Dr. Patrice Smith 11/13/19 Dr. Patrice Smith 11/13/19

5 Holiday Money-Saving Hacks

The holidays can be such an expensive period! It all starts in October around Halloween and it seems like every week thereafter you’re faced with a reason to spend money. From Halloween to Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday and then Christmas - it seems like you’re shelling out money left and right and it can swiftly ruin your budget

1. Set a budget

Consider everything you will need to spend money on, and not just gifts. Think of airline/train/bus tickets, gas money if you’re driving to family’s house, groceries for thanksgiving and christmas dinners, office parties, stocking stuffers, and anything else you typically spend money on over the holidays. Set a budget for all those items and STICK TO IT.

2. Use Cash.
After you have set your budget, take out cash. Do not use a credit card - this is to ensure you don’t over-spend and blow your budget.

3. Time Your Shopping
For thanksgiving, try to do your grocery shopping early so you can beat the rush and not be tempted to just grab things off the shelf. Turkey goes on major sale after Thanksgiving, so If you typically have it as part of your Christmas dinner, after Thanksgiving is a great time to shop for it. Other seasonal foods (like pumpkin pies) usually goes on sale too, so that is the best time to stock up and you can save money.

4. Don’t Buy Hype.
This will take some discipline - On Black Friday and Cyber Monday up until Christmas, retailers will offer lots of deals, discounts and sales. This is good, everyone loves a good deal! I Just be sure to compare prices, stay away from impulse purchases and STAY WITHIN YOUR BUDGET.

5. Watch The Weight.
Not yours - your luggage. If you’re flying over the holidays, weigh your bags before you leave. Airline fees can be upwards of $100 for overweight luggage, and some airlines charge for every checked bag! Know the rules of the airline before booking flights.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Don’t let shopping or travel be the cause of stress for the New Year. Just a little planning and discipline is all it takes for you to have a joyous and stress free holiday season.

Dr. Patrice Smith 11/21/17 Dr. Patrice Smith 11/21/17

The UnOrthoDoc's 2017 Holiday Gift Guide

It's the most wonderful time of the year! I love the holiday season and all it's festivities. The holidays mean family time, eating, shopping, gift giving and receiving, parades, holiday parties, cozying up in front of the fire place with hot chocolate in hand and staying in PJ's all day. It truly is magical!

The one thing that I have a love/hate relationship with is gift giving. I love to get (and receive) gifts but it can tend to be a bit expensive and exhausting. So I've done a little digging and put together a gift guide with some of my personal favorite things this year, in hopes that it will make your shopping less of a hassle. You will find gifts for him, her and even your staff/co-workers below.