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Easing the Holiday Crunch
Tips to Lighten the Financial Burden
By Kristine Prugh
Sarah, a graduate student from Arlington, Va., presents a unique spin on this approach. "In terms of buying throughout the year, one thing I do is buy individual pieces of a composite gift, so I can still be excited about it by the time the holidays roll around," she says. "Examples I've bought: a fajita kit (fajita pan, spices, cookbook, etc.) and fishing stuff for Jeff (fishing net, flies, etc.). I would not recommend this course of action, however, for someone who hates shopping, because it's pretty time intensive."
However, this approach does not work for everyone and can end up costing a lot more in the long run. If the spending is spread throughout the year, many people lose track of what they have actually spent. Receipts are lost, and credit card statements are often vague. Diane, a mother of two grown children in Madison, Wis., says this method doesn't work for her. "I'm not good about buying gifts all through the year for several reasons," she says. "I'm never sure something I buy in January or March will be appropriate in December. More importantly, once I buy a gift, I will manage to find an occasion to give it to that person way before Christmas rolls around. However, there have been a few times when I have purchased early. The problem with that is one must remember where the gift is hidden, or more to the point, that you even purchased a gift. On a couple of occasions, I have found gifts after the holidays have come and gone."
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