Tips for Financial Planning During the Festival of Lights
Why do we spend so much money during Hanukkah? How can we enjoy the holiday and still feel joyful when it ends?
Lack of Planning
Let’s start with a simple tip: Hanukkah falls on the same date on the Jewish calendar, every year. Amazing, right? So why are we always surprised when suddenly our Israeli kids are home with us instead of at school? Hanukkah, like any school break, requires financial planning: a budget. Plan your budget in advance and then plan activities that fit within it. Try this approach this year and see the results in your bank account exactly eight days later.
Giving in to Pressure
There’s no special commandment to attend shows during Hanukkah. A family evening of laughter, a shared game, or other fun activities can provide a far more meaningful experience than yet another concert or performance. We know: a child who wants to go to a show “like everyone else” can be quite persistent when you say “no.” It’s much easier to give in to the pressure just to get them off your back. It also reduces guilt feelings about inadequate parenting. But the truth is that there’s no reason to pay hundreds of Shekels for a ticket plus additional expenses like gas, parking, and snacks for one outing lasting just a few hours.
If You’re Going to a Show
Most performances have an “official price” alongside various significantly discounted prices: through credit card companies, consumer clubs, employee committees, and more. It’s also worth checking with friends and family to see if they can help you get discounted tickets. Some show producers allocate free tickets to those who need them. Buying through coupons may reduce costs, but it’s important to pay attention to the details.
Bring Snacks and Drinks from Home
When it comes to food prices at concession stands, it seems the venue owners have gone to extremes.
I Came, I Shopped, I Left
Many families see spending time at the mall as a kind of default option: a good way to beat boredom. In summer, we escape to the air conditioning malls, and in winter, it’s more pleasant indoors than wandering the streets. Well, this is can be a budget disaster. Don’t get us wrong: there’s nothing wrong with shopping at the mall, but only when you know exactly what your purpose is, come and buy in a focused way, and don’t get drawn into endless wandering through the mall full of temptations.
Hanukkah Gelt
Art of the fun of Hanukkah is giving the kids Hanukkah money and they run to buy the first game that catches their eye. When giving them some shekels, you can use this opportunity to give them life skills and teach them how to manage their money properly. Explain to them that money we receive as a gift is certainly appropriate for treats and fun, but it’s worth considering what else we can do with the money and making a priority list.
For example: encourage them to decide how much of the money will be spent on purchases and how much they should save for the future, who they want to donate to or which game will give them good value for their money and which won’t, and let them take responsibility for managing their Hanukkah gelt, all according to the child’s age and abilities, of course.
“What are we going to do today?”
Transfer some of the responsibility for using time and beating boredom during the break to the children. Let’s teach and train the children that they should direct the question “What are we going to do today?” to themselves. We as parents will help them organize, but the children are responsible for finding relevant activities. Start this role play even before the holiday break begins: sit with the children, explain what we’re heading into, have each child prepare a list of all the things they want to do during Hanukkah. We as parents can accompany the process, help with advice, but always convey: “We’re in full partnership regarding responsibility for how you spend your time during the break.”
Sufganiyot (Jelly Donuts)
Beyond their low nutritional value, buying sufganiyot daily creates a large budget hole. You can make them at home. Search for recipes, compare flavors, and spend a culinary afternoon at home.
Our last Tip
Hanukkah ends exactly eight days after it begins. Planning eight days is definitely an achievable task.
Just ask the Maccabees.
