Have a Frugal and Festive Holiday with The Debt Diva

Planning for the holidays now can make the difference between debt-ridden and divine.

Columbia, MD (October 16, 2008) – The Christmas and Hanukkah decorations are already crowding the Halloween costumes in many stores across the nation. While many deplore "Christmas creep", the cycle of pushing the next holiday before the current one happens, this visual reminder could help you make it through one of our toughest holidays yet. The Debt Diva, Clarky Davis, says planning for your holidays now could be the difference between having a divine time and ending up deeply in debt. And to help make those plans, she has released a Frugal and Festive Holiday Guide available for download on www.thedebtdiva.com.

The Holiday Guide offers frugal ideas for gifts, decorating and entertaining along with downloadable planning pages that cover budgeting, Black Friday shopping, holiday menus, grocery shopping and a gift tracker for gifts you buy ahead of time. It’s everything you need to plan a holiday within your means. (And your means could be extended by $100 on a Visa gift card through a holiday contest on The Debt Diva’s blog.)

"With the credit markets frozen this October, getting credit could be tough for consumers. This could be the toughest holiday season in recent memory. We’ve spent years just pulling out that plastic to finance the holidays and those reserves might not be available to us this year,” Davis says. “I want to inspire gift givers everywhere to slow down, plan ahead and be deliberate about how you want to provide the holidays for your families this year."

"The holidays are about more than rushing from store to store," Davis says. The Diva says impulse purchasing or a gift list that is too long can drive you into debt, especially if you haven’t made a spending plan or a budget.

• Use this time to create a holiday budget.
• Think about how you want to celebrate the holidays.
• Talk with your family now about your plans. Encourage their input.

Plan ahead
There are some great sales in the stores now. "If you make your list carefully and know exactly what you can spend on the holidays, you can start buying gifts now, little by little, which will minimize the overload."

• Use a gift tracker list so you know which presents you’ve already purchased and where you stashed them.
• Consider doing a gift exchange. Draw one person’s name instead of buying for everyone to reduce your gift list.
• Make a Black Friday shopping list, on Thursday so you have a plan of attack for those early morning deals.
• Use a menu planner to create your holiday grocery list.

"When you know what you need to buy, you’re in a great position to snap it up on sale or use a coupon. You won’t be hunting the aisles for a dented can of cranberry sauce the night before the big meal."

Be deliberate
"Think about what the holidays really means to you, the traditions you love, and do only those things," Davis says. "Don’t let guilt convince you to join events or shopping that doesn’t fulfill you." Davis says impulse purchasing or a gift list that is too long can drive you into debt, especially if you haven’t made a spending plan or a budget.

• Put some holiday music on to set the mood and write down the traditions you want to keep.
• Look for free or cheap entertainment like a neighborhood that goes all out with a light display, a special event at your church of synagogue or a downtown parade to create fun memories for your family.
• Plan your holiday event for a weekend afternoon so you can serve snacks and appetizers instead of a full meal or heavy hors d’ouevres.
• Pare down your holiday card list. A smaller list means you can write meaningful messages in each one.

"Taking the time now doesn’t mean you’re giving into the holidays early," Davis says. "The planning you do in the weeks before the holidays will help you be a smart shopper, an organized person and actively present to celebrate the season."

Another way The Debt Diva plans to celebrate the season? With a gift card giveaway on her blog! Visit the blog page at TheDebtDiva.com to watch for the big announcement, enter and win one of five $100 Visa gift cards.

About The Debt Diva
Clarky Davis has more than five years of experience in the debt management industry and more than 10 years of hard-won personal experience with credit cards and debit cards. The money saving tips the Debt Diva offers have all been tested and proven by the glamorous girl herself. Davis now offers these hard-won insights to others seeking to maximize their tight budgets and deal with debt.

About CareOne Services
CareOne Services was formed in 2002 to provide consumers with multiple solutions to complex money problems. CareOne Services Inc. boasts a unique Financial Fitness Center that examines each consumer's individual financial situation and develops a personalized solution to help the consumer get out of debt and strengthen his or her financial footing.