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6 Steps to Your
Debt FREE Stress FREE Holiday Season
Workbook – 2012
A Holiday Gift from the Center for Financial Social Work
Reeta Wolfsohn, CMSW 2012 Center for Financial Social Work (fimancialsocialwork.com) 800.707.1002 Page 2
Financial Social Work
Debt FREE Stress FREE Program
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ……………………………..………………………………...3
Why Choose a Debt FREE Stress FREE Holiday?.............................4
The 6 Steps………………………………………………………………..5
Overview and Instructions……………………………………………….6
Overview and Instructions……………………………………………….7
Overview and Instructions……………………………………………….8
Commitment Form………………………………………………………..9
Gift Expense Form………………………………………………………10
Ancillary Holiday Expense Form……………………………………….11
Holiday Spending Log…………………………………………………..12
Self-assessment Forms…………………………………………………13
Journaling Page………………………………………………………….14
Coping with Financial Stress and Problems…………………………..15
“6 Steps Cards” to Cut Out for Individual Use………………………...16
Financial Social Work is an interactive, introspective behavioral model which helps men
and women to create sustainable, long-term behavior change. Register for our twice
monthly newsletter of the Top Ten money articles from across the internet
(financialsocialwork.com) like us on Facebook FinancialMSW and follow us on twitter
@FinancialMSW.
Reeta Wolfsohn, CMSW 2012 Center for Financial Social Work (fimancialsocialwork.com) 800.707.1002 Page 3
INTRODUCTION
Ready or not the holiday season is upon us. It is the time of year when we want to be at
our best but often find we are at our worst. Regardless of our religious beliefs, it is a
time we idealize peace on earth and goodwill toward (wo)men in ways that promote
spending.
Unrealistic expectations can only lead to disappointing outcomes.
This year the Center for Financial Social Work is providing a dynamic approach for
creating a “Debt FREE Stress FREE” (DFSF) Holiday Season.” We are giving you
everything you need including the:
Tools
Forms
Ideas
Information
Support
Motivation
This unique program is available to everyone who feels ready to take control of his/her
personal and financial life in a way that is simple, meaningful and respectful of your
values and beliefs.
It isn’t about sacrifice it’s about opportunity.
It’s about making a choice today that will improve your life forever. There’s never been a better time to begin working toward a more emotionally and financially stable future for yourself because there has never been a comprehensive approach dedicated to your on-going success.
What’s In It for You?
Reeta Wolfsohn, CMSW 2012 Center for Financial Social Work (fimancialsocialwork.com) 800.707.1002 Page 4
Why Choose a Debt FREE Stress FREE Holiday Season 2012
All behavior is purposeful. This means there is a reason for the choices you make
and the outcomes you experience in your life. Even though you may find this difficult to
believe, it is the truth. Regardless of how angry, frustrated, disappointed or victimized
you may feel, until you identify what purpose the challenges in your life serve, you will
continue to hold on to them in ways that limit your present and your future life.
This program is not designed to address your broader financial life; it is specifically
created to help you monitor your holiday spending and stress. However, by following
this holiday program you will develop tools, resources, skills and insight you can utilize
personally and financially for the rest of your life.
This program is about more than holiday debt and stress, having a budget or
connecting to the true meaning of the holiday. It is about recognizing why you
want to make changes in your relationship with your money and how willing
you are to do the work necessary to succeed.
The first step in this part of the process is to be clear and to be
connected to the choice you are making and to its purpose. This
is accomplished by completing the following statements.
It’s important to me to have a Debt FREE Stress FREE Holiday because…
I am making this choice…
Answering the above questions helps you to connect to the “why” of your choice;
completing the commitment form will help you to understand how to be successful at it.
Reeta Wolfsohn, CMSW 2012 Center for Financial Social Work (fimancialsocialwork.com) 800.707.1002 Page 5
6 Steps to a Debt FREE Stress FREE Holiday 2012
These six steps work in tandem to provide the information, motivation and support needed to create sustainable financial behavioral change.
Utilizing them will allow you to create a “Debt FREE Stress FREE Holiday” this year and facilitate your using them to take control of your money and to gain control of your life forever.
