One Month To Christmas, Use the Single-Budget Strategy For Spending

Q: My wife and I know it’s a privilege to choose what we buy and how we shop, but it wasn’t always this way. Early in our marriage, we were both paying off substantial student loans while growing our careers and raising a family. Today, although we’re still careful with our spending, we generally have the flexibility to pick what we want at the grocery store and when planning vacations. The challenge is that our kids now assume we can buy anything they wish for. With Christmas coming up, we’re feeling a bit overwhelmed because there are long wish lists on the fridge, and, despite our best efforts to plan for the holidays, life remains expensive. Do you have any advice? ~Cliff

A: With the holiday season approaching and the cost of living remaining high across Canada, many families are fe