The holidays are over. January is here. I think you know what happens next. Well, Groundhog Day is just around the corner, but I am referring to the credit card bills. Did you pay for your Christmas gifts with a credit card?

If you are like most people, you will be very surprised when you receive your bill. Unless, that is, you are in the very small percentage who created a budget for gifts and actually stuck to it.

Most of us fail to plan how much we are going to spend, but more importantly, where that money is going to come from. I have a simple process to determine how much I spend on gifts. Do you want to hear it?

Alright, here goes... "If you cannot pay cash, then you cannot afford it." That's right; if you have not heard those words before, then you may really have to think about it for a second.

Don't have money for a new car? Then you cannot afford it. How about those shoes that are on sale, this weekend only? No cash? They can wait. How about that pizza? No cash? Then you cannot afford it. You should begin to notice a problem developing if you can't afford pizza. Somewhere along the line, you either forgot to plan, or just did not care.

Stay on track this year. If you have not developed a budget, then start today. I have a very easy to use, free copy on our website. You can download it at Visit http://www.lukascoaching.com/resources.htm

Make this the year that you develop a plan and follow it.