If you аre interested in finаnce аnd accounting jobs, then this аrticle on finаnciаl аnаlyst job description, sаlаry rаnge аnd educаtionаl requirements will prove helpful for you.

Finаnciаl аnаlysts need to hаve а certаin skill set in order to effectively fulfill the requirements of the position. First аnd foremost, financiаl analysts must be highly proficient in mаthemаtics. A strong bаckground in cаlculus аnd stаtistics is necessаry to perform the different аnаlysis required in both corporаte аnd institutionаl finаnce. Moreover, а relаtively proficient understаnding of computers is аlso required. аnаlysts must be аble to use the vаrious softwаre progrаms required to аnаlyze trends аnd compаre compаny bаlаnce sheets.

Indeed, the finаnciаl аnаlyst job description involves а wide rаnge of importаnt functions.  One thing to remember is thаt а financial analyst must estаblish strong bonds аnd trust with clients. This meаns thаt а finаnciаl аnаlyst must build а solid foundаtion thаt clients will hаve fаith in so thаt the recommendаtions will be closely followed by them. а finаnciаl аnаlyst bаsicаlly cаn work for vаrious types of compаnies which includes buy-side investment firms, sell-side investment firms, insurаnce compаnies, аnd investment bаnks.

Finаnces аre whаt mаke а business run. The importаnce of cаpitаl for а business is like аir for а living creаture to breаthe; the business simply cаnnot function without it. Therefore, businesses need finаnciаl аnаlysts, who from time to time will tаke а scrutinizing look аt the business аnd mаke suggestion to improve the overаll finаnces of the business.

Finаnciаl аnаlysts help corporаtions, smаll business аnd individuаls mаke better finаnciаl decisions by аnаlyzing finаnciаl dаtа.

There аre mаny directions аn аnаlyst cаn pursue when it comes to employment, including self-employment.  Although most finаnciаl аnаlysts (roughly 47%) work for corporаtions аnd in the insurаnce industry.  These businesses include commodities, securities brokers, аnd bаnks.

A finаnciаl аnаlyst salary expectаtions аre generаlly in the $50,000 rаnge per yeаr but cаn vаry а greаt deаl bаsed on experience, position, educаtion аnd time with the compаny. To eаrn this finаnciаl аnаlyst sаlаry you should eаrn а bаchelor’s degree аt а minimum. Once you аre close to completing your educаtion, spend some time reseаrching the current finаnciаl аnаlyst sаlаry expectаtions to ensure you аre аccepting аn offer thаt is on pаr for your level of experience аnd educаtion.

The finаnciаl аnаlyst sаlаry depends а lot on the sectors of employment аnd the cities or stаtes in which he is hired. It is seen thаt the investment bаnking sector pаys а finаnciаl аnаlyst the mаximum percentаge of sаlаry rаnge аs opposed to аny other sector, which is аlmost USD 61,000.

The chаrtered finаnciаl аnаlyst sаlаry generаlly stаrts аt аbout fifty thousаnd dollаrs а yeаr. This mаy be different in а different compаny, but аfter five yeаrs or so the mediаn chаrtered finаnciаl аnаlyst sаlаry cаn аpproаch ninety thousаnd dollаrs а yeаr. аfter significаnt experience or promotion to а Chief Finаnciаl Officer (CFO) position, for exаmple, the chаrtered finаnciаl аnаlyst sаlаry cаn fаr exceed one hundred thousаnd dollаrs а yeаr, especiаlly when you figure in bonuses which cаn be linked to the success of the orgаnizаtion. There аre reports of sаlаries fаr beyond these аmounts but аre only from ten percent of аll chаrtered finаnciаl аnаlysts.

Getting your MBA is а good plаce to stаrt if you wаnt to mаke certаin thаt you’ll get а better job, since it cаn tаke five or more yeаrs to work your wаy up to а senior аnаlyst position. Lаter, you cаn become аn independent finаnciаl consultаnt, investment аdvisor, or а money mаnаger thаt is pаid а percent of аssets mаnаged. Finаnciаl mаnаgers аnd finаnciаl services sаles аgents of securities аnd commodities аlso hаve unlimited income. Finаnciаl аnаlyst sаlаry estimаtes cаn be found on the аccounting Sаlаry Tаble .

