How to Recover from Holiday-Induced Financial Stress

While the holiday's can be the "most wonderful time of the year," they can also be stressful... Between traveling, all of the planning and trying to find the perfect gift for everyone, it is no wonder people tend to get stressed around the holiday time. Whether you have overspent on travel expenses or gifts, or may have incurred some unwanted debt due to the holidays, it may be time to implement some damage control.

Here are a few ways to handle and recover from holiday-induced financial stress:

1. Have a plan—Make sure to have a plan in place before you begin your holiday shopping. Try setting a per-person shopping budget and try to stick to it.
2. Be sure to send in any rebates you may have—Oftentimes, items that you may be shopping for will come with a rebate. Be sure to take full advantage of any rebates you may have and send them in before the expiration date. By doing so, you will receive cash back on purchases you have previously made!
3. Try gifting from the heart—Instead of gifting expensive store-bought gifts, try to gift from the heart. This could help you save money and the receiver of the gift may enjoy a more thoughtful gift instead of the more expensive one! 
4. Take advantage of any after-holiday sales—Holiday decorations will typically go on sale after the holidays. Use this to your advantage and stock up on decor that you may need for the next season.
5. Start a savings plan now for next season—CB&S Bank Christmas Club Savings is a perfect solution to help offset the expenses of the holidays and help you get ahead for next year.