Say No to the Pressure of Holiday Shopping

Many Americans think peer pressure only affects children but it affects adults too. Child peer pressure is more obvious but adult peer pressure can be subtle. Many adults may not even realize they have been victims of peer pressure. Many adults find themselves pressured into a lifestyle that requires them to give their family more and buy things they can’t really afford. This behavior results in financial disaster.

Many adults have succumbed to financial peer pressure from family, co-workers, friends and their children especially during the holidays that can wreak havoc on their lives and cause them to ruin their credit, go into debt, spend more than they earn and even result in filing for bankruptcy.

Statistics show that 70% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck and 96% of Americans retire or die broke. Avoid trying to keep up with everyone else, stop trying to compete with others and don’t be jealous or envious of someone else’s success or financial prosperity.

The saying birds of a feather flock together is true. The people you surround yourself with are a reflection of you. When you surround yourself with people who succumb to peer pressure, live a materialistic lifestyle, seek acceptance or approval and lack self-esteem you are acting in a weak state of mind. This type of behavior is toxic and leads to unhappiness, anxiety, depression, health issues and negative financial habits. Here are 15 ways to deal with adult peer pressure regarding shopping during the holiday season.

Say No

Learn how to say no. Don’t buy gifts if you can’t afford it. Explain that buying gifts is not in your budget right now. 

Examine

Look at the character of the person who is pressuring you and notice if their finances are out of whack, or if they are unhappy with their life – misery loves company.

Recognize

Recognize the peer pressure in your family, co-workers and social circles.

Firm. Be firm in your decisions about not buying gifts or set a spending limit and stick to it.

Defend. Don’t feel like you have to explain, justify or defend your position regarding buying gifts, you don’t.

Pressure

Tell those pressuring you to buy gifts that you would appreciate it if they could be supportive and accept the decisions you make in your life.

Give the gift of time

Offer to walk a friend, neighbor or relative’s dog; watch their dog when they are on vacation, pick up their mail or perform errands. You can also do volunteer work and take your family or friends. 

Give a Service

Offer to fix something in someone’s home or if you are good at putting things together, put together a stand or computer.  If you know how to repair a car offer to give a free oil change, put air in tires or change brakes. You can also offer to babysit, clean their garage or home.

Decorations

Make your own decorations or shop online to find inexpensive decorations. Buy plastic flowers instead of fresh flowers that can be reused. Pack and store decorations carefully to reuse next year. Reuse decorations from the previous year.

Sew

If you sew you can make clothes and give as gifts. If you know how to quilt or crochet you can make pillows, quilts, blankets, sweaters, socks and more and give as gifts.

ARTS AND CRAFTS

If you know how to make jewelry you can away give as gifts. Make your own. You can make lots of stuff such as: gloves, pottery, candles, candle holders and give as gifts.

BUYING GIFTS

Visit the dollar store to look for children's gifts. If you have to buy gifts for several family members suggest a "Secret Santa" so only one person has to buy a gift for one person and set a limit on the amount spent.

Americans Spend At Least One Paycheck during the Holidays, Don’t Be One of Them

                                            

According to a GoBankingRates survey over 50% of Americans spend at least one paycheck during the holidays. While 22% spend two paychecks, 6% three paychecks, 4% four paychecks, 3% five paychecks and 9% six paychecks. Forty-four percent expect to spend two paychecks on more during the holidays. 

These alarming statistics indicate that Americans need to spend less and save more. It also indicates that Americans are not prepared for a financial crisis such as illness, divorce, unemployment, death of a loved one or a natural disaster.

These statistics show a lack of control, discipline, impulse buying and an eagerness to keep up with everyone else. If Americans saved money throughout the year they would avoid the holiday shame when their credit card bill arrives in January.

Advertisers knows that consumers are triggered by emotion so retailers create advertisements to heavily tap into consumers emotions to encourage them to spend more money. Holiday shopping should equal the amount of money you can comfortably afford to spend – money that will not be needed in the near future for another purpose. 

The best way to curb overspending during the holidays is by calculating how many hours it takes you to work to earn enough money to purchase a specific item. For example, if you feel the urge to buy a large flat screen television that costs $1,000 and you earn $998 each bi-weekly paycheck, it will take you 80 work hours to earn enough money to purchase the television. Here are 5 fantastic ways to avoid spending your paycheck during the holidays.

Create financial goals

Set financial goals that you want to achieve for the next five years. Every time you think about spending money determine how the purchase will affect your financial goals.

AVOID PEER PRESSURE

Ignore peer pressure your family, friends, colleagues, other parents or neighbors to purchase at item even it is for a good cause. If you can’t afford to purchase the item and purchase it anyway you are the only one who suffers.

REEXAMINE SPENDING HABITS

If you overspent during the holidays last year or earlier in the year, examine why you overspent and solve the root cause to prevent overspending in the future.

