Affinity Federal Credit Union presents the Wellbeing And Your Wallet podcast! In this episode, expert hosts Shawn Lubitz and Grant Gallagher discuss Affinity’s 2024 Holiday Spending Index, breaking down the cost of the holidays this year and sharing ideas for how to spread seasonal cheer on a budget.

The episode begins with a discussion on the hosts’ favorite holiday traditions, before they transition into analyzing holiday budgets. They share the overall cost of the holidays for an American family of four, as well as the costs that factor in. Then, they discuss some creative ways to enjoy the holidays while saving money, including carpooling, making crafts, and keeping track of all your expenses.

Following the main discussion, the team shares their response to a question from the member mailbag. Grant pulls the following submission: One of my New Year's Resolutions for 2025 involves keeping a tighter budget, especially for unnecessary expenses like entertainment and travel. I’m excited to start, but nervous about keeping up with this throughout the year - I’ve heard that most New Year’s resolutions are broken by February. What tools can I use to track my finances more easily, and how do I save more money without sacrificing too many of the things I enjoy?

Finally, Grant concludes the discussion by highlighting Affinity’s tools and financial wellbeing resources, including blogs, educational events & webinars, credit counseling tools, and more.

Just a reminder if you have a question or comment for a future Member Mailbag segment, please send it to @affinityfcu on Facebook or X/Twitter with #MemberMailbag.

Rate, like, and subscribe for more from the Wellbeing and Your Wallet podcast. Visit www.affinityfcu.com for additional information about financial wellbeing and Affinity products.

Thanks for listening and be well.