CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 12/17/97

Holiday Gift Budgets Can Give All Year

This year, give yourself a holiday present that saves you money. Treat yourself to a bill-free new year and get ready for the 1998 holiday season while you're at it, said a University of Georgia financial specialist.

"If you've already bought presents and done all of your holiday spending for this year, it's not too late to repair a blown budget," said Esther Maddux, an extension financial specialist with the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences. "Make your plans now to quickly repay this year's holiday debt and to prepare a spending plan for next year."

Holiday costs include more than just presents, though. You can sink a lot of money into gift wrapping, postage, parties, eating out, decorating, entertaining, holiday clothing, travel expenses, film and photo processing, donations, childcare costs and even bargain items at after- holiday sales.

"Many people don't think of these expenses as holiday expenses, but they really add up," Maddux said.

Paying with a credit card seems like an easy solution to holiday spending, but Maddux said that quick, painless signature on a credit slip can painfully drag out holiday debt repayment for months.

"If you do choose to use credit cards, you still need to budget and stay within your budget," she said. "And have a plan to repay the credit card issuer within three months."

How much should you spend on the holidays? Maddux recommends spending no more than 1.5 percent of your gross household income.

At the beginning of 1998, Maddux recommends figuring that amount and setting it aside through the year for your next season's holiday spending. Many banks offer "Christmas Club" accounts and your employer may automatically deduct a set amount from your paycheck for direct depositÿ into that account.

"If the money doesn't go into your regular spending account, it's much easier to save it," Maddux said.

When next year's holiday season rolls around, you'll have cash jingling in your pocket to get you in the mood for the season.

Just because you have the money doesn't mean you have to spend it on gifts. "Think about the cost of the gift and the value it will have three months later," Maddux said.

Will a $100 trendy outfit be as valuable as a special trip with friends or family? Do you remember what gifts you received last year? Can you remember who you spent time with?

Time, though free, can be the most precious gift to give many relatives and friends.

Experts/Sources:
Esther Maddux
Consumer Credit Counseling Services
PeriodicalCicada BroodXIX 2011 CAES News
Georgia's Brood XIX is here: Periodical cicadas make their mark on the Southeast 05/15/24 Jordan Powers
There is no doubt about it: The periodical cicadas have arrived. There is no doubt about it: the periodical cicadas have arrived. “Brood XIX (Brood 19) is Georgia’s only 13-year cicada. The Great Southern Brood is the largest periodical cicada brood in North America, covering at least a dozen states in the Southeast,” said Nancy Hinkle, professor in the University of Georgia Department of Entomology. “This year, millions of periodical cicadas are emerging in Georgia from now until Memorial Day.”
Riley Forrestall is a third-year student studying ecology and plant biology. For his second year presenting at CURO, Forrestall focused on the role of hover flies in pollinator communities. CAES News
CURO ignites passion for research with student symposium 05/14/24 Olivia Randall
University of Georgia undergraduate students came together to showcase their individual research projects and achievements on April 8-9 at the Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities (CURO) Symposium. For 25 years, the CURO Symposium has served as an opportunity to highlight the breadth and depth of undergraduate research across multiple disciplines. CURO enables undergraduates to engage in faculty-mentored research as early as their first year, regardless of discipline, major, or GPA.
During the final session of the 2024 Rural Engagement Workshop cohort members had time to interact with some of the animals at the UGA Livestock Instructional Arena. (Photo by Baker Owens) CAES News
Program increases collaboration for rural engagement 05/13/24 Roy Parry
The interdisciplinary Rural Engagement Workshop for Academic Faculty, launched by Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost S. Jack Hu and Vice President for Public Service and Outreach Jennifer Frum, brings together academic faculty and public service faculty. This partnership expands the impact of UGA’s research and ties it to practical applications in rural communities across Georgia.
Associate Dean for Extension Laura Perry Johnson and CAES Professor Stanley Culpepper at Ponder Farm in Tifton, Georgia. (Photo by Dorothy Kozlowski) CAES News
CAES associate dean for Extension set to retire after 35 years of service 05/09/24 Emily Cabrera
At the end of a 35-year career with the University of Georgia, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Associate Dean for Extension Laura Perry Johnson reflects on the journey that has taken her from her home on the farm to a lifetime of helping farmers. Johnson, affectionately known as “LPJ,” recently shared some of the lessons she has learned from a lifetime in agricultural education.
AGL class 2022 24 CAES News
UGA program empowers leaders in Georgia’s agricultural and forestry industries 05/07/24 Jordan Powers
After completing 106 sessions, learning from 122 expert speakers and completing more than 220 hours of educational content over 18 months, 25 leaders in two of Georgia’s largest industries — agriculture and forestry — are prepared to lead their industries thanks to the Advancing Georgia’s Leaders in Agriculture and Forestry program. The 2022-24 cohort was selected from more than 90 nominations, 60 applications and 40 interviews for the program, which is offered by the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Office of Learning and Organizational Development.
The new Tifton Integrative Precision Agriculture Research, Education and Demonstration Laboratory will be the first in the Southeast to provide state-of-the-art collaborative spaces, top-of-the-line autonomous equipment and job training for the next generation of agricultural leaders. CAES News
UGA-Tifton demonstration lab to fuel innovation in precision agriculture 05/06/24 Jordan Powers
At the University of Georgia Tifton campus, the new Tifton Integrative Precision Agriculture Research, Education and Demonstration Laboratory will be the first of its kind in the Southeast to provide state-of-the-art collaborative spaces, top-of-the-line autonomous equipment and job training for the next generation of agricultural leaders. The $3 million project will include a working lab, electronic labs and office spaces to increase collaboration among graduate students, scientists and industry.