Christmas is coming...is your budget prepared?

Aaahhh....can you believe how quickly Christmas will be here and the costs involved in meeting everyones perceived needs? I say perceived, as we live in a very affluent country and really have very little 'need' but lots of 'wants'. It is not worth going into debt for 'wants' or because 'everyone' has one. Lets be sensible and stick within our means this year, so that we can afford to pay for the higher costs of living in 2011.

For a budget conscious Christmas why not try out a few of the following gift ideas:

• Do a serect Santa with a set a pressie limit
• Give to someone in real need by purchasing from a TEAR catalogue or Salvation Army catalogue ( a little goes along way in India and Africa)
• Give an unwanted or unused gift you have at home (make sure it does nnot look second-hand) - it is far better that someone else enjoys the item than having it clutter up your home!
• Make a gift of cookies, slices or cakes
• Give of your time instead of money
• Stop buying gifts for aquaintances, long lost cousins etc - we don't have to keep up with the Jones'.