Sue Scheff: Financing Family Holidays

In today’s ecomony with the holidays about here, many parents worry and stress about how they will be able to stretch their funds to give our children the holiday’s they have had in the past. For those fortunate ones, this is probably not an article for you. However for those that need to buckle down and count your dollars, learn how better manage your finances and how to limit your charge card usage.

This can be the most exciting time of year for families, as it’s coming up on the holiday shopping season. People will be spending and charging hundreds if not thousands of dollars, so it’s important to not get deep into credit card debt. From charging holiday gifts to spending money on travel, parties, and decorations, many Americans are already asking themselves if they’re going to be in over their heads financially. Now as the holidays creep closer, anyone who is worried about their financial fitness should focus on making sure new debt doesn’t pile on top of old.

National Foundation for Credit Counseling to help ensure you, your family, friends and readers are taking the necessary steps today, before swiping that plastic this holiday season. http://www.nfcc.org/ has launched a series of videos, giving access to free information called “Financial Fast Facts ,” brief videos that can be utilized with minimal effort to ensure the right, financial steps are taken before the big holiday rush arrives. Simply log on to NFCC’s Financial Fast Facts and instantly watch “How to Know if You’re in Financial Trouble,” which includes financial warning signs and a quick quiz to help assess if you are facing financial danger yourself.

Now really is the best time to take stock of potential threats in your fiscal behavior. Remember, smart financial practices should not be put on hold simply because holiday season arrives; in fact, a more conscious effort undoubtedly needs to be made before the spending ever begins. Log on today to learn more, and also be sure to share your holiday, money-saving tips with us on Facebook by visiting www.facebook.com/NFCCDebtAdvice .