Finаnciаl аnаlysts аnd personаl financial advisors cаn either work for the buyer of investments or for the seller of investments. For exаmple, а compаny with а lаrge аmount of money to invest mаy hire а finаnciаl аnаlyst to help them to develop аn investment strаtegy for their money. а personаl finаnciаl аdvisor is hired to do the sаme job for аn individuаl or smаll business. Once the strаtegy is developed the аnаlyst will then hаve the job of overseeing the investments аnd mаking chаnges аs necessаry in order to help the individuаl or compаny to gаin even more money. Finаnciаl аnаlysts on the selling side mаy be hired by а bаnk or other orgаnizаtion to help them to sell mutuаl funds, stocks, bonds аnd other types of investments to individuаls аnd to corporations.

Finаnciаl аnаlysts undoubtedly plаy а mаjor role in the finаnciаl management of а firm. With diligence аnd а commitment to go in the depths of this job, you will surely scаle new heights. So, if you аre interested in finаnce, you cаn become а finаnciаl аnаlyst. аll the best for а bright cаreer.

The obligation debt

We must determine what assets will be seized by creditors of one or other of the couple.

• Marriage

For spouses married under the statutory scheme (community property), the principle is that each spouse incurs a debt also commits its own assets, common property. The only limit on earnings and wages of the debtor’s spouse. They escape to the creditors of the latter, except for household debt, secured debts of both spouses even committed by one. And yet, for it is only for an amount equivalent to about one month’s salary of the spouse for the rest is regarded as savings and fell under the yoke of creditors.
However, for debts incurred by one spouse before marriage or during marriage by way of a loan or security for personal needs, the creditor can only take private property and the income of the debtor spouse but neither own or common property remaining. Where consent of the other spouse, the creditor may also take the entire community property, only private property is still spared.

• The PACS

PACS partners are jointly held together (each can be sued for the entire debt) debt incurred by one of them to the needs of everyday life and for expenditure on the common housing.
The treatment of assets acquired during the PACS is set to either the Pact by the act of purchase, or by applying the rules of ownership. Thus, the debt will be borne by one or the other spouse or both, but the extent of the amount invested by each.

• Cohabitation

Each partner supports its own assets and debts contracted personally and even everyday expenses incurred in the interest of the couple.

The contribution to debt

This is ultimately determined that one or the other couples would bear the burden.

* Marriage
Are supported by only one spouse has debts he incurred for the acquisition, improvement or preservation of a property that is clean, those born before the marriage, those who were born during the marriage, originate a conviction because of a criminal offense or a tort.
All other liabilities shall be borne by the community, that is to say the couple on the common property, unless it is shown to have been contracted in the interest of a spouse.
If the community has paid such costs, a reward (that is to say the payment of compensation) it will be due at the time of dissolution of marriage. Conversely, if a spouse has paid a debt with the help of private property, then it was incumbent on the community, it will reward him.

* The PACS
The secured debts are borne equally by both partners. For other debts, they are borne personally by the partner who is debtor or debtor should have been.

* Cohabitation
Here the contribution to the debt obligation to join the debt, each of the couple ultimately personally supporting the debt of its own.

Here’s an example.  A well-known congressman “took part in an alleged scheme to bypass election code rules by hiding the corporate origins of money that ended up in the hands of Republican candidates in Texas.  The alleged laundering scheme involved sending corporate donations from Texas to the Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington D.C., and the RNC then sending an equal amount of money back to Texas for use in campaigning.”

Most money laundering schemes are conducted by “criminals who are trying to disguise the origins of money obtained through illegal activities so it looks like it was obtained from legal sources.  They can’t use the money because it would connect them to the criminal activity, and law-enforcement officials would seize it.”

There are other reasons why money laundering is utilized, especially in third-world countries where the government has enormous debt.  Here is one example cited in Africa:

“Money laundering schemes in an underdeveloped economy may include physical movement of cash or property.  For example, the gem tanzanite is physically transferred from its source to a destination where it is processed (cut) or sold.  In the case of currency transfers, the informal exchange system known as the hawala system is often used.  In the sending country, the sender pays in local currency into the informal processing organisation and the money is credited or paid in cash to the recipient in a foreign country, without physical cash necessarily being transferred.

Tanzania experienced large-scale money laundering in the early 1990s when foreign banks were allowed to open branches in Tanzania.  The amount of money deposited into the bank is estimated at $285 million – deposits from government departments and construction projects.  Huge amounts of money deposited were siphoned off outside the country illegally and within a short time the bank was declared insolvent.”

Who participates in money laundering?  Local and foreign organised crime groups, businessmen, politicians, hotels, government officials, and casinos.

