My brother Dan and stepfather have bonded over the years over a shared love of fishing. Each summer, my brother returns home to the Wisconsin lakes from California for a week of fishing, with a goal of hooking that prized musky. While our family has caught some nice size fish, including muskies, there’s always that one ‘that got away’ swimming in the depths, albeit taunting them.
Our large, blended family gets together each holiday season. Normally, our parents focus their gifting on their 17 grandchildren and we adult kids receive a one size fits all gift like socks, dishtowels with goofy sayings and some sort of food gift (yes, cheese and sausage. It is a Wisconsin thing). However, last year, Dan received something unique from our stepdad. It was an old musky lure which had belonged to our stepdad’s father, along with a handwritten note detailing the significance of that lure. The look on my brother’s face will forever hold a place in my heart of holiday memories. He treasures that gift, that gesture of love. In fact, he was so afraid of losing it in the lake this past summer, he bought a similar model to practice with.
The point is, we are living during a time of inflation. Our holidays may require some creativity with how we adjust the flow of our cash to create some extra spending money. It may mean a shorter gift list or fewer gifts purchased. Perhaps, fewer new decorations or a simpler meal.
Instead of looking at what you may need to spend on decorations, evaluate what you can do with what you already have. Maybe mix it up a bit and place the snowman collection in a different spot this year. Cherish the time spent with loved ones, perhaps making new decorations. And as you unpack the tried and true, also unpack the memories of their holidays past.
And as you think about this year’s gift list, consider what you’d most like to share with each special person on your list. You may find it isn’t something brand new that might cause you to buy now-pay later. Rather, it could be the gift of your time. Or your talent as a baker, or a woodworker, a writer or musician or you get the point. You know where your talents lie. Or it could be something of great meaning to you, like that musky lure which, for my brother, simply represented the ultimate gift of love and friendship.
“It came without ribbons, it came without tags. It came without packages, boxes, or bags.”
– The Grinch
Employers – it’s likely the financial stress of the holiday season will only ratchet up the stress your employees are already feeling from inflation. Give your employees the gift of a financial wellness program. Give them FinFit. Request a demo to learn more.
© Copyright . All rights reserved.
Loans are made by Celtic Bank, a Utah-Chartered Industrial Bank, Member FDIC. Loans subject to credit approval. Loan products, features, and service providers vary by state. Service providers are FinFit Ops, LLC (see licenses) or its affiliate, Salary Finance, Inc. (see licenses). See application terms and loan agreements for more details.
Funding time dependent upon funding method selected. Expedited funding may incur additional fees.
FinFit is a financial technology company and is not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group; Member FDIC.
Student loan services are provided by unaffiliated third parties. FinFit loans issued by Celtic Bank do not include student loans.
Wage Now is fully funded and managed by an affiliate of FinFit. If any fees apply, those fees will be disclosed prior to entering into any agreements.
Residents of California, New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee and Vermont are not eligible for WageNow. This does not constitute an offer or solicitation for WageNow to residents of those states.
FinFit’s Financial Wellness Program, which includes educational content, a financial assessment and a financial dashboard, are free to registered members.
Services offered may incur fees and/or interest. All fees will be disclosed prior to entering into any agreements.
Products listed are a representation of FinFit offerings. Actual availability may vary. The products available to you and your organization will appear on your FinFit membership dashboard. Actual loan amounts and rates offered vary based on lender, credit worthiness and other factors.
Privacy Notice (Sp) | FinFit Privacy Policy (Sp) | Licenses | *US Patriot Act | Website Terms & Conditions | Member Rewards Terms & Conditions
SC Consumer Rights & Responsibilities | NM Small Loan Consumer Brochure | NM Loan Rate & Fee Disclosure | Additional Information for NM Residents