In this blog post, we will talk about how to avoid overdoing it during the holidays. No matter what you celebrate, the holidays are an excuse to cut loose, enjoy good food (and overeat a bit!), and make a little merry.
Between all the socializing and gift-giving, it’s easy to overdo it in more ways than one. If you aren’t careful, you can wake up to a new year regretting your choices.
While you might look forward to the holidays as a way to unwind, going overboard leads to nothing but problems for your finances and health. Luckily, you can still socialize and enjoy yourself by celebrating in moderation.
How to Avoid Overdoing it During the Holidays
Let’s break down the popular ways the holidays can lead you to overindulge and how to prevent it before it happens.
Overspending
Starting the season with a budget can help you consciously avoid overspending. This spending plan outlines exactly how much cash you have available.
If this cash is less than you expect, don’t drain savings or put more on your credit cards. You’ll be paying interest on the balance you can’t afford to pay off, and you won’t have the typical safety nets available in emergencies.
What about spending beyond your control? Because accidents happen, even during the holidays. You can make mistakes while purposefully following a budget, or an emergency can cost more than the savings you have available.
In emergencies, you can visit a lender like Fora to learn about getting an online line of credit. You must first apply and qualify for these online loans available from Fora, but if approved, you may use a line of credit as a backup safety net to your usual savings.
To make sure your savings stretch as far as possible before you borrow, tweak the holidays to fit within your budget’s limit. Learn to celebrate with less, stack coupon apps to pay less, and leverage rebates and credit card points to earn some money back.
Overeating and Drinking
Between seconds at every meal, the cookies available at every hour, and all the toasts made with beer, wine, and holiday cocktails, eating and drinking yourself into a new belt hole over the holidays is a real possibility.
While there’s nothing wrong with gaining a little weight, overindulging around the holidays may go against all your fitness plans for the rest of the year — to say nothing of the hangovers and indigestion that are sure to follow.
Be kind to yourself. Your diet isn’t like your budget when you overspend you go into debt; it isn’t the end of the world if you overdo it a little.
The trick is learning how to enjoy everything in moderation. Rather than avoiding all the sweet and rich foods this holiday, have a few of your favorites — just limit it to one serving or plate. The Mayo Clinic also recommends you eat and drink slowly so that you savor these treats.
Over Socializing
Dinner with friends, winter activities, weekend soirées, work functions, and family get-togethers — these might only represent a small fraction of the parties you have on deck. The temptation to RSVP yes to every single invitation and host your own parties can unknowingly run you ragged.
You can stretch yourself too thin by over-socializing, which can lead to social burn out — not to mention even greater pressure on your budget. Learn how to feel comfortable saying no and prioritize the engagements you actually want to attend.
And there you have it — three ways to avoid overdoing it this holiday, and every year to follow!