 individuals.

Spending money on what you value brings real happiness

By Carey Denman

My husband and I have a good life. We have flexible work schedules and a home in the country where we grow a large garden and keep a few chickens. We’ve been known to float homemade rafts and dangle our toes in the nearby creek with our four children, and to eat s’mores made in our fire pit for dinner.

In general, I’d say we live a slow, deliberate life. We don’t have television reception where we live, and we have no cable. And we have pay-as-we-go cell phone plans because we don’t get service in our area. Our two cars have a combined total of over 330,000 miles on them, and we do almost all of our shopping for clothes and other household needs at thrift stores.

Now, it’s quite possible that the idea of going without cable, weeding a garden and paying 10 cents a minute for cell phone calls might literally sound like torture to you. And that’s OK—because my definition of a good life cannot (and should not) be the same as yours.

Too often, people look around at what others are doing and buying, and decide that those things are necessary for a good life. And so begins a vicious (and often debt-ridden) cycle, where other people’s lives and possessions become the measure of our happiness. The result is that happiness becomes elusive, always just one purchase or activity out of reach.

This isn’t to say that material possessions don’t have the potential to improve your happiness quotient. In fact, I unequivocally believe they do—as long as the things you buy reflect what you sincerely value. My husband and I, for example, value nature and look for ways to spend more time outdoors.

Accordingly, we invested in a 1978 pop-up camper last summer. It’s got brown plaid seat covers, gold linoleum and a few dents here and there, but it suits our family well right now. We also saved for and built a screened porch last winter. We knew we wanted a room that, for three seasons of the year, would shelter us from the weather and keep us sequestered from mosquitos. Both the camper and the porch have improved the quality of our lives by giving us more ways to enjoy the outdoors.

Figuring out what you value isn’t always easy, but it’s worth the effort to do it. Begin by asking yourself a simple question: What is important to me? If you can, list at least five things. The things you list will be your unique values. When you identify them, and start making decisions based on them, you will be happier and more satisfied with your life.

My own list includes beauty, creativity, family, flexibility and, as I already mentioned, nature. With this list at the top of my mind, I am better equipped to make decisions about how I do and do not wish to spend my time and money. Sure, I may still admire a friend’s new car or the fashionable way she dresses, but I don’t value driving a new vehicle or wearing trendy clothing. I have learned that I get genuine satisfaction from spending my money to outfit our camper with the supplies we need for a weekend getaway, or to create a playhouse for our children.

When you understand what you value, you’re more prepared to create a budget that actually works. Your budget will help you focus on spending your money in ways that will help you achieve the good life that you – not your friends or neighbors – really desire.