Financial and Lifestyle Resources for Vermont

If you’re like me, you love to give gifts during the holiday season. Nothing quite compares to the joy on a loved one’s face as they open a surprise present. Unfortunately giving gifts is not cheap, and it can be easy to lose track of your budget and slip into debt. If you’ve found yourself in this situation, here are some things you shouldn’t do when trying to eliminate holiday debt.

Winter in Vermont can be difficult even for the toughest of Vermonters. It’s dark, cold, and often isolating, which is probably why seasonal affective disorder (a type of depression) hits between nine and ten percent of Vermonters each year. Depression doesn’t just make you feel crummy. It can affect your financial health. And those effects can stretch well into the future.

Are you one of the 92 million Americans likely making a financial New Year’s resolution for 2022? There are many financial resolutions that you can make, depending on your situation. But making them is easy; it’s keeping them that is hard. Don’t give up already, though. There are a few universal ways to make this year different (really!). No matter what your financial goals are, here are six tips for following through in 2022.

I’ve been excited about an electric car since 2011, but I’ve never been able to afford one. While my personal finances haven’t changed much in the past decade, what has changed is the cost of living with an electric car. To illustrate the economics of electric vehicles in 2021, here is how I purchased my very first electric car and how you just might be able to do the same.

A GUIDE FOR THE GIFT PROCRASTINATOR The holiday season is in full swing, and it truly is the most wonderful time of the year. That is, until you realize it’s already December and you have not yet tackled your list of gift recipients. If, like many of us, you’re a last-minute shopper, you know that holiday gift-giving can be stressful and costly when you’re rushing to buy presents days, or even weeks, before the first gift exchange. So, before you start mass-purchasing prepaid debit cards (which, by the way, is not a bad gift seeing as the recipient can get literally whatever they want), follow these seven tips to help reduce stress, save time and money, and simplify last-minute shopping without sacrificing thoughtful gift-giving.

The holidays are once again around the corner. With exceptional shortages occurring in many retail sectors, this may be the year to try something a little different when it comes to gift-giving. If you’re looking to surprise a loved one with something unique, save money, and have a little fun, you might consider a DIY gift.

I don’t know about you, but I haven’t started my holiday shopping yet (even though Black Friday deals have been circulating for weeks, somehow). What better time to start than Small Business Saturday? Not only will you avoid supply chain issues, you are also supporting local stores and small business owners right here in Vermont. I asked around my office for my colleagues’ favorite hometown stores to support and compiled this categorized list of Vermont businesses. Join me in shopping locally on Small Business Saturday and throughout the holiday season!

There is something incredibly satisfying about not paying full price. Take the eight pints of Ben & Jerry’s currently in my freezer—how could I not take advantage of “buy two, get two free”? Finding deals and discounts can feel even more important for your holiday shopping, when you want to stretch your budget and find everyone on your list that special gift. In addition to Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals (already underway for many retailers!), here are a few different ways that you can find coupons and promo codes to save money when you purchase that perfect gift. Even better, you can use these resources year-round—including for yourself!