When it comes to the holiday season, university student Shanley Mowat has her pennies planned out.

As a second-year student Mowat sees the value in monitoring her financial situation.

“I don’t really keep a monthly budget but I keep track of spending on my groceries, bills, and utilities,” says Mowat.

 

However, the holidays are an easy time of the year to get carried away when it comes to spending. Mowat makes an effort to reign-in splurging by setting a limit when it comes to playing Santa.

“For gifts, it depends who it’s for but we usually discuss a budget for the family. With my friends and boyfriend, we decide on a gift budget or what not to go over.”

Mowat is not alone, as many others on a student budget are finding that setting a limit is the best way to enjoy the all the eggnog and mistletoe, worry free.

“It helps because if I know how much I’ve spent on Christmas gifts, then I won’t over spend on extra stuff that month and I can stay on track with necessities,” says Mowat.

A Lethbridge college student, Patrick Law, says he always sets a budget for himself to avoid going overboard when gift giving.

“I’m a starving student and I have no money as it is,” says Law. “I usually set a limit in general and I don’t let myself spend over that.”

Linda Sprinkle, co-ordinator of student awards and financial aid at Lethbridge College, says students living on their own for the first time often struggle with money management.

In the past, the college provided a seminar for those wishing to establish a budget and put their finances in order. However, Sprinkle says the turnout was too poor to continue.

“People that already know or have the awareness you are trying to create are the ones that actually come. The people that know they are in trouble are less inclined, because I think they feel they might be judged,” says Sprinkle.

If following a budget is no longer an option, Sprinkle says students are still eligible to apply for student loans. However, if a financial situation is time sensitive Sprinkle recommends the best option is to get a job.

The holidays can be a financially difficult time for everyone, especially for those living off limited funds.

That is why long before the Halloween decorations have been hauled out of storage, Roxanne Dautremont is getting into the Christmas spirit.

For the last eight years, staff and faculty at Lethbridge College have been getting together to provide reasonably priced Christmas gifts for students at the Christmas Store, located on campus.

The event’s main co-ordinator, Dautremont says in preparation for the event months and months of organization are required.

“It started with an instructor at the college. She had no children to shop for so and she wanted to do something for the students, which were kind of her children,” said Dautremont.

On Dec. 1 and 2 students had the opportunity to get started on their shopping list at this year’s Christmas Store.

“What the store does is it helps students in two ways. First of all, it provides students with really affordable prices. If you look around you’ll see you pay about half the original price,” says Dautremont. “As well, the money that they spend goes towards students scholarships. Each year we usually raise between $2,500 – $3,000.”

However, the season’s financial woes aren’t reserved solely for students. Currently in Lethbridge, one in five children are below the poverty line, one in seven families have a single parent and one in six workers are living in poverty.

These statistics prove a large portion of the city’s population will be watching their finances this holiday season.

According to Patrick Law, although surviving the season of giving on a budget isn’t always easy it’s definitely possible.

“You just need to find good deals and know your limit,” says Law.

­Photo: College students Hauadi Fangalla and Oksana Chaykivska browse the selection at the Lethbridge College on-campus Christmas Store for some good deals on Thursday afternoon.