Contest Entries
My husband and I are having a very difficult time with our mortgage payments. I have two young children 1 and 3 and I am worried I will not be able to give them the Christmas they deserve. The holidays are suppose to be a joyous time and I find myself stressed out all the time. We have been trying to resolve our money issues for months now and any extra cash would really help with the holidays if not for me then my children. they are young enough that 300-400 dollars would give them the Christmas the deserve. With the economy so tough right now we are trying as hard as we can to stay above waters. I hope this cash would help me and my family.
My Dad passed away 3 years ago this past August. My brother passed away 19 years ago when he was 20 years old. My Mom has had a lot to deal with trying to hold herself together along with my sister & I. My sister & I are both grown and each have a daughter. For Christmas this year, I am making a 12 month calendar for my Mom showing her husband, children & grandchildren through the years. Money has been tight for me this year due to unexpected circumstances. I have had to use National Payday several times this year just to make ends meet. This is something my Mom can use all year long. Everyday she will be able to see her family through the years. Hopefully it will bring a smile to her face daily.
This year, my husband and I decided to make our three kids "earn" their presents, since they're behavior at home, school, and in public(!) unfortunately earned them a spot on the naughty list this year. No, we're not mean...they're getting off easy-believe me!
I have an 'old school' star chart replacing our bulletin board in the kitchen. They earn stars by doing chores, getting good notes from teachers, and from being caught doing well elsewhere. Each star represents a $1 increment. There is no limit to how many stars you can get each day. On December 22nd, we will total the dollar amounts and this will be the amount that will go on a gift card for them to spend as they please.
They will recieve tons of toys and clothes from their four grandparents, as every year, so they will have plenty of presents to rip open Christmas morning. It's just that none of them will be from "Santa" this year.
Well this Christmas was going as planned, at least for our family. I've gotten to the point where I like to treat Christmas more like thanksgiving, making it's all about the presence of the family and not the presents we can bring. I like to remember the true value of what Christmas is really supposed to mean instead of what the advertisements tell me I should buy. But this year an unexpected event happened two days before thanksgiving, my 17 year old niece moved in with me. She's a junior in high school and a joy to be around, it's a significant learning experience and lesson in having children but it's been a real financial burden. About a week after she arrived she had excruciating tooth pain and we had to take her to the dentist. Her mom doesn't have insurance for her and I couldn't afford much so we chose to have it extracted. Next, she needed school clothes she had only two pairs of pants that still fit her, so we went to the second hand store and did the best we could with the little money I have. Pile that on top of the amount of food she eats and I have nothing left. I love having her around but it's been one thing after the next and I'm left stranded for Christmas. So for our money saving idea we've decided to make handmade Christmas cards from the heart for our family and friends. A gift I hope our family members will love and it'll be a nice project for my niece and I to share together. I think this is a great way to save money on expensive gifts and something hopefully my family members will cherish and keep for many years. I personally don't need or want any gifts but I want to get my niece a little something (she's had her eye on my old mp3 player and I love to get her one of her own), after all the meaning of Christmas is different for a 17 year old. She's had a very difficult time over the past few years and I want to make her feel special this Christmas. That's where the 400 dollars would be a real life saver.
The National Payday loan has helped me out tremendously during the holiday season. Well, I was a little ‘short’ on my last pay; and instead of letting my account go negative, and incurring hundreds of dollars overdraft/bounced check fees…I took out a $200 dollar loan. I was able to use the money to get gas, groceries, and other needed items. So, on this payday, I paid back the $250 and still had enough money to provide Christmas for my family. Had I not got the loan, the fees could have been so tremendous that I may not have been able to buy Christmas presents. Instead of paying $300 dollars in fees (for example); I paid $50 dollars…the difference of $250 dollars makes a BIG difference, especially around the holidays.
Speaking of which, one way to save money during the holidays is to celebrate the real ‘reason of the season’; which is celebrating family. So, you could use some of the payday loan to buy groceries, invite your entire family over, and treat them to Christmas dinner!!! The worse mistake people make is living beyond there means. Gifts are nice; however, if don’t have the money then you just don’t have it! Don’t start the year off worrying about paying Christmas debt. The memories you create with family during the Christmas dinner (you prepare); is worth far more than the socks you were going to buy Aunt Sallie, or the toy train you were going to buy Tommy. Kids lose and break toys; however, memories last forever!!!
