In the spirit of financial temperance

No, not that kind of temperance, I like a single malt as much as the next guy. I’m talking about a little self restraint this Christmas, as in avoiding that most common of biblical sins, gluttony. Is our Christmas less wonderful if we eat a little bit less, drink a little less and spend a little less? Nope, not in the least.

So this year try using last year’s Christmas curtains rather than buying new ones. If you buy a smaller ham and turkey, nobody’s going to notice if it’s a few pounds lighter than last year’s. Season them to death, bake the hell out of those suckers, and dress it up on a serving dish and nobody is going to notice the difference and you’ll keep some change in the bank. As for your liquor? Serve everything over ice, pour a little less and let the ice melt to make up the difference. Do you really think your guests are going to notice? They’re all too merry to taste the difference. Make a bottle last twice as long. This is a great strategy for rum, scotch and vodka.

Wine, serve whites very cold or reds at room temperature and put a little less in the glass. You feel really full either way and your liver will thank you later.

At the dinner table there are lots of ways to save money this Christmas. Having a lot of sides makes it appealing to the eye since it gives lots of options and sides are always cheaper than meat. A welcome side effect is it’s healthier to eat less meat anyway. Dress up your vegetables, find whatever is on sale in the market and focus on that. Is ochro cheap this week? Try crispy fried ochro. Is pumpkin cheap? A roasted pumpkin dish would be amazing. Broccoli is always affordable and is a natural with cheese. Add a rice dish, a pasta dish and one with potatoes and you have a lavish spread for a lot less money.

Just a turkey or a large roasted chicken rather than a ham, a turkey and third meat dish will give your pocket a little ease without your belly feeling deprived.

You know the biggest unnecessary expense of Christmas? The tree. Yes it’s fun to decorate and everyone can laugh and have a great time putting it together but a tree is just for looking and every major mall and even some front yards have one that you can look at for free!!! You will save on the cost of the tree, the decorations and the electricity it takes to keep those annoying lights blinking day and night. I may come off as a bit of a Scrooge but I think his message of frugality is a sorely neglected part of the story.

We don’t have to be excessively cheap but neither do we have to part with every cent we have, then borrow more to have a picture perfect season. Be mindful of two things this Christmas, balance and temperance. They will keep you from financial distress in 2017.

Let’s start getting honest with ourselves and stop trying to impress the neighbours and family members. I don’t even think about ‘keeping up with the Jones’s ‘ I’m too busy trying to keep up with inflation, that’s my real competition.

If we forgo the requirements of keeping up appearances, you’d be surprised just how little you really need to get by. In this day and age where we feel an iPad and a smart phone are necessities, we are driving up our own expenses unnecessarily. I don’t know who you are trying to keep up with but I can guarantee you they are as financially strapped as you are, so scaling back your Christmas a little bit is not the end of the world. We can celebrate within our means and still have a good time, well, that’s as long as no ravenous parang groups descend on your house.

If that happens you’re on your own.