Holiday Stresses: Debts, Chores and Unfavorite Relatives
Debt Prevention:
Once a gift is wrapped no-one knows if you bought it at a bargain store or a high price store [especially if you shop in the next town over].
Save money - buy at outlets and bargain stores. Stuck for ideas: try giving adults, one or more gourmet food items they will enjoy. Example: specialty teas, coffees, olive oils and vinegars.
Use cash not credit cards when you shop. No cash? Then quit spending!. Give your friends/family gifts such as: "5 hours of Weekend Childcare" "A Shoulder Massage" "Eight hours of Garage Cleaning," "Three half days of gardening," "Every pair of shoes polished," "Spagetti dinner for four." Be creative rather than create debt.
Call your Credit Card's Customer Service and ask to speak to a supervisor. You will be asked why you need to do this and you say, "Because I want a lower interest rate." Surprise, if you are not maxxed out, they will usually give you a lower rate.
Delegate Chores
- Don't ask your family to help YOU! Ask: "Which of the jobs on the list can you do to keep our home clean?" Teach equality not servitude.
- For two career marriages: establish a routine based on every family member contributing an equal amount of time and work together as a team say from ten to twelve on Saturdays or six till eight on Monday evenings. Young children, partners, even teenagers, will enjoy appreciation, recognition and attention for their contributions but remind them: you enjoy recognition and acknowledgment too. Teach appreciation not self centeredness.
Unfavorite Relatives
Unfavorite relatives are not going to be any different this year than they were last year: so, get used to it and quit grousing about it. No one, not even your worst relative is all bad. Your task is to start looking for their positive qualities and avoid focusing on their negative aspects. Smile and act as if they are okay and sometimes you will find that you succeed in transforming them into pleasanter people.
Remember the things we dislike most in other people are probably our own worst faults. These sensitivities are based on a defense called projection. Example: if Joe criticizes Jane for being hostile and aggressive, chances are these are Joe's own worst faults and he is projecting them onto Jane. So whenever you feel critical of someone: remember you may be projecting your own worst faults. Now, that's a humbling thought!
Call your Credit Card's Customer Service number today and ask for a lower interest rate
