Avoid Holiday Blues & Holiday Debt

Personal finances can cause alot of stress in marriage. Most studies show that 'money problems' are the #1 cause of divorce in North America. The holidays expose many families to further risk of money problems. We feel pressured to give gifts. But, what if our own personal finances need more attention?

1 Timothy 5:8 - But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

This Chapter in 1 Timothy is dealing with widows, but I believe its safe to carry this to our personal finances as good suggestion from God. Not necessarily a "rule", but a better way to do things in order to have the abundant life Jesus talks about. If you are serious about changing your financial situation forever, maybe this Holiday season is the time to make the first step by taking care of your own household first?

Are you willing to avoid going deeper into debt and avoid putting more fianancial stress on your family? Why not tone down Christmas this year? Of course, this is only a good plan if you use the money not spent on Christmas to create and excecute a solid plan to get out of debt.

Last Christmas we were in the middle of getting out of debt and we made the very difficult decision to tone it down that year. You know what? We didn't get any complaints. Everybody was cool with it. We didn't have to spend money we didn't have and everybody understood. In the past, we were paying on credit card debt in November for Christmas gifts we bought 11 or 12 months prior.

Try to have a long term perspective about it. If you can take control of your finances by toning down Christmas THIS YEAR, then create and excecute a plan to get out of debt, you could be in a position to give NEXT YEAR, only without all the stress and worry attached.

Merry (Debt Free) Christmas!!