Blogging Away Debt Our Journeys to a Debt-Free Life

by Hope

I stressed ALOT about Christmas and what I could and could not do as far as gifts go. And I definitely waffled between making terrible decisions and staying strong. But I’m happy to report, that I spent less than $2 per child for Christmas.

Each of my children received 2 gifts from me:

1. As I’ve been working through purging the house, yes, some more, I selected a book for each child. Some received re-gifted books and some new that I had never read. But in each one, I wrote a personal note about why I selected it for them and what I hoped they would get out of it.
2. Then I spent several hours each week over the last month-ish typing of old family recipes, writing stories about each recipe, and finding related pictures of the food or from the story I wrote about the food. It’s not complete, but I felt good about where I wrapped up. And my boss was gracious enough to let me print them here on her 3 hold punched paper. The cost came in with buying 5 identical 1/2″ binders.

I wrote a couple of personal notes in each binder, that they will find someday as they work through them. (At least I hope. But I thought that would be a nice personal touch.) And I plan to create a custom cover for each binder and have them printed down the road. I also retyped the note my mom put in my recipe binder back in 2002 and added an image of her signature to make it a little more personal. Overall, I was happy with the gift, and they all seemed excited about it.

Don’t get me wrong, I did still spend some money. I purchased all the food for our Christmas Eve meal. There were 11 of us fed – 6 of us, 3 significant others, and two elderly neighbors we provided meals for. (We are still eating leftovers, and Princess was able to take food home for the rest of the week for her as well.) And the items needed for Christmas Eve games. But overall, this was the most frugal Christmas for me EVER. And it was magnificent!

I pray you and yours had a wonderful Christmas.

Hope

Hope is a resourceful and solutions-driven business manager who has spent nearly two decades helping clients streamline their operations and grow their businesses through project management, digital marketing, and tech expertise. Recently transitioning from her role as a single mom of five foster/adoptive children to an empty nester, Hope is navigating the emotional and practical challenges of redefining her life while maintaining her determination to regain financial control and eliminate debt.

Living in a cozy small town in northeast Georgia with her three dogs, Hope cherishes the serenity of the mountains over the bustle of the beach. Though her kids are now finding their footing in the world—pursuing education, careers, and independence—she remains deeply committed to supporting them in this next chapter, even as she faces the bittersweet tug of letting go.

Since joining the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015, Hope has candidly shared her journey of financial ups and downs. Now, with a renewed focus and a clear path ahead, she’s ready to tackle her finances with the same passion and perseverance that she’s brought to her life and career. Through her writing, she continues to inspire others to confront their own financial challenges and strive for a brighter future.