GIFT GIVING

Reevaluate how you purchase gifts. If you have a large family consider a secret Santa exchange so you are only required to purchase one gift for one person. If your family has a large number of children skip buying gifts for the adults and buy gifts for the children. Another option is to purchase gifts for your immediate family and work with your family to set a general spending limit.

SPEND LESS

Spend less money on those persons you purchase lavish gifts for in the past. If they complain tell them you are on a budget this year and need to stick to your budget. The amount of money spent on someone should not indicate your feelings for the person, i.e. if you spend less money it does not mean you care about them any less.

Don't Be a Victim of Christmas Crime

The media and police are warning consumers to use caution and common sense when shopping during this holiday season. The holiday seasons are one of the highest crime periods of the year. 

Although the unemployment rate is down to 5 percent many Americans are still struggling to make ends meet. Some Americans are only working part-time or minimum wage this holiday season and thieves are more desperate than ever. A spike in crime occurred across the country on Black Friday just after Thanksgiving and usually continues through New Year’s Day. Last year someone broke into my car on New Year’s Day. The police officer who responded stated that many crimes occur on New Year’s Day.

Some of the common crimes are:

• Stealing gas while you are at the gas station
• Car theft/carjacking
• Pickpockets
• Snatch and grab
• Stealing grocery carts full of groceries when the customer walks to get their car
• Stealing packages from homeowners porches
• Employees stealing from customers or from the office
• Stealing money and gift cards in postal mail
• Workers stealing water or electricity when rehabbing a home
• Scams
• Identity theft
• Fake car trouble – pulling beside a driver telling them something is wrong with their car and they need to pull over
• Home burglaries

Don’t be a victim this holiday season. It is better to be safe than sorry. Don’t think you are immune to theft. Even the best protection systems or deterrents will not stop a thief who is determined to rob someone. Always be aware of your surroundings. Criminals also steal from people they know. Here are 41 tips to reduce your chances of being a victim this holiday season.

Auto

1. Don’t leave your car unlocked or your trunk open at any time.
2. Have your keys in hand when approaching your vehicle. Check the inside of your car and around the car before getting in. Get in your car quickly. Lock your doors as soon as you get in the car.
3. Don't leave anything in your car.
4. Buy gas during the daytime.
5. Be on guard when riding in taxis, Uber or Lyft, many taxi drivers get robbed during the holidays and some drivers have kidnapped riders.
6. Don't park near a van or truck that obstructs your vision especially at night.
7. Don't fall for scams when someone asks you to walk away from your car to help them.
8. Beware of people approaching you in parking lots or outside stores.
9. Drive defensively.

Home

1. Lock all the doors and windows at your home when you are at home and away from home.
2. If you go out of town, use a timer on your lights. You can also have a friend or relative house sit while you are out of town.
3. If you go out of town, hold your mail at your local post office.
4. If you come home when it's dark outside talk on your cell phone until you get in the house and lock the door.
5. Turn the porch light on if you know you will arrive home after dark.
6. Install security cameras at your front and back doors.
7. Ask neighbors to keep an eye out for you and your home.

Finances

1. Don't discuss your salary, where you live or where you go shopping.  You make spark the interest of a potential criminal or actual criminal.
2. Don't use the ATM in a secluded, poorly lit area or at night. 
3. Don't carry your social security card or birth certificate card in your wallet.
4. Don't carry your checkbook unless you know you will write a check that day.
5. Only carry cash and possibly one credit card or your debit card.
6. Don’t give out your personal information via email or over the phone to strangers.
7. If you order checks have them delivered to your bank.

Shopping

1. Leave the mall before gets dark. If you are a woman, ask a mall security guard to walk you to your car.
2. Don't go shopping when it’s dark but if you have to, go shopping with a friend or two.
3. When walking, shopping or driving use your Bluetooth.  
4. If you will be away from home get packages delivered to a neighbor’s house.
5. Ship packages that contains items of value with insurance and delivery confirmation.
6. Only carry the credit cards you need and minimal cash when shopping. Don’t flash your credit cards or money.
7. Do not buy more than you can carry. Take a friend with you or ask a store security guard to help you carry your packages to your car.
8. Consider alternate options to pay for your merchandise such as prepaid cards.
9. Carry your purse close to your body or your wallet inside a coat or front trouser pocket.

Online Shopping

1. Install security software and keep it up-to-date.
2. Delete spam messages. Don’t respond to messages asking to verify your personal identity.
3. Use caution when clicking on advertisements.
4. Use secure websites for purchases. Look for the icon of a locked padlock at the bottom of the screen or “https” in the URL address.
5. Shop with companies you know and trust.

Trash

1. Avoid taking your trash out late at night.
2. Tear up boxes that contained expensive gifts and put them in a separate trash bag to deter thieves that may go through your trash.

Be safe this holiday!