How is money laundering caused by debt?  Take the case of an American citizen who went to Tanzania and purchased eight plantations under a debt-swapping scheme, which is “acquiring unpaid debt at a discounted rate” and paid by a prospective buyer.  The local bank gave him money, in advance, to develop the farms.  He didn’t do anything and was later deemed “persona non grata”.  The money was never traced and subsequently it was determined that he invested the money overseas to utilize at a later date.

While public schools are subsidized by the state, private schools receive their funding through tuition, donations, private grants, and fund raising events.  Thus, private schools are cheaper than you think.

According to the Cato Institute, “Statistics from the Education Department show that the average private elementary school tuition in America is less than $2,500.  The average tuition for all private schools, elementary and secondary, is $3,116 or less than half of the cost per pupil in the average public school, $6,857.”

Although there are private schools that cost more than usual, this is restricted to the most well-known schools.  For example, in one state, a highly acclaimed private school can cost as much as $13,000 a year – but this is the exception.  Private schools around the country may average between $2,300 and $3,500.

In fact, most families can send their kids to private school for about $2,000 a year or less.  The Cato Institute’s research reveals that, “The average private school cost is significantly less than the amount spent for each student in public schools.  A voucher or tax credit worth the same amount spent per student in public schools would easily give parents access to the bulk of private schools available in their communities.  With more parents able to afford private schools, new schools would open to accommodate the increased number of students.”

One example is in the state of Florida, where there have been over 350 new private schools built to accommodate students utilizing several programs offering programs to make it even more affordable to attend.  In Milwaukee and other states, there has been an influx of private donations to offset the cost of attending private schools.

Surveys have indicated that in those states that offer programs allowing for school choice, private schools offer an alternative to the public school system which, as we know, has not produced significant test scores over the last several years.

This, above all, has been the catalyst that has driven more students to private schools than ever before.  The general consensus is that most public schools which are subsidized by Federal and State governments have not produced the kind of results that were anticipated through the “No Child Left Behind” Program.

Therefore, families do have a choice to send their children to private schools using vouchers or other programs that would afford their children a quality education.  Since this is the foundation upon which families choose the best available school in their state, private schools offer a higher quality of education that is both affordable and accessible.

Not too long ago, a financial expert predicted that only two major banks would be left after the housing crisis and the economy returned to normal.  It was a prophetic prediction.

What does this recession mean for you and me?  It means we have to tighten our bootstraps (if we haven’t already) and begin planning for any eventuality.

While economists comment that the last two recessions lasted for eight months respectively, it is no comfort to learn that the housing crisis has not yet reached bottom, fuel prices are continuing to rise in light of recent events, and more and more companies are closing down leaving thousands of people unemployed.

Wages have decreased, more families are in debt than ever before, health-care costs continue to rise, and our grocery bills have eaten into our household budgets significantly.

In order to alleviate the burden of all these factors, the best advice economists can offer is to take a fiscally conservative stance on our spending habits.  Here are some additional suggestions:

* Stick to a monthly budget
* Refrain from buying expensive items on credit
* Set up a fund for emergencies (at least two months’ income)
* Try to add the maximum amount allowed to your pension/retirement fund
* Stay healthy with a proper diet and exercise program (This is a preventative measure that will reduce the cost of prescription drugs and other health-related costs)
* Pay down debts
* Purchase with cash
* Buy groceries in bulk utilizing coupons whenever you can
* If you have teenage children who are receiving an allowance, determine if they can apply for a part-time job after school
* Increase your deductibles on car and homeowner’s insurance
* Keep your automobile well-maintained
* Winterize your home and use energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs
* Walk whenever possible instead of driving to a local store

Anything you can do to reduce the amount of expenditures can only help you through this economic downturn.  In the meantime, stay calm, focus on your budget, and save as much as you can.

With the current financial crisis affecting banks and the stock market, in addition to reports that many more banks may be in financial trouble, the question many of you may ask is:  What about my savings account?  Is it secure?

In answer to your question, we have to look to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) for answers.

What money is insured?  According to the FDIC, the following accounts are secured “up to the legal limit of $100,000, and possibly more for special accounts.”  The insured accounts include:  checking, savings, trust, certificates of deposit, and IRA retirement accounts.

What isn’t insured?  The FDIC states that “institutions who offer consumers a broad array of investment products that are not deposits, such as mutual funds, annuities, life insurance policies, and stocks and bonds are non-deposit investment products and are not insured by the FDIC.”

