It’s the end of the year and it’s when most Non-profits are reaching out to their donors for support.
There’s a couple reasons for this.
*Most people are in the shopping and giving mood and Non-profits are holding there hand out.
*As it’s also the end of the year and people are (hopefully) looking at what they can to give to a charity and not the government by reducing their taxes.
*There is another reason NGO’s make a Christmas push that not everone knows or thinks about and that is the next 3 months are extremely dry for us as far as giving goes.  Most people are nearly broke and their paying off the debt built up on their credit cards.  So we and NGO’s seek a bump in funds during the holiday that will help carry us through until March.

So as you are working hard to make the Christmas holiday special I offer a couple thoughts of wisdom to maybe helps us both.

First, the way I use to view the use of my credit cards.  My use was based upon my monthly payment verses my income.  So if I made a $100 that month at work you can be sure I would be spending the maximum; maxing out my monthly payments on the card to close to the $100 bucks.  Have it now and pay over time was my logic, $10,000 worth of stuff for $100 a month, right, great deal I once thought.  This is not the right way to use a credit card and will insure you are never able to pay it off your debt.  I use to think get the biggest bill possible for the lowest payment possible.  This insures you only pay interest and never principal, which means you will owe a monthly payment for the rest of your life.     The right way to use a card.  Try not to charge anything you can’t pay off.  If you do charge know the monthly minimum payment of that charge and keep it low enough that you could double or triple the payment if you wished.  Be incomplete control of your debt, don’t let your debt have control of you.    (There’s better advice out there seek it before you spend it)

Second Ream and I the last couple years have had quite nice Christmas’s with a budget of around a hundred a child (for my own family).  Even down stairs in the orphanage we only receive $10 a child for Christmas day meals and presents.  You might think well that’s in Cambodia and things are cheap.  Yes, things are cheaper here but our spending is also relative to costs.  We’re personally spending 1/3 of Decembers salary on Sam, Joe and Adah’s Christmas, not 3/3rds or god forbid 9/3rds like I use to.  The kids down stairs we spend 1/5 relative to their monthly support.
So just something to think about as you go out; spend less, make next year easier to recover from.

Another tip (not the easiest though) have a late Christmas.  Spend the week after buying up all the sales items maybe get 40% off what you would have spent before.  I tell you working at a grocery store for 10 years the store staff was always buying the mark down items before the doors opened the next morning.  Also buy your lights and decorations for the next year not for the year you intend to use them.

Oh and maybe try and not get name brand items either.  Example we buy knock off LEGO sets, 1000 piece sets cost under $100 and not $500.   Maybe give your kids $100 buck and turn them loose at a Goodwill store and they can shop all day.

Just try and be a little more modest this year for your own sake it will make the rest of the year a lot less stressful.  That’s the little bit of advice I have about not going broke for Christmas.

Also today is where I will appeal for your Christmas offerings on behalf of A Greater Hope NGO/non-profit.   We would be for ever grateful if you’d remember us this year in your holiday givings.  https://agreaterhope.org/support/

Another note.  We have a number of children right now who do not have a Ministry Partner supporting them.  If you’re interested in Partnering with us, with long term support please send me an email about how to get started.  ngo.agh.kit@gmail.com

Thank you all, everyone that gave to us this past year it was a great blessing to receive so much from so many.   A lot has happened this last couple months here and you should be proud of being a part of the work.  Please brag about what God is doing through you, here.

Thank you