The holiday season: when you’re either frantically running from store to store, scouring online sales, or on the verge of throwing in the towel and just sending everyone gift cards. (Hey, they’re useful, right?)
But what if this year could be different? What if we stopped trying to “keep up with the Joneses” and made giving all about meaning, not just money? Here’s how to bring intentionality—and a little less financial stress—back to holiday gifting.
Read MoreEven with the current economy of rising prices, high inflation, and feeling like our dollar isn’t going as far as it used to, Americans are still planning to spend lavishly on holiday shopping, with figures surpassing pre-pandemic levels. And even though they may be more discerning in their gift buying with higher prices and less purchasing power, almost 40% of consumers plan on spending more than they did last year.
Whether you plan on spending as much or more than you have in previous years or stick to a tight budget, minimizing your stress and maximizing your finances can be at the top of your priority list.
Read MoreAs a nation, we are very generous with one of our most precious resources: money. In 2020 alone, Americans gave $471 billion to charities. And with over 1.54 million charitable organizations (in our country alone) to choose from, it’s not hard to find a worthy cause.
Many small businesses also encourage their employees to give their time and talents by volunteering locally. Small businesses often give more than their big business counterparts— 75% of small business owners give approximately 6% of their profits to charities every year.
Thankfully, the holiday season - with all of its magic - provides a great opportunity to remember what matters most in life. Whether you want to show your team how much you appreciate them, make your family feel extra special, or serve your community, there are plenty of ways to creatively give back this holiday season.
Read MoreThe sun is shining, the pool is refreshing, and you’re (hopefully) taking time to relax and enjoy your friends and family.
It seems unnatural to be thinking about reindeer, stockings, and cold weather. However, we all know the dreaded feeling we get when we put off Christmas planning until November. If you start budgeting now, you’ll have the time to be intentional with your finances and relieve that end-of-year stress.
Read MoreLet’s be honest, when it comes to building a profitable business, the learning curve is steep.
Navigating the new terrain will be easier if you focus on the right goals from the beginning. And one of the most important goals is to focus on is how profitable your business is.
Focusing on profitability will help to prevent your dreams from becoming a cash flow eating nightmare.
Read MoreIf you’re one of the lucky ones who continued to grow throughout the pandemic, you may find that your business has extra money in the budget as you’re doing your year-end financial reckoning. This can be a good opportunity to pay yourself more, increase the stability of the business, or invest back into the business.
It can also be a great opportunity to give back to your community and say thanks. If you’re feeling so inclined, here are six ideas for how to give thanks with extra money in your budget this year.
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