SWEETEN THE SEASON WITH A COOKIE SWAP! Leave Your Guests Smiling and Satisfied
For many Americans, the holiday season is all about family and tradition. We decorate our homes with garlands and lights that bring us holiday cheer, prepare for family visits, go ice skating, and maybe even send a letter to Santa. However, another special tradition spans generations and
how many cookies everyone should bring to the event. This ensures that nobody outshines anyone else through sheer volume or expensive ingredients alone. It’s a time for bonding, not competition. Once you have the ground rules and guestlist set, you need to get the decorations for the event. Treat it like a party. At your local party store, pick out decorations that fit the season’s theme. You can get unique napkins, mugs, stirring spoons for hot drinks, and anything else you think captures the holiday spirit. This is also a good time to procure all your baking essentials, such as chocolate chips or unique cookie cutters. All that’s left is hosting the party and ensuring everyone has a good time. If you want, you can even hold little contests to increase the excitement — each guest can vote on the prettiest or tastiest cookies and offer small prizes to the winner. As long as those attending enjoy themselves, your event will be a success. Plus, everyone who attends will have plenty of delicious cookies to get them through the rest of the holiday season!
excites every family member — baking holiday cookies! Many will bake cookies just for their immediate family to enjoy along with their favorite holiday movie, while others will bake up a huge batch to bring to the big family get-together of the season. If you want to try something fun and unique this year, consider hosting a holiday cookie swap with your loved ones. This tradition will allow you to try all sorts of new and delicious cookies — there are so many different kinds of holiday cookies, and every baker has their own specialty. Start by determining whom you want to invite, setting a budget, and determining
Communicate, Budget, and Plan A Guide to Financial Alignment for Couples in Retirement
Aligning your financial goals as a couple is essential to make the most of your retirement savings and maintain a lifestyle that suits both partners’ needs. Let’s take a look at a few key steps to help couples achieve financial harmony as they transition into retirement. Embrace open communication. The foundation of successful financial planning for couples is open communication. Before making any decisions, it’s important to have honest discussions about your financial
goals, spending habits, and expectations for retirement. While one partner may be focused on security and savings, the other may want to travel or take up new hobbies. It’s important to get on the same page to avoid potential misunderstandings. Set time aside to talk about what retirement looks like for both of you. How much do you need to cover your basic expenses? What lifestyle do you picture, and how much will it cost? This initial conversation helps
also consolidate accounts to simplify managing your finances during retirement. Align spending and budgeting. If one partner tends to spend more while the other is more conservative, compromises will need to be made. Establishing a retirement budget that accounts for both partners’ spending preferences is essential. Create a budget together that outlines your daily living expenses, medical costs, and any discretionary spending such as travel or hobbies. This will ensure both partners feel secure in knowing their needs are accounted for. Financial planning for couples in retirement is all about communication, compromise, and careful planning. By aligning your financial goals, you’ll be better prepared to enjoy a secure and fulfilling retirement together.
create a shared vision for your future. Evaluate your retirement savings.
Once you’ve had a conversation about your goals, take a look at your retirement savings. Review all income streams, such as pensions, 401(k)s, IRAs, Social Security benefits, and any other investments. This will help you predict how much income you will have in retirement and identify any gaps in your savings. You can
2 • CampbellWealth.com
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