If you’ve been reading our December Detox Your Life blog from the beginning, you’d know that the idea behind it was to form a community where we could make small positive impacts in our daily life. We post, share and discuss tips from local experts, which help to sustain our community. All the while, your participation moves us closer to our mutual success as we attain our New Year’s resolutions.

However, for this one particular topic, I need to break with our local theme just a bit to share a terrific website I discovered recently. The website is called learnvest.com and it was founded in 2008 by a 26 year old New Yorker Alexa von Tobel.  She dropped out of Harvard Business School in order to start this company.  The idea behind it is to provide a trusted, free resource targeted at helping young people (ages 20 – 50), especially women, achieve financial literacy.  The website offers many tools, including ones to help make a budget; show you exactly how to get out of debt; plan for retirement or even get a mortgage. What makes this refreshing it is that it is preemptive: advice to keep from being in debt rather than digging out of it.   All the information is free, unbiased and trusted.

I recently heard Alexa on a radio talk show talking about how to budget this holiday season.  She reported that last year, people spent an average of $476 buying gifts.  She was generous enough to offer a few tips on how to be thoughtful while enjoying the holiday season and still give gifts.

Tip #1: Don’t go into debt when giving gifts over the holidays!

Make a budget before you hit the stores.  Make a list of the people you wish to buy for and write a number beside each of what you can afford to spend.  Add the numbers up to get your total budget before you start buying.

Tip #2:  Don’t buy wrapping paper.

The average person spends $50 on wrapping paper, bows & gift tags and that doesn’t include cards.  Wrap with newspaper, brown paper shopping bags or gift bags you have in the house.  Get creative.

Tip #3:  It’s OK to re-gift.

Give it to someone on your list who you know will enjoy it more than you.

If we can follow Alexa’s sound advice, we can get through the holidays debt-free and, as a result, stress-free.

Want to read more?

Day 1: Motivation
Day 2: Just Breathe
Day 3: Back to Basics with Your Health
Day 4: Giving is Receiving
Day 5: Planning One Day at a Time
Day 6: Just A Spoonful of Sugar
Day 7: Positive Thoughts, Positive Outcomes
Day 8: Filter That Water
Day 9: Yoga At Your Computer
Day 10: Look Your Best, Feel Your Best, Be Your Best
Day 11: Be Alert and Stay Safe
Day 12: Giving Back To The Community Starts At Home
Day 13: Reach For That Pomegranate
Day 14: Breathing and Posture