Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, the Christmas season is officially here. Many people head to the malls and go shopping to get in the Christmas mood. Since we’re all trying to get out of debt here, we’re not going to do that. Instead, we’re going to take a world tour and enjoy beautiful Christmas decorations. It’s fun and free….well, free when you look at the pictures on the web, anyway.
Our first stop is London, England. These decorations are at the London Eye, which is an observation wheel. At the time the wheel was built, it was the largest observation wheel in the world. This particular photo was over-exposed, to produce the red-sky effect. Photo by waldopepper.
Editor’s Picks
Frank presents Get Out of Debt in 9 Steps # 1- Stop Borrowing Money posted at Finance and Fat. It seems so basic, but so many people have a really hard time staying away from credit.
The Investor presents How talking about money is like French kissing posted at Monevator.com. I never would have thought to use this analogy. The Investor makes it work, though!
paidtwice presents 10 Small Ways To Make A Big Dent In Debt posted at I’ve Paid For This Twice Already…. Every little bit can add up when you’re trying to pay off your debt. Paidtwice shows us how it’s done!
Our next stop on the tour is Paris, France. This photo was taken at Galeries Lafayette, a famous department store. The store stands 10 stories high. I would love to see this building in person…not for the shopping, but for the architecture! Photo by Leucippus.
First Step to Getting Out of Debt: Recognize the Problem
Harrison presents Motivate Yourself to Get Out of Debt by Finding the Reasons posted at Journey To Financial Freedom. When you realize why you overspend, you can change your behavior patterns.
Ryan Healy presents Incomplete People Make Good Consumers posted at Debt Reduction Formula. What void are you trying to fill by shopping?
Madison presents Do Negative Millionaires Exist? posted at My Dollar Plan. Is there anyone out there who is 1 million dollars in debt? I sure hope not!
Our next stop is Utrecht, the Netherlands. I’m excited about this stop, because my family hails from the Netherlands. Someday I hope to visit in person. Utrecht is the fourth largest city in the Netherlands and is the religious center of the country. This photo was taken on Utrecht’s main shopping street by .eti.
Step Two: Make a Plan
NCN presents Exactly HOW I Pay Off Debt, Mortgages And Credit Cards Early posted at No Credit Needed. NCN tells you how he did it. It’s great when you can learn from someone else’s experiences!
Kalyn presents Looking at Your Spending Map posted at LifeEdit.net. When you know where you shop and why you shop there, you can develop a strategy for spending less.
Next up is Sydney, Australia. This photo was taken at the Strand Arcade. The Strand Arcade is a historical shopping center in Sydney. It opened in 1892 and is the only arcade in Sydney still in it’s original form. Photo by anetz.
Step 3: Make More and Spend Less. Use the extra money to pay off debt.
Suzanne presents works for me: how to sell on ebay posted at :: adventures in daily living ::. One way to bring in exta income is to sell on eBay.
Steve Faber presents - Free Software to Do Just About Anything – It’s Really Free (mostly)! posted at Debt Free. Getting something for nothing frees up money to go toward debt.
JP presents A dollar saved is a dollar earned posted at Watch Me Become A Millionaire. Always check for coupon codes when shopping online. Use the money saved to pay off debt.
Christine presents The Dollar Drops Again! How the Exchange Rate Affects European Travel. posted at Me, My Kid and Life: An American Single Mom Living in France. Knowing the exchange rate is important when traveling in a foreign country.
Amanda presents Ignore the sales… IGNORE THE SALES! posted at Me Vs. Debt. Don’t give in to the pressure to buy when you’re trying to get out of debt.
Raymond presents Remember To Keep Your Holiday Shopping Spree Under Control posted at Money Blue Book. It’s so easy to get carried away during the holidays. Raymond tells you how to stay within your budget.
Wenchypoo presents Annual Rerun: Why We Skip The Holidays Altogether posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo’s Mental Wastebasket. If you’re so inclined, skipping the holidays is one way to avoid overspending.
We’re headed to Tokyo, Japan next. Tokyo is the most populated city in Japan. It’s hard to believe this big city started out as a small fishing village. I love all the blue lights in this picture! Photo by micamica.
Step 4: Find Support to Keep You Motivated
Tricia presents Debt Forums – A Collection of Ones I Have Found posted at Blogging Away Debt. There’s strength in numbers. If you don’t have any local support in your quest to get out of debt, check out these forums.
The Happy Rock presents Listen To The Dave Ramsey Show For Free posted at The Happy Rock. Dave Ramsey is always good for keeping you motivated!
Next we’re headed to Salvage, Newfoundland. This particular photo was taken at a fishing harbor. Salvage, now known as Eastport, is a popular place for vacationing in Newfoundland. Photo by Product of Newfoundland.
Step 5: When Your Debt is Under Control, Use Credit Wisely and Watch Your Credit Score
Silicon Valley Blogger presents Credit is King in an Emergency posted at The Digerati Life. I’m not sure that’s the approach I would take, but then I’m in debt. :)
MoneyNing presents Is My Citi Credit Card Using Creative Marketing or Is It Up To Something Else? posted at Personal Finance Blog by Money Ning. You really have to watch those credit card companies!
Madeleine Begun Kane presents Charge! posted at Mad Kane’s Humor Blog. Mad Kane always has a fun perspective on money.
FMF presents What’s the Perfect Credit Score? posted at Free Money Finance. What kind of credit score should you shoot for, and how do you achieve it? FMF tells you how.
Erek Ostrowski presents Five Easy Ways to Boost Your Credit Score posted at Verve Coaching. Erek give some additional tips for upping your credit score….legitimately.
Our final stop is New York City. This is the famous Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. The lighting of the tree was first televised in 1951, but the tradition of the tree goes back further to 1931. This year the tree will light up on November 28th. Photo by zizzybaloobah.
Step 6: Celebrate Your New Debt-Free Life!
SingleGuyMoney presents Paying off debt makes you feel….. posted at Single Guy Money. A big congratulations to Single Guy for paying off his credit card debt!!!
Thank you for joining me for the Carnival of Debt Reduction tour of Christmas decorations around the world. Enjoy the holidays, and remember: don’t overspend!
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
{ 10 trackbacks }
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for hosting and thanks for including my post!
Thanks for hosting this week :)
Thanks for hosting, Lynnae!
Tokyo is not only the largest city of Japan… it’s the largest city in the world with a population of 35 million people. The next closest city (#2) is Mexico City; its population is only 19 million. Gives some perspective on just how large Tokyo really is.
Hope you had a good break! Sadly, I’m back to work now :(
-Raymond
I love the stops around the world! Great job, thanks for hosting and including me in the Paris stop!
Thank you for hosting such a great carnival! I’m linking back tomorrow :).