He's making a list...maybe you should too

<h1>He's making a list...maybe you should too</h1>Author: <a title="Charles Mayfield" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/charles-mayfield/113749.htm">Charles Mayfield</a> If you should happen to catch a glimpse of Santa this holiday season...take a look at that big belt he is wearing.  Chances are he has cinched that thing in a notch or two.  Perhaps we should all approach this holiday season with fiscal responsibility in mind.  Here are just a few thoughts about getting through the holidays without a whopping credit card bill waiting for you in 2010: <img src="http://atlantaplanningguys.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/shopping-meeting.jpg" alt="cartoon-image-of-family-meeting" /> Have a meeting (with the adults):  It is important to have a real discussion with your loved ones about the budget and what everyone should expect this holiday season.  Whether single or married, with or without children; we all have loved ones to think about when it comes to presents.  Some ideas here are... <ul> <li>- Find out what people "really" want...no need in spending hard earned money on something they don't want/need</li> <li>- Set guidelines for how much to spend on each family member (the same rules don't have to apply to everyone)</li> </ul> Write down your budget:  How much can you spend on everything?  Commit to a figure and don't waiver from it.  You'll have to be disciplined and figure out how to stretch those dollars as far as possible. <ul> <li>- Set up a "gift account" and put you've budgeted for presents in there</li> </ul> Most banks offer pretty low fees for new accounts...besides what is more expensive: a $30 account fee or blowing over your budget by $500? <img src="http://atlantaplanningguys.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/shopping-receipts.jpg" alt="shopping-receipts" /> <ul> <li>- Stay on target...don't spend money on things that aren't on the list until you have crossed off the list and purchased all your gifts</li> </ul> Make a list...Really!:  it helps to write down your goals.  <a href="http://atlantaplanningguys.com/?p=96" target="_blank">Click here</a> to see my post from last year about goal setting. <img src="http://atlantaplanningguys.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/shopping-list.jpg" alt="shpping-list-photo" /> In the case of gift shopping, the goal is to get the presents you intended on buying in the first place.  If you have already purchased something for a loved one through the course of the year...consider yourself lucky to have crossed that one off your list early. <ul> <li>- Have you been in a store during holiday shopping? They are doing everything they can to distract you and sell you something other than what you came in for</li> </ul> <img src="http://atlantaplanningguys.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/shopping-1.jpg" alt="hands-full-of-items-image" /> <ul> <li>- Knowing what you need saves time, money, and sanity</li> <li>- Helps keep you within budget</li> </ul>About the Author: As a co-founder of Chappell, Mayfield & Associates, Charles assists countless individuals and businesses in achieving financial independence with appropriate insurance and financial products.

Charles launched his financial planning career as an agent at Prudential Financial in 1997, where he was a three-time Million Dollar Round Table member and a nominee to the first Prudential Field Advisory Council.

Charles holds the CFP® designation, as well as the CLU and CLTC designations. He has a B.S. in Management from Georgia Tech.

Just as Charles is committed to his clients' financial well-being, he also takes an avid interest in benefiting his community. He is Past President and current member of the Board of Directors of Jerusalem House, on the Board of Councilors at The Carter Center, and a member of the Peachtree Road United Methodist Church. At Prudential Financial, he served as chair of the Prudential Connection Atlanta Outreach Program.

Charles has lived in Atlanta since 1992 and has a son DylanArticle Source: <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/">ArticlesBase.com</a> - <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/personal-finance-articles/hes-making-a-listmaybe-you-should-too-1465475.html" title="He's making a list...maybe you should too">He's making a list...maybe you should too</a>

If you should happen to catch a glimpse of Santa this holiday season...take a look at that big belt he is wearing. Chances are he has cinched that thing in a notch or two. Perhaps we should all approach this holiday season with fiscal responsibility in mind. Here are just a few thoughts about getting through the holidays without a whopping credit card bill waiting for you in 2010:

cartoon-image-of-family-meeting

Have a meeting (with the adults): It is important to have a real discussion with your loved ones about the budget and what everyone should expect this holiday season. Whether single or married, with or without children; we all have loved ones to think about when it comes to presents. Some ideas here are...

- Find out what people "really" want...no need in spending hard earned money on something they don't want/need
- Set guidelines for how much to spend on each family member (the same rules don't have to apply to everyone)

Write down your budget: How much can you spend on everything? Commit to a figure and don't waiver from it. You'll have to be disciplined and figure out how to stretch those dollars as far as possible.

- Set up a "gift account" and put you've budgeted for presents in there

Most banks offer pretty low fees for new accounts...besides what is more expensive: a $30 account fee or blowing over your budget by $500?

shopping-receipts

- Stay on target...don't spend money on things that aren't on the list until you have crossed off the list and purchased all your gifts

Make a list...Really!: it helps to write down your goals. Click here to see my post from last year about goal setting.

shpping-list-photo

In the case of gift shopping, the goal is to get the presents you intended on buying in the first place. If you have already purchased something for a loved one through the course of the year...consider yourself lucky to have crossed that one off your list early.

- Have you been in a store during holiday shopping? They are doing everything they can to distract you and sell you something other than what you came in for

hands-full-of-items-image

- Knowing what you need saves time, money, and sanity
- Helps keep you within budget

As a co-founder of Chappell, Mayfield & Associates, Charles assists countless individuals and businesses in achieving financial independence with appropriate insurance and financial products. Charles launched his financial planning career as an agent at Prudential Financial in 1997, where he was a three-time Million Dollar Round Table member and a nominee to the first Prudential Field Advisory Council. Charles holds the CFP® designation, as well as the CLU and CLTC designations. He has a B.S. in Management from Georgia Tech. Just as Charles is committed to his clients' financial well-being, he also takes an avid interest in benefiting his community. He is Past President and current member of the Board of Directors of Jerusalem House, on the Board of Councilors at The Carter Center, and a member of the Peachtree Road United Methodist Church. At Prudential Financial, he served as chair of the Prudential Connection Atlanta Outreach Program. Charles has lived in Atlanta since 1992 and has a son Dylan

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Article Tags: belt-tightening, budgeting, christmas gifts, christmas shopping, gifting, giving, goal-setting, holiday season, presents, santa, shopping, spending

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