Spend too much and it really “’tis the season” to get kicked out of your flat or have the power cut off.
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The avalanche of (often expensive) gift giving is usually followed a month or two later by a small tsunami of bills.
The bills always win out, especially when utility companies allow one repayment plan but steadfastly oppose any second chances.
That is the message that one Border welfare group wants to get across to the community as the annual spending spree makes its November debut.
Financial counsellor Kaily Goodsell, from Albury’s St David's Uniting Care, sees the often disastrous outcomes of people’s over-spending year-after-year.
And it’s people from all backgrounds.
A double income is no guarantee of being spared the pain if you fork out too much on extravagant presents.
“Take the pressure off yourself,” Mrs Goodsell said.
“You have your budget, so work to that.
“If the next-door neighbours are spending a thousand dollars and you don’t have their income, you can’t do that.
“I think we set ourselves up to fail, and it’s not fair on our children either – the people we are buying for.”
What that created was not gratitude but instead the expectation of “bigger and better” each time.
“My key message is be realistic with what you can afford.”
Wodonga parish priest Father Dennis Crameri said there was always a lovely spirit around at Christmas.
“Obviously it’s a season when people do want to celebrate and express their love for each other,” he said.
“The gift giving, meals, the parties are all part of that, which is fantastic,” he said.
“The danger people find themselves in is getting caught up in that commercial push and over-committing.”
Father Crameri said the problem was Christmas ending and the bills then starting to arrive.
“Even the desire to please, to celebrate and give gifts comes at a cost,” he said.
Mrs Goodsell said the simple fact was bills still needed to be paid.
“If you can’t afford to buy a gift, make a gift – or give your time,” she said.
Mrs Goodsell said the worst thing they saw was people stopping their direct debits.
That meant they stopped paying the rent, the electricity, the gas – all just to pay for Christmas.
What St David’s then sees every February is a lot of new people being threatened with having the gas or power cut off, or even being evicted.
Mrs Goodsell said she would advise everyone to sit down and write a Christmas list.
That involved working out who you were going to buy for this year.
Start with a budget, then see what is left over for gifts.
Anyone is welcome to get help from St David’s, which has an information pack full of a range of money-saving ideas that can be sent out to households.
For details, phone (02) 6021 7099.
![Plan ahead: Financial counsellor Kaily Goodsell favours budgeting for presents to prevent the post-Christmas blues. She works for St David's Uniting Care, which can provide one-on-one assistance. Picture: ELENOR TEDENBORG Plan ahead: Financial counsellor Kaily Goodsell favours budgeting for presents to prevent the post-Christmas blues. She works for St David's Uniting Care, which can provide one-on-one assistance. Picture: ELENOR TEDENBORG](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/zTpV5j6X6iLmSh5SbcmSaP/429cd03b-d0e4-48ed-acbc-a91dc3f9b0a4.jpg/r349_170_2746_2312_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![Good spirits: Wodonga parish priest Father Dennis Crameri says Christmas is a wonderful time to share, but can also bring about a financial burden. Good spirits: Wodonga parish priest Father Dennis Crameri says Christmas is a wonderful time to share, but can also bring about a financial burden.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/zTpV5j6X6iLmSh5SbcmSaP/87073a6f-6611-4036-8097-67a15c5fedce.jpg/r0_889_3129_3519_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)