Christmas

Holiday Sales Grow From 2016

December 30, 2017 By Twila Van Leer

The 2017 holiday shopping season appears to be a very good one for America’s retailers, many of whom have not had much reason in recent years to be merry. The successful end-of-the-year selling shows that traditional retailers are adapting to the shift to online buying.

The tax overhaul recently passed by Congress could signal more shifts in shopping as ordinary Americans figure out how the changes might affect them and their ability to spend. If they are in the brackets that might benefit from the tax re-do, they might spend more. Or they might put the “savings” into savings.

As the year wound down, it appeared that the 2017 holiday season would stack up very well against previous years. One factor is that unemployment is at a 17-year low, contributing to the highest level of consumer optimism in years. The current spending spree is the most intense since the recession that is now about 10 years in the past.

Consumers are not only spending more this year, but they are putting more of their money into electronics, clothing and toys to a greater extent, according to the National Retail Federation. The federation noted with elation that the week before Christmas, the most critical time for retailers, saw a lot of traffic in stores. Many retailers see 20 percent of their foot traffic during that week. The fact that there was a full weekend immediately before Christmas also boded well for the industry, as late shoppers continued to flood the stores in search of last-minute gifts and stocking stuffers.

Most online shoppers have completed their buying before the last week to allow time for deliveries. They then are more likely to show up in the stores, bypassing the convenience of online shopping for the assurance that their gifts will be on time. Even so, the numbers of shoppers buying online continues to grow. Now, the growth in online sales is about double that level at stores, according to First Data, a payment technology firm. Online giant Amazon accounts for a considerable amount of the growth. Amazon has expanded into new areas, putting more categories of retailers on alert. The firm reported that its Cyber Monday sales tallied the highest in its history. Estimates are that Amazon accounted for more than 60 percent of the total sales for that day.

Some families have begun exchanging “wish lists” before the holidays, consisting of many web links. The shopping then becomes easier and the satisfaction with gifts more consistent.

Stores are responding to the online onslaught by offering more weekend deals and upping their loyalty programs.

Holiday Spending And Stress

December 22, 2017 By Twila Van Leer

If it’s getting to you, coming up with ideas for just-right gifts compounded with worry about what the spending will do to your finances when the holidays are over, read on for eight tips on how to cope.

Set limits on spending. Look on it as an opportunity to get your budget in shape. Let reason reign. It’s a simple fact that you can’t spend more than is available and stay on an even keel. Your gift-buying budget just can’t be allowed to dip into the bills you must routinely pay. If you feel you must have a little more to spend, it has to come from such things as eating out, entertainment, etc. that are expendable.

Make your own “naughty and nice” lists. You aren’t Santa. You don’t have to give to everyone in the world. If you still compelled to spread holiday cheer, bake some cookies, make some fudge or put your talents to work on simple gifts that don’t deplete the budget.

Budget realistically. Consider your place in life at the moment. If you are paying off student (or other) loans, for instance, let that guide your buying choices. Remember that your parents and other older people on your list got where they are through years of working and being careful of spending. Likely, their gift-giving was more modest then.

Coupon. The stores are full of bargains for the holiday shopping frenzy, but don’t overlook the potential for additional savings in online purchases by doing a quick web search for coupon codes for your favorite online outlets. Look through the advertising that arrives in your mailbox during the holidays. Comparison shop for the items you intend to buy.

Give time instead of gifts. Some of your family and friends would value a visit that includes little gifts and lots of hugs. Consider calling cards that will give them the opportunity to chat despite the miles between you.

Develop better spending habits. For every dollar you spend on gifts, try to squeeze out a way to offset that dollar by economizing somewhere else in the budget. If you can keep the budget even, there will be more to save at the end of the season. Or put the difference into a special savings account that will ease your way through the next holiday surge.

Give personalized gifts that are of more value to the recipient than something expensive but not so meaningful. If you have special talents, share them. Bake a cake or pie for a family member who is kitchen “impaired.” Give a friend a kitchen tool and a recipe for something he or she particularly likes. Make a personalized card – anything that speaks of you.

Organize group volunteer efforts. It’s likely your friends are coping with the same holiday challenges you are. Get together and spend a day at a local charity instead of giving gifts. You’ll spend quality time together and get an infusion of the spirit of the holiday. Take photos of the volunteer project and share them after the fact.

Bottom line: Don’t let debt rob you of the joy of sharing. A year-long headache as you struggle to repay is not worth it. If you can come out of the spending season with your finances intact, it will be the greatest gift you can give yourself.

Matching Pajamas New Holiday Trend

December 2, 2017 By Twila Van Leer

Ever since “Mama in her kerchief and I in my cap” became a holiday standard (Moore’s “Twas the Night Before Christmas) the idea of special holiday jammies has been part of the fun. And as Christmas 2017 presses into view, it is clear that dressing the family up in marching night togs has become a tradition for many. Move over, ugly sweater. You have been replaced in the holiday wardrobe.

The debate begins early. By November, the argument for stripes (think candy cane colors) or a cutesy print ala Yuletide style is front and center and the decision about to be made. Sometimes even holiday visitors are expected to tog up for the family photo.