6 Steps to a Debt FREE Stress FREE Holiday 2012
1. Make the COMMITMENT 2. Create your Spending Plan and Log 3. Develop 5 holiday spending policies and
procedures 4. Be Informed 5. Embrace Motivation, Support and Self-care 6. Assess, evaluate, update and recommit daily
Reeta Wolfsohn, CMSW 2012 Center for Financial Social Work
(financialsocialwork.com) 800.707.1002
Reeta Wolfsohn, CMSW 2012 Center for Financial Social Work (fimancialsocialwork.com) 800.707.1002 Page 6
OVERVIEW and INSTRUCTIONS
This Financial Social Work “6 Steps to Your Debt FREE Stress FREE Holiday”
workbook provides you with the information, tools, motivation and insight
needed to avoid spending money you don’t have on gifts you can’t afford this
year and forever after.
The Center is excited to give this gift of opportunity to our FSW community.
We know it can eliminate the anxiety of unpaid bills and the unrelenting cycle of
financial problems, and set you on the path to a better financial future.
This workbook is part of a comprehensive approach to creating a Debt FREE Stress
FREE Holiday which began with an October 24, 2012 webinar of the same name (if you
missed it you can watch the recording on our Financial MSW Facebook page) and
includes access to daily educational and motivational e-mails to keep you focused and
on track for a Debt/Stress FREE Holiday.
This dynamic approach will facilitate a new level of understanding about your
relationship with your money and your financial behavior which will allow you
to continue on the path to a more stable financial future in 2013.
HOW TO USE THE VARIOUS COMPONENTS OF THIS WORKBOOK:
Make the Choice and the Commitment (Form)
Change is a choice and commitment is the method which actualizes this choice.
Without commitment there can be no change because change takes dedication and
effort and commitment is the foundation upon which it is built. The “Commitment
Pledge” is a pro-active tool which provides you with specific actions to take when/if you
experience periods of displaced determination or compromised commitment.
Gift Expense Form
Gift giving is a major holiday expense. For some it is an act
of love and joy; for others the process is more frustrating and
time consuming. Regardless of your feelings about gifting, it
is an expectation of the holiday season, but that doesn’t
mean your gift list is sacrosanct or that it doesn’t need to be
revisited and re-evaluated.
The gift form will reveal whom you plan to gift and how much you plan to spend. It
should help you to identify whether you can reduce the number of people on the list
and/or the amount you will spend on each person’s gift.
Reeta Wolfsohn, CMSW 2012 Center for Financial Social Work (fimancialsocialwork.com) 800.707.1002 Page 7
Ancillary Holiday Expense Form
It’s very possible all of your other holiday expenses could
actually claim a much larger portion of your spending.
Entertaining, decorations, gift wrap, seasonal cards,
travel, postage, etc., can add up quickly and become
more expensive than your gifting. The “Ancillary Holiday
Expense Form” provides a place to examine, itemize
and assess your ancillary holiday costs and to identify
how and where to reduce or eliminate at least some
of them.
Holiday Spending Log
This important tool will provide you with the ability to know the
details of your holiday spending on a daily basis. This critical
information (how much you’ve spent, how much you have left,
etc., in each category) is foundational to monitoring holiday
spending.
YOUR HOLIDAY SPENDING LOG HELPS YOU CREATE A HOLDAY FILLED WITH MORE SPIRIT THAN SPENDING!
Self-assessment Form
Measuring success and identifying potential challenges is a proactive approach to
success. Knowing which of your actions and behaviors are working and which are not
provides the necessary information for maintaining commitment. Self-assessment is the
gift that keeps on giving because it allows you to always know whether what you are
doing is, or is not, in your best interest.
Be Informed
In the Debt FREE Stress FREE Holiday webinar you learned about helpful Apps to
manage your holiday spending, about layaway and about how to remove yourself from
unwanted catalogues, e-mails, phone calls, etc., to help you to reduce impulse
spending. As the holidays grow closer more information on trends and scams will
surface; your commitment may need to be reinforced. That’s why the Center is offering
Financial Social Work “Daily HOLIDAY Survival E-mails” to keep you updated,
motivated, informed, connected and committed to a “Debt FREE Stress FREE Holiday.”
Register for FSW “DAILY HOLIDAY SURVIVAL E-MAILS”
Reeta Wolfsohn, CMSW 2012 Center for Financial Social Work (fimancialsocialwork.com) 800.707.1002 Page 8
Embrace Motivation, Support and Self-care
Changing behavior is a continuous
process which is inevitably improved
by on-going motivation, support and
self-care. This workbook includes a
wonderful journaling page surrounded
by inspiring quotes to help you find
positive topics about which to journal.
It also includes a page on “Coping
with Financial Stress and Problems”
with excellent self-care methods during
the holidays and throughout the year.
