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Q: Struggling with Christmas
I'm on Income Support and wondering how to cope with Christmas; my son has a new girlfriend and she is expecting a 'great' Christmas. How do I tell them I don't have the money for presents? Living on £140 a fortnight is hard going and I'm not even sure I can afford a Christmas dinner. Should I borrow some money?
cassalilly

A: Shop around
I am also on benefits and I find the easiest way of budgeting is not to go mad with the money. I don't spend a fortune on the kids; if I can't afford it I wont spend it, simple as that. If your son has a girlfriend, I am assuming they are both adults, so just be honest and explain the situation to them. Tell them if they want to have a big Christmas they will have to help out with it. It won't bankrupt them to help out with buying food for Christmas dinner; it doesn't have to be a huge affair, just enough for all of you, albeit with a little more variety, but you don't have to do everything. And shop around for food; I do my food shopping at several stores, as I go to the ones that give the best deal for each thing I want. You can save a fortune by doing that.

The last thing you want to do, though, is borrow money to pay for it. All you will do is end up paying back a huge amount with extortionate interest rates, and it will take you forever. You will spend so much time worrying about it that you won't enjoy Christmas at all!
stehiefilby

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Created: 14/01/2004  Updated: 14/01/2004
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