To determine the amount your bank is insured for, it may be a good idea to contact them and ask about your accounts.

The FDIC also advises that “You can – and should – obtain definitive information about any mutual fund before investing in it by reading a prospectus, which is available at the bank or brokerage where you plan to do business.  The key point to remember when you contemplate purchasing mutual funds, stocks, bonds or other investment products, whether at a bank or elsewhere are that:  Funds so invested are not deposits, and therefore are not insured by the FDIC – or any other agency of the federal government.”

In addition, if you own securities or mutual funds, FDIC states that they “are held for your account by a broker or a bank’s brokerage subsidiary and are not insured against loss in value.  The value of your investments can go up or down depending on the demand for them in the market.  The Securities Investors Protection Corporation (SIPC), a non-government entity, replaces missing stocks and other securities in customer accounts held by its members up to $500,000, including up to $100,000 in cash, if a member brokerage or bank brokerage subsidiary fails.”

This is critical information considering the recent bail-out of AIG and other well-known banks in recent days.

In these troubling economic times, the more you know about your bank and its affiliation with FDIC, the more prepared you will be for any eventuality.

The credit crunch coupled with a recession means that access to capital has become scarce for most businesses and individuals alike. The crashing home prices have wiped away the ability of most individuals and small business owners to obtain cash from home equity withdrawals or in refinancing their house.

Credit cards are convenient but have never made sense for long term borrowing. Most of them have fees and interest rates that can strangle or trap the user in perpetual debt. An added consideration is that the bankruptcy rules have credit card debts next to impossible for one to shake off and start afresh.

It is a truism that the worst time to look for a loan is when you need one. So how does one find cash in a crunch? The most sensible way of course is to over time build a store of emergency cash fund by spending less than your income. For those who have not accumulated a stash of cash, an alternative might be to look at your other assets such as an IRA or 401(k).

Generally, withdrawals from an IRA or 401K are taxed at ordinary income rates, plus 10% penalty for those younger than 59 1/2. However, one can take up to a 60 day loan from an IRA without incurring tax penalties. And one can borrow money from a 401(k) generally to be paid back within 5 years. Borrowing from a 401(k) can be free of tax and tax penalty provided the loan is paid back on schedule.

Some who do not have a 401(k) with a loan privilege may be able to qualify to set up their own Self-Employed 401(k) with a loan feature. You can have a Self-Employed 401k if you have a business and no employees with the exception of other owners or a spouse. The business can be a new business or several years old, and the business can be in the form of a sole proprietorship, partnership, Limited Liability Company (LLC) or corporation.

It’s possible to roll over an existing IRA or 401k from a previous employer into their Self-Employed 401k plan. After establishing a Self-Employed 401k a small business owner can borrow up to $50,000, or one half of their 401k account balance, whichever is less.

A 401k loan is quick and easy to obtain because it comes out of your 401k balance. The loan can be used for any purpose. The loan interest is fixed at prime rate for the duration of the loan. Typically the loan must be repaid in equal installments over a five-year period. The loan payments, interest and principal, go back to your 401k account, so you are in essence paying yourself back.

Taking money out of a retirement account as a loan or withdrawal is not a decision to be taken lightly. It takes years to build up a nest egg and minutes to spend it. So make sure you have a solid reason and good use for the money before removing assets from your tax-deferred plan.

Anyone can visit www.investsafe.com to get more information kit on the 401K plan for the self-employed and small business owner.

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What types of gifts do we buy? Mostly, items that we think someone would like to have based on our tastes.  The most meaningful gift is one that meets that person’s desire or need.  If Cousin Susie is always running out of stamps or envelopes to write letters, a thoughtful gift would be a personal mail center complete with stamps, envelopes, and writing tools.

This type of thing can be purchased early in the year.  As you find gifts that will suit a person, hide them in the closet or the garage where no one else would think to uncover them.  Once November rolls around, pull everything together and begin wrapping.  While everyone else is standing in line, you’ll be comfortable in the house with all of your gifts purchased and wrapped.

Another suggestion is a budget.  We already have a general budget that accounts for Christmas gifts.  The task now involves breaking down that larger sum of money into line items for individual people.  Families can be grouped together and given one gift for everybody.

The point is not to spend all that you have, but to give a little something to everyone so they know that you care for them.  Really, it doesn’t take much to satisfy someone.  As long as the gift will be useful to them in some capacity, that is enough.

My family does a name exchange.  With a name exchange, each adult in the family puts their name in a hat.  Everyone picks a name (not their own) and that is the person they are responsible for buying a present.  The family understands that they will only receive one gift unless the person with their name wants to get them more than one.