Assess, Update and Recommit Daily
Everything in the Financial Social Work “Debt FREE Stress
FREE Holiday 2012” webinar, workbook and “Holiday
Survival E-mail” program is coordinated to simplify the
process and to support participants in maximizing success.
Each step, tool and activity is important. For the most part the steps are progressive;
beginning with step one and then continuing on with step two, etc., will assure the most
progress and continued momentum.
However, this 6th step of “Assessment, Updating
and Recommitting” is the one most foundational
to change; it is where and when change happens,
so make certain it is one you practice each day.
If you are ready to begin the Financial Social Work
Debt FREE Stress FREE Holiday Program, your first
step is to make the commitment by completing the
commitment form on the next page.
Make as many copies of the various
forms and the journal page as you need.
Invite your friends, family. colleagues and
clients to download their own copy of this workbook, watch the
recording of the webinar and register
for the Financial Social Work “Daily HOLIDAY
Survival E-mails.”
Reeta Wolfsohn, CMSW 2012 Center for Financial Social Work (fimancialsocialwork.com) 800.707.1002 Page 9
Debt FREE Stress FREE Holiday Commitment- 2012
I am making the commitment to MYSELF to create a Debt FREE Stress FREE Holiday because (some helpful phrases might include: I feel, I think, I want, I need, I know, I will, I can, etc.) If at any point I find myself doubting, sabotaging or resisting the process (some helpful phrases might include: I will remember, I will think about, I will strive, I will acknowledge, etc.) If others aren’t supportive or encouraging of my efforts I can/will: As a result of my commitment my life will (change, be, have, offer, look, feel, etc.)
One thing I can do today to make my Debt FREE Stress FREE Holiday a reality is:
One thing I can do tomorrow to make my Debt FREE Stress FREE Holiday a reality is:
One thing I can do every day to make my Debt FREE Stress FREE Holiday a reality is:
One more thing I can do every day to make my Debt FREE Stress FREE Holiday a reality is:
Among the many ways I will benefit from having a Debt FREE Stress FREE Holiday:
Place your “Commitment Pledge” where you will see it easily and often. Refer to it when you need to reconnect to
why you’re working hard to have a Debt FREE Stress FREE Holiday.
Signature Date
Reeta Wolfsohn, CMSW 2012 Center for Financial Social Work (fimancialsocialwork.com) 800.707.1002 Page 10
Use the following lists to figure your expenses for the coming holiday season beginning with
gifts and then moving on to ancillary costs for cards, wrapping, decorations, entertaining, travel,
etc. The more precise your list the more debt and stress free your holiday will be.
GIFT LIST Cost Estimates
Name
$$ Amount to
spend Possible Gift Options
Alternative
to Gift
Remove
from List
Reeta Wolfsohn, CMSW 2012 Center for Financial Social Work (fimancialsocialwork.com) 800.707.1002 Page 11
ANCILLARY Cost Estimates
Decorations Gift Wrap/Cards Entertaining Clothing Travel Miscellaneous
Reeta Wolfsohn, CMSW 2012 Center for Financial Social Work (fimancialsocialwork.com) 800.707.1002 Page 12
12 Holiday Spending Log
Enter the name of the expense and all of the other requested information on each line in the
form below. On the first line, in column 6, deduct the $ amount in column 5 from column 1A.
(Total 2012 Holiday Spending Plan Budget.) In all remaining lines deduct column 5 from the
amount in column 6 on the previous line to always know how much money you have left to spend this holiday.
1 B. Expense name (gift
recipient, item, cards, travel, etc.)
2. Possible
Options/ideas
3. Sizes, colors,
etc. 4. $ Allotted
Amount
5. Actual $
amount spent
6. Remaining $
in 2012 Holiday
Plan
$ $
$ $
$ $
$ $
$ $
$ $
$ $
$ $
$ $
$ $
$ $
$ $
$ $
$ $
$ $
Generosity is wonderful but never at the expense of personal and financial well-being!
A Holiday Spending Log will help you to limit impulse buying and to create a holiday filled with more spirit than spending—an accomplishment truly worth celebrating!