PajamaGram and Hanna Anderson have jumped aboard the bandwagon and Burt Bees Baby is taking care of the juvenile end of the craze. Oprah has touted the latter as one of her favorites this holiday.

Target reports escalating pajama sales every year since 2013 and has stocked accordingly. The retail giant says it is offering 22 patterns this season and, just to cover the waterfront, offers some of them in styles for dogs and dolls. Walmart expects to repeat previous successes with its offering of one-piece, zip-up jammies for adults. New this year are designs with polar bears on skis and Santa aboard a unicorn.

Even families that can’t get together geographically for the big day will be togged in their matching sleepwear, sharing the fun via video calls, photos and other media means. In fact, some families who were into the fad before it became a fad are wondering why it took the rest of the world so long to catch on to the craze.

One mom who has decked her children with matching nightwear for years thinks it is the media that has spread the mania. “It’s just that now it’s a lot more visible because everyone can see our pictures on Instagram,” she said.

Jonah Berger, marketing professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, agrees. “It used to be that your uncle did this on a Christmas card, but you only got to see it if you were on his mailing list. Now, it’s a classic case of Internet one-ups-manship. Who can come up with the best matching pajamas and show the world that they’re a good parent?” Berger is author of the book, “Contagious: Why Things Catch On.”

The Holidays: Time To Overspend?

November 28, 2017 By Twila Van Leer

It happens every year. Despite good intentions, more than half of Americans admit they are planning to spend more during the holidays than they have on hand. Fifty-six percent fall into that category and 16 percent of them expect to spend at least six months paying off the overage.

The American Research Group predicts that the average person they surveyed will spend $929 on gifts this season. Among parents, the numbers can go higher. Newly released T. Rowe Price data indicate that on average, parents expect to pay some $422 per child. And 34 percent say they will spend $500 or more.

How do they manage the beyond-budget spending? About 25 percent take drastic measures, withdrawing money from 401(k)s or their emergency savings. Or they take out payday loans to finance their holiday spending. Even among families who start the year with good intentions, 58 percent fail to stick with the holiday budget they have set.

A large number will whip out the credit cards to finance gift-buying, with the inevitable result of laying on credit interest. For instance, using the $929 average figure as a base, if your credit card charges 18 percent interest, you’ll spend $1,022, and each month it takes you to pay off the total amount, the interest cost will rise. While cards are irresistible when you want to give gifts, they can be dangerous if you can’t resist temptation to keep buying until you are maxed out and are not prepared to pay them off right away.

Avoid dipping into the emergency fund. That money is there to take care of such things as car emergencies, leaky roofs and other bona fide emergencies. And the risk doesn’t decline simply because Santa Claus is coming to town.

Retirement savings also should be inviolate. Now matter how much your child or grandchild covets a very expensive toy for Christmas, it isn’t worth the 10 percent penalty you’ll pay, if you’re under 59.5 years old, for the early withdrawal. You’ll also lose the accrued interest on that money. If you are earning an average annual 7 percent return, that $900-plus withdrawal represents loss of about $9,600 by the time you’re 65. And there are all the Christmases to come, remember? If you use the same tactic to finance more Yuletide wishes in the years to come, the loss could be considerable.

That’s not to mention the taxes you’ll pay – about $225 on a $900 withdrawal.

It’s probably useless to advise better planning for this year, but for future reference: Set aside some cash each month in anticipation of the gift-giving season. Stick to your good intentions. Santa will thank you. When you shop, let a list be your guide and don’t get swept away in visions of your own largesse. Impressing friends and family during the holiday season won’t take away the sting when the holidays are over and your finances are in shambles. Don’t take more cash to the stores than you intend to spend.

Control Your Holiday Budget

November 24, 2017 By Twila Van Leer

If you are prone to go all out for Christmas and end up facing a New Year saddled with left-over debt, begin now to stay in control of your holiday spending.

Start the annual binge with a realistic view of how much you have to spend. Review your income and set expenses. What’s left over is what you can spend. (This is the time of year when too many people remember that they vowed last year to start a savings account especially for the holidays. Too late now.)

Work from a list, Write down every person to whom you want to give a Christmas remembrance. Even co-workers, the teachers and the neighbors. Remember to expect the extra expenses in foods, decorations and charitable donations you give at this time of year. If there are parties and special events that might dip into your budget, add them. If your plans include travel, that’s a big one. Start with that and build around it.

Go through the list and realistically determine how much you can spend for everyone on it. Homemade is good. Simple is easy. Trying to impress the recipient usually gets you into trouble budget-wise. This is a time when the old saying that “It’s the thought that counts” becomes operational.

Stick to the plan. It doesn’t take much of a hard left turn to put you off-track. Calendar your shopping, trying to categorize into foods and gifts. Don’t try to cram too much into a single shopping trip. When you get tired, you’ll be tempted to “buy anything” just to get the task behind you. Don’t weaken.

Keep track as you go through the process. Make adjustments if necessary, with your eye on the bottom line at all times. Keep your list up-to-date, crossing off the items as you purchase them. Once you have crossed them off, forget them. Second thoughts can be costly.

If you can wake up on Jan. 1 free of worry and ready to begin a new year with a clean slate, you’ll be glad you took the trouble to make your holidays debt-free.