Price and value of Christmas
IF you’re, like many of us, bombarded by emails shouting about the “incredible deals” that Black Friday retailers are offering, you might have been tempted to jump in quick to bag a bargain.
Consumer rights organisations are quick to point out that though an item appears to be at a reduced price, it’s not necessarily such a great buy. Even if it is, it might not be a good buy for you right now, of course.
Black Friday now heralds the coming of the festive season and is for many a signal of how commercialised and materialistic our Christmas has become. It certainly does make people feel pressurised to spend now to bag a bargain and it is, arguably, part of a tendency we’ve had to buy what we don’t need, and just buy new rather than looking for something used, or repairing what we have.
Of course, tech in particular is hard to repair and seems to be built to be replaced. We do need to look at how consumerism drives waste and takes a toll on our planet’s resources, but this year people’s spending power is likely to be diminished even in better off households.
I’m really worried that more families will be struggling this Christmas, and that the additional financial stress will break their household finances. Getting advice on debts and managing money early on could help avoid that horrible post-christmas feeling as bills come through the door. But if you’re worried about the cost of Christmas, it’s never too late to get help and your local council will be able to advise you or signpost you to support.
Lots of people are having conversations with family about limiting the cost of presents – avoiding both stress and waste – and I know some people prefer to make a charity donation rather than sending cards or presents.
There’s a lot to be said for giving a donation rather than add to the profits of, say, an online retailer who barely pays tax in this country or anywhere else!
Christmas is a time when people who can do give more to charity, and it is certainly the case that Notts people are very generous. We, of course, contribute to our country by working hard and paying our taxes – and in the support we give to each other. It’s often those with the least who contribute the most in my experience, and I get a bit irritated when we’re meant to be grateful that some gazillionaire has donated what, for them, is pocket change, while mere mortals like us pay our taxes and give what we can as well. If I had my way, I’d put a plaque on the front of every hospital to say: “Funded by the contributions of working people in Britain.”