1 A. Total 2012 Holiday Spending Plan $
Reeta Wolfsohn, CMSW 2012 Center for Financial Social Work (fimancialsocialwork.com) 800.707.1002 Page 13
Financial Social Work Debt FREE Stress FREE Self-assessment Today’s Date
My overall performance today was: 1 2 3 4 5 (1 poor - 5 excellent) What I did best
What/where I can improve
Tomorrow I will
My biggest challenge today was I recommit to a DFSF holiday because
Financial Social Work Debt FREE Stress FREE Self-assessment Today’s Date
My overall performance today was: 1 2 3 4 5 (1 poor - 5 excellent) What I did best
What/where I can improve
Tomorrow I will
My biggest challenge today was I recommit to a DFSF holiday because
Reeta Wolfsohn, CMSW 2012 Center for Financial Social Work (fimancialsocialwork.com) 800.707.1002 Page 14
Journaling for a Debt FREE Stress FREE Holiday Season 2012
Reeta Wolfsohn, CMSW 2012 Center for Financial Social Work (fimancialsocialwork.com) 800.707.1002 Page 15
The following steps are designed to help you to cope with the personal and financial challenges of the holiday season in ways that bring joy and hope rather than debt and stress.
Surround yourself with positive and supportive people.
Remember there is always HOPE.
Identify your spending triggers, so you can avoid them.
Differentiate between your wants and your needs; spend on needs not wants.
Simplify your life. Less is more!
Learn to B-R-E-A-T-H-E! Start by breathing through your nose; allow your
abdomen to move in and out gently with each breath; stay focused on your breathing (when your mind wanders, gently bring it back to your breathing.)
RELAX! Take a one minute break from your work or your worries by closing
your eyes, breathing and imagining yourself in a special place (beach, lake, etc.)
Recognize what triggers stress for you mentally and physically and reduce the
opportunity for these triggers. Do less! If you think that’s not realistic or possible, think again. There’s always a way
to reduce your personal and professional workload if you sincerely want to. Prioritize. Not everything can be at the top of your
“To Do” list; not everything belongs there. Do what’s most important first and then work your way down your list.
Plan ahead. The more prepared you are for any situation the less stress it will cause.
Exercise. No time? Try parking further from your job, home or shopping so you get to
walk further. Take the steps rather than the elevator, etc. Reduce caffeine and alcohol intake; you’ll be rewarded with less agitation, better
sleep and improved coping abilities. Don’t smoke. It’s bad for your health the cost contributes to your financial stress and
it’s harmful to your breathing and circulation. Bring joy into your life. You may have major challenges, but that doesn’t mean you
can’t listen to music, read a good book, take in a movie, watch TV, or spend time with friends.
Sleep. It is the only way to replenish your body, your spirit
and your soul. Reach out. If stress is creating physical and/or emotional
problems, contact your doctor or mental health provider.
Denial and avoidance will only increase your problems.
Coping with Personal and Financial Holiday Stress
Who I rally am
keeps surprising me.
Nikki Giovanni
Who I rally am keeps surprising me.
Nikki Giovanni
We don’t see things as they are,
we see things as we are. Anais Nin
We’re all in this together— by ourselves. Lilly Tomlin
We all live in suspense, from day to day, from hour to hour; in other words, we are the hero of our own story. Mary McCarthy
Think wrongly, if you please, but
in all cases think for yourself.
Doris Lessing
Reeta Wolfsohn, CMSW 2012 Center for Financial Social Work (fimancialsocialwork.com) 800.707.1002 Page 16
Cut out these individual cards and place
them strategically so you are constantly
and consistently reminded of your
commitment to a Debt FREE
Stress FREE Holiday 2012
6 Steps to a Debt FREE Stress FREE Holiday 2012
1. Make the COMMITMENT 2. Create your Spending Plan and Log 3. Develop 5 holiday spending policies and procedures 4. Be Informed 5. Embrace Motivation, Support and Self-care 6. Assess, evaluate, update and recommit daily
Reeta Wolfsohn, CMSW 2012 // Center for Financial Social Work
(financialsocialwork.com) 800.707.1002
6 Steps to a Debt FREE Stress FREE Holiday 2012
1. Make the COMMITMENT 2. Create your Spending Plan and Log 3. Develop 5 holiday spending policies and procedures 4. Be Informed 5. Embrace Motivation, Support and Self-care 6. Assess, evaluate, update and recommit daily
Reeta Wolfsohn, CMSW 2012 // Center for Financial Social Work
(financialsocialwork.com) 800.707.1002
6 Steps to a Debt FREE Stress FREE Holiday 2012
1. Make the COMMITMENT 2. Create your Spending Plan and Log 3. Develop 5 holiday spending policies and procedures 4. Be Informed 5. Embrace Motivation, Support and Self-care 6. Assess, evaluate, update and recommit daily
Reeta Wolfsohn, CMSW 2012 // Center for Financial Social Work
(financialsocialwork.com) 800.707.1002