The presents are put away, the tree is down and all is well with the world…WAIT…STOP…WE SPENT HOW MUCH??? THE CREDIT CARDS ARE MAXED OUT!!! How did that HAPPEN???
Welcome to my Christmas Past, but not my Christmas Present or Future. Years ago, I bought the presents, hoped everyone was happy and cooked lots of food. The only persons that suffered after Christmas were Uncle Jack (who ate his weight in ham, cake and pecan pie) and me. Buying on credit seemed like a good idea at the time. I had to get those special skates for my daughter and that BB gun for my son. Then I spend the New Year trying to figure out how to pay off my Christmas debt when bills continued to arrive long after the skates were of no interest to my daughter and the BB gun was, well, probably under my son’s bed along with missing socks, a half-eaten PB&J and most of his underwear.
This scenario went on for years. It caused arguments with my husband and gave me an ulcer. I dreaded the thought of Christmas expenses. But one day the “light turned on” and I found the ANSWER!
Well, actually, I didn’t find the answer on my own. I was whining to my friendly bank teller about Christmas expenses when she suggested I open a Christmas Club Savings Account. When I screamed, “A WHAT!?!?”, she calmly suggested (in a much lower octave)that I should talk to one of the Customer Service Representatives about an account that would help solve all my problems (we maybe not all of them). We all know there is no answer to this problem short of returning the kids to the “used kid lot” and forgetting abut Christmas all together.
The energetic CSR explained that one of the biggest financial fears we have is trudging to the mailbox in January to discover bills from our Christmas shopping sprees. The Christmas Club Savings Account, she explained, is a great way to help avoid the financial strain and make the holiday season more enjoyable HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD! Sounded reasonable but I was not convinced YET!
I learned that I could open the Christmas Club Account with a minimum deposit of only $10.00. The account has a maturity date of October 31st and should I need to withdraw any money out of the account prior to the maturity date there would be a $25 charge performed on the account. I learned I could make a deposit anytime (like when my ship comes in) and set up direct deposits from other accounts or my payroll. Then without me even going to the bank at maturity (October 31st), they will cut a check and mail it to me or make a direct deposit into my checking account.
I paid for my Christmas Present as I made my purchases this past year. Uncle Jack is still suffering from eating too much but my husband and I are much happier with no Christmas debt lurking around our mailbox. Thanks to The Farmers Bank, my Christmas Future is looking brighter all the time.
Maybe you should come into The Farmers Bank and talk to one of the CSRs about opening a Christmas Club Savings Account. Take it from me…it sure makes Christmas a lot more enjoyable even if I still have to cook for Uncle Jack!
MINIMUM OPENING DEPOSIT $10.00; MATURITY DATE OF OCTOBER 31ST;
THERE IS A $25.00 CHARGE FOR ANY WITHDRAWAL PERFORMED ON THE ACCOUNT.