Each person participating in the name exchange will write, under their name, three things that they would like to have for Christmas.  The monetary limit for the gift is set by the person buying the gift.  They have to use one of the choices given.

Children are not usually included in a name exchange.  Because they are young, adults agree to give a gift to each child.  To cut the cost, families can give one gift from them to each child.

Name exchanges work for more than just family gift giving.  Churches, workplaces, and neighborhood groups can use the name exchange as a way of getting more people to participate in holiday activities.  Buying one gift is easier on the wallet than purchasing one for everyone in each of these places.  This year, suggest a gift exchange as a way of participating in holiday gift giving without breaking the bank.

When we were kids, it was a tradition to make holiday gifts at school.  In art class, homemade cards were the normal thing to give to everyone for Christmas.  Family and friends thought they were cute and thoughtful.  They hung the cards on the wall to display them.  Others would put a hook through it and turn the card into an ornament.

Homemade cards can be an idea for the season this year to save money in that budget.  Most of the supplies can be purchased at a dollar store or a craft store.  Set the kids up at the kitchen table or another area covered in newspaper.

Let them experiment with different decorations for the cards.  They can utilize glitter, glue, stickers, stamps and an ink pad, and crayons and markers.  Construction paper cards can be hand delivered to local friends and family members.

For the adults, creating a construction paper Christmas card may seem a bit too childish.  For you, card program software for the personal computer can fashion cards that look as professional as the ones bought from the store.  The program is filled with a variety of holiday themes and sayings.  If none of these suits the fancy, blank templates are also provided for putting your own words into sentiment.

Heavy-duty card stock paper in holidays colors works best for these types of cards.  The card sizes will fit a standard card envelope if any of them need to be mailed.  Reasonable prices for card envelopes can be gotten at the local paper or party store.

The card program will pay for itself in no time.  After the holidays, use the software to create cards for birthdays, Valentine’s Day, Easter, graduations, weddings, and other special occasions.  This is a tool that is useful beyond Christmas.

Food makes a great gift to others for the holiday season.  At one time, when people didn’t have much else, they could always share some food.  Wrapping up a cake in cloth and some decorative ribbon, sweet treats were given to others as Christmas gifts.

During a time when people were more in need of food than a new doll, it was a welcomed gift.  Now, the family would have something special to eat after dinner.  Breads were also given as gifts.

We might not be in need of food in that way anymore, but food gifts still carry a sentiment of good will with them.  For teachers, Sunday school instructors, the mailman, and coworkers a food gift is appropriate.  Kids like to give sweets like cookies, cakes, and homemade candy that they helped to make.

With food gifts, presentation is important.  A batch of homemade cookies means more when given in a decorative jar or tin than in a simple Ziploc bag.  Take the time to jazz up the gifts.

Instead of baking the cookies, take a Mason jar and layer the dry ingredients inside.  Create a label with the recipe instructions on it and stick it to the jar.  Cover the top with a piece of holiday print cloth and some ribbon.  Fix up six or twelve of these with each cookie recipe repeated no more than twice.

If the gift is homemade sweet bread, wrap each one in decorative plastic wrap and tie a bow and a card to it.  If there are any special instructions for food gifts let the receiver know or tuck printed instructions inside the card.

Another great idea for homemade gifts is a gift basket.  Gift baskets can have any theme that you desire.  Uncle Paul may like to play board games.  A basket filled with his favorite board games and smaller travel size editions is a thoughtful gift that couldn’t be purchased just like that from any store.  It is a unique gift that only you could have given.

This is an idea for every member of the family.  Who knows them better than someone who spends a great deal of time with them? Best of all, gift baskets can be started early in the year and worked on right up until the holidays.

Begin by choosing a basket.  The basket is a part of the gift so let it be one that can be used for something else once all of the gifts are removed.  Baskets come in a variety of colors.  Some have lids like a chest; some are shaped like laundry hampers; others are tall and narrow like the kind that hold umbrellas by the front door.

As you find items that fit the special person’s character, add them to the basket.  When the basket is filled with their favorite things, cover it all with decorative wrap.  The gift is now ready and the cost will be far less than a premade basket or buying one expensive gift.

CONCLUSION

The sentiment of the holiday season is life and love.  We celebrate our families, our blessings through the year, and extending a helping hand to the community.  That is love at its best.

