Affordable Holiday Festivities and Changes at Work
by Vicky Monroe
Happy holidays! I hope everyone enjoyed their celebrations this week. My partner and I did things differently this year to keep our holiday festivities affordable and low-effort. Instead of doing a big Christmas dinner spread with a roast and sides, we decided to make fondue.
All we had to buy were some vegetables for dipping and a block of fontina cheese, which was about $20 altogether. It probably wasn’t the healthiest dinner, but it was a nice treat for Christmas. Fondue felt special enough to to be an affordable alternative to the traditional, expensive holiday feast. Plus, we were happy to avoid spending hours in the kitchen. We used the time we regained to play board games and watch movies, so we had a very relaxing holiday.
NYE Savings
For New Year’s Eve, we typically make finger foods and watch the ball drop at home. I just went to the store today to restock a few staples and grab ingredients for our NYE appetizers. I only spent $30 because I had a $15 gift card from a recent promotion at my grocery store. Plus, I used two $6 off coupons that Cabot kindly sent us because we didn’t enjoy one of their products. I highly suggest emailing or writing to companies to let them know about your experience with their brand (whether positive or negative), because they’ll often send you coupons in return.
Because of my Cabot coupons and a BOGO50 sale, I was able to get some fancy horseradish and herb cheddar cheeses for $1 each. We’re planning to do a cheese board with those and make some vegetable burger sliders, potato skins, and corn blini with avocado for NYE.
I’m allergic to alcohol, so we don’t get any bubbly or ovepriced sparkling juices. We also avoid the cheesy disposable hats and glasses that will just end up in the landfill after the holiday. We don’t really do anything for New Year’s Day besides watching the Rose Parade, which helps us save money as well.
What did you do for Christmas this year and what are your New Year’s plans? Have you been able to stick to your holiday budget and find ways to cut costs?
Changes at Partner’s Work
My partner has recently learned about some changes at work that might affect our financial plans in 2024. In the sales industry, promotions are often based on factors like how much you’ve grown your territory, increased your sales and profitability, and similar metrics. My partner gained a lot of new customers this year, so we thought there may be a promotion coming, but it looks like that probably won’t happen this year. There’s a new metric that the sales team is being judged on for promotions that’s really hard to hit, so very few people are getting promoted according to my partner’s boss.
Bonuses Will Be Harder to Earn
Plus, there are going to be some changes to the bonus structure that will make it harder for my partner to get good bonuses. We don’t budget based off of that money and weren’t counting on it. However, it’s always nice to be able to put extra money in savings or pay off some mortgage principal with bonus payments. Although these changes are a bit disappointing, my partner is still happy at work overall and not looking for a new role any time soon.
Finance experts often recommend job hopping for raises and promotions, but there aren’t a ton of good employment options in our area because it’s pretty rural. Many employees at my partner’s company has been there for decades because it’s generally a good place to work. They get solid benefits and annual cost of living increases, which seems rare these days. My partner might be able to get higher pay by looking for a remote role, but it’s not something we’re planning on exploring any time soon. Right now we’re just grateful that we have stable employment in this uncertain economy.
Have you experienced any financial changes recently that could affect your plans and goals in the new year?
Read More
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Home for the Holidays – Christmas Plans
Vicky Monroe is a freelance personal finance and lifestyle writer. When she’s not busy writing about her favorite money saving hacks or tinkering with her budget spreadsheets, she likes to travel, garden, and cook healthy vegetarian meals.