Christmas is 30 some days away and already I am having panic attacks about what to buy for the people on my list. I want to find something they will like, use or need. Also, it has to fit my budget. I found something that I want to buy so badly for my niece. Apparently, everyone on the planet wants to buy one for their niece. I can't find them anywhere, not even online. Well, I can find them on ebay. The prices on ebay are WAY too steep for my Christmas budget, especially when I want to buy this for my niece, but it's not something my niece is asking for.
My oldest child doesn't really need anything. I already warned him that his gifts this year will be things he needs now(underwear, shoes) or things he will need in the future (luggage, tools). Boring, I know. But, What do you get a college kid? My other kids are making their lists, and checking them twice. My youngest one changes his list per commercial, or trip to Target. My thought is he shouldn't be disappointed with whatever gifts he gets because at one time or another in the last 6 weeks, he has wanted everything!
I love Christmas. I love the merriment. I love the wonder, innocence and awe the little kids have. I love the feeling of peace and joy, even in the crazy mall. My husband does not like Christmas. He doesn't like the chaos, the traditions and mostly, he doesn't like the expense. I start Christmas shopping on December 26th, just to try to spread the cost out. Or maybe it's because I like to shop and can't pass up a bargain.
Speaking of bargains, our grocery store has a scannable card to get special sale prices on some items. For every $50 you spend, you earn ten cents off a gallon of gas at their gas station. To sweeten the deal, the bank located inside the grocery store has a debit card that gives you an additional five cents off a gallon of gas for every $50 spent at the grocery store and three cents off for every $50 of purchases anywhere else. Once I pulled up to the pump and the person before me paid $4.57 for 30 gallons of gas! They had been saving their rewards!! The deal gets better...when you scan your card at the gas station, you get 1% off your groceries for every 10 gallons of gas. I know that really all that is happening is someone in Cyberville is tracking all my buying habits...but, I can't pass up the bargain.
I thought my son's preschool was a bargain. It is $40 for 7 weeks of preschool. He goes there three days a week, two hours each day. However, we live 9 miles from the school. If I factor in the amount of gas (not to mention time) getting him to and from school...not such a bargain anymore.
I don't know much about all the new healthcare laws. I did read that there would be no more copays for routine physicals. I thought that was a good thing. I am not so naive though to think that insurance companies wouldn't get that money from someplace else. I was right. Our premium went up the equivalent of several copays. Then I took the kids to the doctor for their annual appointments to be told that the routine screenings of hearing, vision and urinalysis may not be covered anymore. Hmm...$10 copay goes away, premiums increase, screenings not covered (and cost me $30 each.) Doesn't make much sense to me. I thought the healthcare laws were supposed to help people. Guess I am just the wrong type of people.
My hair is falling out. It's not my thyroid. It may be hereditary. It may be my diet. It may be stress. Anyway, I bought some Rogaine. Did you know that one of the possible side effects of Rogaine is weight gain? Really, it says it right on the box! What a choice! Thinning hair or chubbier. Guess I'll be wearing a hat. Or a wig.
My daughter is really into saving the environment. (When it is convenient to her.) While buying my Rogaine at Walmart, my daughter spotted reusable sandwich containers. She asked if we could get some. So, we bought six. I pack two sandwiches a day and don't wash dishes everyday, six seemed like a good number. I have to wonder...how "green" are the reusable sandwich containers? I have to wash them either in the dishwasher which uses water and electricity (and gas to heat the water), or in the sink which uses water (gas to heat the water)and towels, which then need to be washed and dried, using more water and electricity. I think the carbon footprint is probably smaller to throw away a few Ziploc bags...
With the holidays approaching, money is on my mind...how to spend it wisely, how to save it, how to use what I have to make the Christmas magic happen.
That's the trouble with Christmas(maybe with life)...the thought of perfect Christmas magic. The thought of the perfection is kryptonite to Supermom's everywhere. Getting the house cleaned and decorated, the cards, the gifts, the cookies, the photos...it all has to be "just right" to make Christmas magic...right? What this self proclaimed Supermom is realizing (VERY slowly) is that all that perfection is just an opinion. What really matters isn't the gifts, the cookies, the decorations. What really matters is the being there, in whatever way you can because you WANT to be there. Being there all stressed and tired because you felt like you HAD to be there doesn't count, and it's not perfection. Perfection is offering whatever you can to the best of your ability because you want to...that's the Christmas magic that will be remembered. That is what makes sense...and saves dollars.
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