Is holiday debt an American Tradition?
By talking to some readers of mine online is sounds like debt for many is a given when it comes to the holidays. I have to admit, I nearly did it myself this year. But why? There are so many expectations and we all just want to do the best for our kids. Sometimes though the best is really is letting go of certain things. I am very grateful to have bought a van years ago with cash and as it has had blinking lights, over 200,000 miles, and now the air conditioner out in it, I just didn’t want to repair it. We have something much better to use as our family vehicle and we can be a single vehicle family for a while, we have been many times before.
So we found a great guy online (will share about him later for local readers needing such services) and he bought it from us. Buying cars is what he does and he knows just how to use cars that run, tow ones that don’t, and more. He has a great life story too, from pro football player to this point and it sounds like he is very driven.
So we avoided some debt, and I got to let go of something we didn’t much need and I didn’t want any more. I have friends letting things go on ebay and local groups and planning on freeing themselves of more things in the new year and I think I might join them. Granted, extra holiday money is going towards the kids but the teen wants a laptop and that is $$$ and big bang for little space they take up. Her laptop is about dead and as she does most of her school work on it and gets nearly all A’s, she deserves it.
Speaking of…..
Thank a Teacher!
Don’t forget to thank your kids teachers! I got to meet a great local high school teacher tonight and talking with her was lovely. You know I often feel like I have to justify homeschooling to the masses for obvious reasons, and this is specially true with some teachers who are offended by the very notion of homeschooling. This Teacher like so many other great teachers I know was not at all like that. It was exciting to see her drive and hear about struggles and successes. She is one of the good ones, I can just tell! I wonder if the parents of her students know how lucky they are? She is thinking about going into counseling as she does so much of it already. She will be great at that! She is a wonderful listener. I also came away with a sense of peace over college prep for my teen. She let me know Junior year is really it for working on the college situation. I will try not to worry so much now while we are just working on freshman year! Life is too short for all this worry!
Americans spend dearly $400 per child for Christmas!
So with 4 kids that is $1600 plus gifts for family and the dear surro girls, that all adds up. So what did we spend on the kids? That my dears is between me and Mr. Santa (Hotty Hubby) and goodness he is quick to remind me the traveling and educational places we plan to take the kids over the holidays still. All managed I assure him! :-/ Well, nearly!
