Shoup Legal - December 2022

4 STEPS TO CREATE A CHRISTMAS BUDGET Don’t Go Broke for the Holidays

3. Find out how much money you have left over: Subtract your total expenses from your monthly income. The number you get will be the money you have left over for discretionary spending, such as dinner out, a concert, or Christmas presents. But make sure you leave some wiggle room for any unexpected costs. 4. Plan out how much you want to spend on Christmas gifts: Write out whom you want to get gifts for and how much you want to spend. Track your spending as you go to ensure you don’t overspend or forget to buy someone a gift. Shop for Christmas on a budget. 1. Look at last-minute sales: Tons of retailers will offer holiday sales as we get closer to Christmas. So, be on the lookout for stores that mark prices down as St. Nick prepares for his journey.

Before you head to the mall or add items to your shopping cart online, you want to ensure you have enough money to cover your

monthly expenses and buy your loved ones Christmas presents. You may feel

overwhelmed about your finances and how you will manage to buy gifts. But if you create a Christmas budget, you won’t break the bank!

How do you create a

2. Recycle gift cards: If you received a gift card to a store you never used (or forgot about), re-gift it this year! Just be sure the card hasn’t expired.

Christmas budget? 1. Write down your monthly income: The first thing you want to do is tally up how much money you bring in each month. This lets you know how much money you have before you take out your expenses. 2. Write down your monthly expenses: You want to tally up the total amount of regular monthly costs, including housing, utilities, groceries, and internet. This also includes cars, credit cards, insurance, and other monthly payments. Be sure to add any streaming or subscription fees to this total.

3. Go thrifting: You can find great gifts at your local thrift store. Depending on where you go, you can get clothes, books, silverware, furniture, gadgets, and more.

Christmas shopping can be stressful, but creating a budget and sticking to it will help you survive this holiday season like a pro.

COMMITTED TO HELPING OUR CLIENTS OUR ESTATE PLANNING SUPERVISOR, CHRISTINA

Every member of our team is committed to helping our clients with their estate planning and legal needs. When we hire new team members, we look for people who are looking for more than just another job; we want individuals who truly care about the field and want to help others. That’s why adding Christina to the team was a no-brainer. In the six months she’s been with us, she’s continued to impress everyone on the team at every opportunity. Christina has always been committed to the idea of helping others. She earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Sonoma State University, where she learned about different groups of people and how they interact in their individual societies. After graduating, Christina worked for a farmers and merchants trust company as a trust administrative assistant for three years, helping beneficiaries navigate the often difficult process. She loved her job but had to leave when she moved from South Bay to Temecula. When looking for a new job, she knew she wanted to stay in the same field but wanted to explore it from the legal side, which led her through our doors. With trust administration, Christina made sure everything was ready at the end of the process, but now she’s helping with individuals’ initial wishes instead. She understands the dynamics from both sides, which allows her to serve her clients better, as she can foresee how each decision will pan out and offer guidance.

Christina loves sitting down with her clients and assisting them with their estate plans. Christina is family-oriented and genuinely believes in the idea of family unity. She knows most people do estate and trust planning to protect their family. Christina can identify with many of her clients this way since she has five kids of her own ranging in age from 2–17. Her career is part of who she is, so she always works hard and follows up when needed.

Christina spends the bulk of her free time with her family creating wonderful memories. They spend plenty of time outdoors hiking or going to local community events like the farmers market. We’re excited to have Christina on our team and know she will continue to rise up to meet any challenge.

Plan today for peace

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