Is your holiday spending growing like Santa's waistline? Overspending is a sure route to holiday depression. And if you struggle with post-holiday letdown or even just seasonal affective disorder, getting in debt won't make these conditions any easier to manage. Take it from a lifelong depression sufferer--spending more than you can afford will send depression through the roof with each incoming bill. And I don't know how your depression manifests itself, but I'm so miserable I can't stand myself. I'm horrible to live with. It's not a merry Christmas, that's for sure.That's why I'm posting tips to keep the Christmas spending monster at bay. There are a lot of reasons for and ways to overspend. Sometimes I spend to compensate for feelings of guilt. Sometimes it's because I'm feeling deprived in other areas. Whatever the reason, no good and lots of harm comes from overdoing it at the holidays. Every year, I struggle to keep within a budget during the Christmas spending blitz. Here's how this Christmas elf keeps financially solvent through the spending season. Using these strategies takes me steps further in my quest to live in joy with medication. read more
