Did You Know There Are ONLY 9 Saturday’s Until CHRISTMAS?!?!?!

How is this possible?? NINE?? Now I truly feel a sense of panic! NINE Saturdays until Christmas? I’m not ready. I need to know WHERE is time GOING?!?!?!

I know that I’m not the only MOM, Grandma, and wife who wants to spoil their family with amazing gifts. Doesn’t every gift giver, (be truthful here!) want to give a gift that makes the recipient smile wide? Make their little hearts beat double time?   Ya know, where they look at you and say “Oh MOTHER, you amazing and generous creature”. (Now, go back and read that in your most syrupy sweet, unnatural voice. I’m looking for sarcasm here).

With that said, if you are me and you send very weird gifts; that make my children say “Did you have a stroke? What is WRONG with you?!?!”  (I do know that eventually, I will have to stop sending the weird gifts, because these are the people that will choose my nursing home).

The whole point of all this Christmas gift-giving talk is to say that even though we want to spoil our families and continue to shower them with gifts, inflation is a nasty thing.  Inflation AND retirement? Oh this means I have to watch what I spend. Because this girl does NOT want to get a job at 65. So? What’s a girl to do?

Okay, I know this is a nasty word and I apologize ahead of time. BUDGET. ACKKKKK I’m sorry. (It’s a long-running joke between The Husband and I, he will tell me it’s time to discuss our budget. I WHINE really loud and leave the room. WAIT……. is that why he says it’s time for the budget talk??! Oh sneaky man!)

ANYWAY! With prices going through the roof I’ve found that this year has been especially hard for me to save money, Christmas gifts will not be as extravagant as I would like. There will also not be as many sent to my kids. (Although the Grandgirls still get the same amount. HELLO!! I’m THE NON!! The NON does the spoiling!) While it’s too late for me this year, I WILL be prepared next year. I’ve found an amazing way to improve my finances all in line with MY GOALS!! With TONS of different financial calculators (loans, savings, retirement, budgeting, education, mortgages, etc. AND even a few health calculators as well)

Now that I have given you the bad news about 9 Saturdays. AND brought up that nasty word BUDGET! What is one of the worst gifts you ever received? I’ll go first. My Mom gave me a ONE-WAY ticket to Helsinki Finland. Did I know anyone in Helsinki? NO. Do I NOW know anyone in Helsinki? NO. My Mom…. she had jokes!!  (She worked as a travel agent at the time…….. so, I did get to cash in the one-way ticket and buy a real gift. But, the shock, the confusion and the WHY of it all was priceless to my Mom. That was one of her best ever jokes).