Some tips on keeping your holiday spending in check
The holidays can be stressful as family, friends and spending collide -- and more so during tough times. Here are a few tips for minding your holiday money manners.
Q. What do I get someone who has been unemployed for two years- Most gifts seem inappropriate when he is having trouble paying basic bills.
A. Get them something they can use. A gift certificate to a grocery store or megastore like Target or Wal-Mart that sells both necessities and niceties is thoughtful.
Q. How do I tell my friend(s) I can't afford to exchange gifts-
A. You don't have to disclose all the details of your situation but be honest. "There is nothing wrong with saying to your friends, 'We are all time-strapped and economically strapped these days, let's just do lunch or let's not give gifts,' " says Diane Gottsman at Protocol School of Texas.
Q. What about family-
A. The same rules apply, but it's especially important to set expectations ahead of time. Some families stop giving gifts, give them only to children or set price limits to curb costs.
If some family members won't go for it, be honest with yourself and them, says Jacqueline Whitmore, an etiquette expert. "You can tell them, 'This year I am going to have to bow out. You know I love you, but I really have to watch it,' " she suggested.
Q. One family member gave me a much bigger gift than I gave her. What do I do-
A. Your relative is what experts call an "outgifter." Whether it's an outrageous gift or minuscule, just be gracious and accept it as a gesture of kindness. Do not engage in the arms race of giving. It will spin your budget out of control.
Q. What do I do when someone gives me a gift and I didn't get him one-
A. Ignore the desire to stammer and make up lame excuses, Gottsman says. Accept the gift gracefully and make sure to send a thank-you note or do something nice in exchange.
Q. Is it OK to regift-
A. The jury is hung on this one. Make sure the new recipient would actually want the gifts, that it's in the original wrapping with all the parts included and that it hasn't been personalized. One etiquette expert recalled opening a platter that had someone else's name on it.
AP
Comments