Would put milk in your car's gas tank just because milk happened to be on sale?

MP Dunleavy recently identified the 13 worst holiday spending blunders and I just had to shout from the roof tops:-

Well done, MP! 

Yes, last minute shopping is a recipe for disaster with regard to following a gift-giving budget.  Adrenaline kicks into overdrive, moods grow testier as the available minutes left till closing dwindle...and the urge to over buy reins supreme.  Worse than your recipient perhaps receiving "leftovers" or overpriced bling, YOU feel stressed and perhaps disappointed that you didn't get "that perfect" gift; double disappointment.

Planning always reduces stressful situations, and we MUST plan to "fight" not just the crowds, or the calendar, but the ENORMOUS marketing campaigns that weasel their way into our psyches, and trigger that guilt trip you mentioned.  Enough is enough!  Most often the person who fears enough ISN'T enough is the person in the mirror, so repeat after me, "enough IS enough". Altogether now: WE CAN DO IT, WOMEN: enough IS enough!

As an investment advisor, I am always urging clients, friends, anyone who'll listen really -  

 

  

You should no more buy an inappropriate or peculiarly unique gift

for your honey or friend, because it was on a super sale,

than you would put milk in your car's gas tank

because milk happened to be on sale!

 

 

And finally, I fully agree with staying away from FINAL SALE items that aren't returnable!