Free Holiday Spending Budget Worksheet

In my “I’m Putting Christmas on a Budget” post, I talked about the importance of creating a budget to help you save money this holiday season.  In addition to gifts, you need to figure out how much you want to spend on decorations, food, and supplies as well.

To help you plan your holiday spending budget, I’ve created a free worksheet, which you can download here.

Planning who you want to buy for, what you want to buy and how much you want to spend will help you save money by allowing you to shop around and get the best deals on gifts this year.

Final Deadline for Filing Taxes and Receiving Rebate Check Approaching Quickly

Don’t forget that October 15 is the final deadline for filing your 2007 tax return. In addition, it’s your last chance to file for the economic stimulus rebate check.

As a reminder, if you file a 2007 federal income tax return, and have $3,000 or more of qualifying income (including amounts received from Social Security and certain veterans benefits) you may be eligible for a stimulus payment. Other criteria that you must meet: you must have a valid Social Security number and you can’t be claimed as a dependent by someone else.

A Simple Exercise to Reduce Financial Anxiety

A few years ago I learned an exercise that is designed to de-clutter your mind.  While this exercise was really created to be used when you have too many things to do, I found it to be a great stress reliever, and use it anytime I’m worried about something and need to reduce my stress about whatever’s bothering me.

Given the state of the economy and the stock market, I thought it would be a great idea to share this exercise with you to help reduce any stress you may have related to your finances.

To get started… For 15 minutes, write down everything that’s on your mind.  In this case, I want you to focus on writing down everything that’s on your mind about your finances.  It doesn’t matter if you use pen and paper for this exercise, or use a computer (I use a computerized journal).  The purpose is to write down everything that is on your mind about your finances.  Keep writing until you run out of things to write.

Continue Reading A Simple Exercise to Reduce Financial Anxiety

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