by Health Alliance Plan (HAP)
Q: "Our family budget is really tight this year. Do you have any suggestions for stretching the family budget to get through the holiday season?"
A: Don't ruin the promise of a new year by overspending this holiday season. The holidays bring people together and create an opportunity to slow down and enjoy time with loved ones. You can still create meaningful family-centered holiday memories without spending a bundle. Here are some great tips for you to consider.
Greeting Card$
If you're creative, consider recycling holiday cards, refine your mailing list, try e-mail greetings and photos - or forego cards altogether.
Holiday Partie$
- Reduce the stress of entertaining by planning a potluck dinner. For each guest, assign a type of dish, such as a side dish, appetizer, main dish, and specify how many people the dish should serve.
- Invite just your closest friends over for a holiday get-together; try a simple wine and cheese theme, everyone brings a bottle to sample.
- Don't feel obligated to attend every party. Be selective.
- Borrow or limit your decorations; look for coupons and discounts.
- Help your children create a holiday play, puppet show or concert and perform for a holiday gathering.
- Take a group of friends and family caroling at a senior center.
- During Kwanzaa, many families visit nursing homes and senior centers to honor elders. Consider bringing little gifts, like cards, bookmarks or socks with Kwanzaa-colored trim.
- Prepare gift boxes for the homeless - food, treats and toiletries. This can be done with a few families, a havurah from your synagogue or church group.
- Trim your gift list and exchange an ornament or other small gift.
- Create fruit baskets or freezable homemade soups as holiday gifts.
- For clutter-free giving, choose a favorite charity to which friends and family members make or donate gifts.
- Decide how much you want to spend and then stick with it. If lavish holiday store displays tempt you to spend more, shop online.
- Create family heirlooms - such as a cookbook - by scanning elders' recipes in their own handwriting. Produce a legacy video of your loved ones, with pictures, video and their personal life story.
- After the first big snowfall, take the family sledding. Have a pot of warm soup ready for when you get home.
- Record interviews with parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. Have them relate your family's history, and make copies for everyone on your family gift list.
In January start a holiday savings account so you will have holiday funds.
Create a master calendar and include Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah or Christmas. Create goals and a budget for each season.
For healthy recipes that won't break the bank or your waistline, visit the Health Alliance Plan Web site, http://www.hap.org/worksite/newsrecipes.php. HAP also offers links to sites with more healthy recipes: http://www.hap.org/healthy_living/womens/healthy_recipe_sites.php. This "Ask the Expert" column is courtesy of Health Alliance Plan, www.hap.org, in partnership with The Family Center.
The Family Center, a 501(c) 3, non-profit organization, serves as the community's centralized hub for information, resources and referral for families and professionals.
To view more Ask The Experts articles, please visit our website www.familycenterweb.org.
Please email your questions to info@familycenterweb.org
To volunteer or contribute, visit familycenterweb.org or call 313.432.3832.
20090 Morningside Drive, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236
To view more Ask The Experts articles, please visit our website www.familycenterweb.org.
Please email your questions to info@familycenterweb.org
To volunteer or contribute, visit familycenterweb.org or call 313.432.3832.
20090 Morningside Drive, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236
