DEAR HARRIETTE: My husband and I got married a year ago. We are so happy, but we are broke. I am still in college, and he is in his first job out of college. He is paying off loans, and we are just getting started. The holidays are coming, and I do not want us to overspend for Christmas. I recommended we skip gifts altogether and enjoy each other and our families. He hated that idea. What do you recommend we do so we give something but don’t blow the budget? -- Creative Christmas, Dallas
DEAR CREATIVE CHRISTMAS: Congratulations on your first year of marriage. And kudos to you that you want to be frugal during the holidays. So many people get into debt buying lots of things they cannot afford and that are not necessary. Creativity is key here so that you and your husband can have tangible evidence of the love you have for each other without breaking the bank.
One couple I know took this fun approach. They picked a random low number, $7, and pledged to spend no more than that amount on each other for Christmas. What happened is that they scavenged places such as Goodwill and The Salvation Army as well as vintage shops and dollar stores to find little sentimental items that would bring smiles to each other’s faces. They said that was one of their best Christmases ever because they devoted a lot of time to thinking about how to make their spouse happy.
(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)