Instead of keeping up with the Jones’s, keep up with the sentiment.  Honor the holidays by making it the thought that counts and not how many dollars that can be spent.  Money doesn’t bring a smile to the recipient since they don’t know what you spent for the gift.  What they do know is if it is something they have been wanting.  If it is then, they know that you really know them.

But, food can get pretty expensive at that time of the year.  If you are a holiday baker and a party host, getting the menus together ahead of time will save lots of money.  A comprehensive list of ingredients for family dinners, desserts, and party foods allows things to be marked off as they are bought.

Buy ingredients in bulk.  Food warehouses are a great place to save money when we need to get large quantities of ingredients.  Baking requires a lot of eggs, butter, milk, and such.

Saving money can also save time.  If the plan is to bake a pound cake for Sunday dinner and you need a dessert for a church function and a party at work, let that pound cake recipe do double or triple duty.  Tripling the recipe allows three cakes to be baked in one mixing.  To vary the recipe, one can be chocolate, sour cream, and plain.

With so much going on around the holidays, cooking for breakfast, lunch, and dinner is not always in the cards.  Make life simple with casserole dishes appropriate for each meal time.  A breakfast casserole will feed the entire house.  Bake it at night and each person can heat their portion up as they come in for breakfast.

The same can be done for lunch and dinner.  Casseroles are quick and easy.  Now, each person can be responsible for getting their food and the cook can concentrate on holiday food dishes and baking.   Casseroles keep the fridge from filling up with leftovers.

Don’t forget to buy enough plastic ware and disposable plates for anyone eating at the house.  No one wants to wash dishes especially the one who is doing all of the cooking.  Give the dishwasher and the hand washer a break by using disposable items.

Also, set the kitchen up for a buffet style meal.  Since everyone isn’t ready to eat at the same time, serving a buffet allows each person to get what they want to eat when they want.  Now, you can concentrate on other matters.

For some, it isn’t truly Christmas without a real tree.  An artificial tree is just as good and will last for many years if it is a good quality tree.  Both are good options for the family.

When it comes to decorating a home and a Christmas tree, advertisers do their job quite well.  Already, our hands are itching to purchase every shiny bulb we see.  But, when they introduce the next big thing or an entire complement of ornaments to fully decorate the tree, we are hooked.

Refuse to look at any sales papers until checking the ornament collection from the previous year.  Are there any broken bulbs? Do the strings of lights still work? It is proper to replace the worn out ornaments with new ones, if they are truly worn out.  With the ones that are left, create a new theme for the holiday.

Let’s say that you have a lot of silver ornaments.  Instead of chucking them and starting over because it’s not enough, pair them with another color ornament to create a color scheme.  Silver goes well with most other colors.  Or, if silver will be the only color, instead of getting more ball ornaments, try bows, keepsake ornaments, and white lights.

The best time to purchase Christmas ornaments is during the after Christmas sales.  During Christmas, get in the mindset of how you would envision the tree in years to come.  Shop for ornaments that accomplish such a style for next year’s tree.  Shopping after Christmas saves fifty to seventy-five percent.

Some people are born with the gene for crafting.  Give them a few supplies and they can create a treasure.  If such a person lives in the house, employ them to create unique ornaments for the Christmas tree.  One-of-a-kind gifts begin family traditions.

It is not just the Christmas tree that needs to be decorated but the rest of the house as well.  Many of us go overboard with this.  The sheets and towels have to have a holiday theme.  Then there is the guest room and the kitchen and the living room cushions.

When we are done, the entire house looks like Winter Wonderland landed inside of it.  There is nothing wrong with going all out if it doesn’t cost a lot of money.  Remember that all of these decorations will go back into storage once January first arrives.

All of that money will be moth-balled for 358 days.  That’s a waste.  Instead, find the decorations that you want at a fraction of the cost.

Start at the neighborhood dollar store.  They sell Christmas decorations in all shapes and sizes.  This includes silk flowers in holiday colors, kitchen towels, holiday glassware and plates, and serving accessories.  Christmas cards can be purchased there as well.  For the price, you can afford to get different cards for each household you send one to.

Make Christmas wreaths for the house.  Buying a pre-decorated one is twice as expensive as purchasing a plain wreath and adding little trinkets to it.  These wreaths can be kept and brought out each year.

For the holiday table, let the kids make homemade placemats.  Using old Christmas cards and a piece of cardboard cut to the size of a standard placemat, glue the front piece to the cardboard and laminate the entire piece of artwork.  This way, the placemat are washable and reusable each year.