The holiday season is upon us. The air is getting crisp, the leaves are changing color, and many retailers have already started displaying their holiday decorations. It seems like the holidays arrive faster and faster each year, giving you less and less time to prepare.
Pressures of the Holiday Season
While the holiday season is filled with traditions, family gatherings, and good cheer, there is also a great deal of stress and pressure that comes along with this time of year. The season often includes traveling, visiting guests, multiple parties, lots of cooking, and the endless, and dreaded, shopping in crowded malls. Though the holiday season is intended to be a celebration of life, friends, and family, it can quickly become a financial hardship – especially for seniors who are living on a fixed income.
Expenses of the Holiday Season
Additional expenses are in almost every aspect of the holiday season. The most obvious is gift giving. From family members, to grandchildren, to friends, to employees, to coworkers, buying gifts for the people in your life quickly adds up to a shockingly large amount. But, the expense doesn’t stop at gifts – holiday cooking can be very expensive, as can traveling, holiday decorations, and party hosting. Unfortunately, all of these expenses can drain more than just your bank account, but also drain the joy and happiness out of this time of year. You shouldn’t have to dread the holidays, but instead be able to enjoy this “most happiest time of the year.”
Using Senior Discounts for Early Holiday Shopping
You can avoid much of the stress, and expense, of the season by planning ahead, shopping early, and taking advantage of senior discounts.
1. Plan Ahead – write up a list of your expected holiday expenses. Try to distribute your spending throughout many months, or even the whole year, to help avoid having to spend it all in one month. Also, budgeting a monthly “holiday stipend” will help create additional funds available for the holiday season’s expenses.
2. Shop Early – though it is tempting, don’t procrastinate! It is never too soon to think about shopping for the holidays. Don’t worry about waiting for “holiday sales.” Shopping early allows you to slowly collect your holiday gifts and spread out your holiday spending over the whole year. This is much more manageable, especially for seniors working on a tighter budget.
3. Use Your Senior Discounts – A great way to save additional money is to use senior discounts for your shopping. From restaurants to retailers, there are countless opportunities to save money with your senior discount. Many seniors are not aware of how many businesses offer discounts for seniors. Helping you find and connect to great senior discounts is one mission at Medical Guardian, which is why we’ve found dozens of senior discounts for groceries, restaurants, retail stores, travel, activities and entertainment, cell phones, hair cuts, and more. Let Medical Guardian help you find the best senior discounts and get through the holidays with a little more cash in your wallet.
Don’t let the minutia of the holidays get in the way of the happiness and celebration with your friends and family. By planning ahead, shopping early, and using your senior discounts you can breathe easy and enjoy the holiday season.
