How I Afford Holiday Gifts While Living on a Fixed Income

Budgeting and planning ahead are key for columnist Amy Gietzen

It’s​ ​beginning​ ​to​ ​look​ ​an​ ​awful lot like the holidays!​ ​Everywhere​ ​I​ ​go​ ​I​ ​see ​festive decor and signs for holiday sales.​ ​I ​guess​ ​I​ ​shouldn’t​ ​be​ ​surprised​ ​to hear​ ​”Jingle​ ​Bells” ​and​ ​”White​ ​Christmas” ​on​ ​the​ ​radio​ ​in November.​

​The​ ​hustle​ ​and​ ​bustle​ ​of​ ​the season​​ ​often bring​s​ ​long​ ​lines,​ ​high-calorie​ ​meals, ​delicious desserts,​ ​and, most​ ​importantly,​​ ​the exchanging of gifts.​ ​​I​ ​love​ ​the​ ​tradition​ ​of​ ​gift-giving​ ​and​ ​the​ ​smiles​ ​it​ ​brings​ ​to​ ​the​ ​faces​ ​of​ my close friends and loved ones.​ ​Seeing the​ ​excitement​ ​that​ ​glows​ ​on​ ​my niece’s​ ​face​ ​as she​ ​tears​ ​through​​ sparkling ​​paper​ ​and​ ​ribbons​ ​​is​ ​priceless.​ ​
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However, what​’s​ ​hard​ ​for​ ​me​​ ​is​ ​the​ ​cost​ ​of​ ​those​ ​lovely​ ​gifts. I always wonder how I will survive the holidays and afford presents on my income.

I​ ​have​ ​been​ ​on​ ​a​ ​fixed income​ ​since​ ​2005, when scleroderma progression made​ ​it​ ​too​ ​hard​ ​for​ ​me​ ​to​ ​continue working​ ​full time​. I had to quit​ ​my job and apply for​ ​Social​ ​Security​ ​Disability Insurance.

As​ ​you​ ​can​ ​probably imagine,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​extremely​ ​hard​ ​to budget​ ​for​ ​bills​ ​and​ ​other costs of daily​ ​living​​ ​with​ ​a​ ​limited​ ​amount​ ​of​ ​money.​ ​When I add in​ ​holidays, ​birthdays, weddings,​ ​baby​ ​showers,​ ​anniversaries, ​and​ ​all​ ​of​ ​those​ ​enjoyable​ ​but pricy​ ​celebrations, ​I​ ​often find​ ​myself​ ​scraping​ by, struggling to put fuel in my​ ​car​ ​and​ ​food​ ​in​ ​my​ ​fridge. As​ ​much​ ​as​ ​I ​love​ all​ ​the​ ​glitz​ ​and​ ​glam​ ​that​ ​comes​ with the holiday season, my​ ​pocketbook​ ​does​ ​not​ reciprocate those sentiments.

Living​ ​with​ ​scleroderma makes​ ​it very difficult to splurge.​ ​The​ ​cost​ ​of​ ​medications,​ ​tests,​ ​doctor​ ​appointments,​ ​and surgical procedures​ ​doesn’t​ ​leave​ ​me much​​ ​spending​ ​money. But ​not​ ​buying​ ​my​ ​loved ones​ ​gifts ​to​ ​open​ ​on​ ​Christmas last year left​ ​me​ ​feeling​ ​like​ ​Ebenezer​ ​Scrooge.​

​What to do?​ Keep reading...