Center offers financial tips for the holidays Published Dec. 17, 2008 By Jane Allen Airman and Family Readiness Center TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla., -- Ah, the holiday season is here. Credit and debit cards are smoking as people put them in their pockets for the 100th swipe of the hour. Then the shellshock of all the bills that accumulated hits us in January and we end up eating macaroni and cheese for the next three months or worse ... Things to do to not overspend during the holidays: · Have a budget for every person on your list and all the extras for the holidays · Stick to it · Reread items No. 1 and 2 · Keep track of all of your expenditures so you know how much you are spending · Reread items No. 1 and 2 · Don't spend money you don't have, a.k.a. credit cards · Reread items No. 1 and 2 · Don't be late on any payments for anything. This could result in all of your interest rates being hiked to between 20-30 percent · Reread items No. 1 and 2 · Balance your checkbook register (if you don't have one, get one!) · Don't use overdraft protection. This will come directly out of your account when your next paycheck hits. So on Jan. 1 you possibly won't have enough for rent · Reread items No. 1 and 2 · Don't think of your tax returns as a way to get out of debt · Don't go on a vacation if you can't afford it · If you are tight on cash, donate your time and energy instead of giving a present · Reread items No. 1 and 2 · Next year start saving in January instead of going broke in December. Saving $84 a month will give you $1,000 to spend in December · Take credit cards, put them in a bowl of water and freeze them. Now, pay them off so you will be on the road to fiscal responsibility for your New Year's resolution. If you run into problems, call the Airman and Family Readiness Center at 739-2747 and they will try to help you out of the January (February and March) financial blues.