Stay jolly in the festive season
Money Magazine Australia|December/January 2023
Avoid relationship and financial stress by planning ahead and setting limits
SUSAN HELY
Stay jolly in the festive season

When I once moved house just before Christmas, I had furniture that didn't fit into the new W home. So, I arranged for the local furniture consignment store to sell it.

The owner told me that just after Christmas was their busiest time because relationships go up in smoke over the festive season. People move out and need furniture and whitegoods to set up on their own.

That is when I found out that December is known as 'break-up month'.

For some families, there isn't a lot of joy at Christmas. Counselling services and family lawyers report an uptick in people wanting their services over the Christmas period. Some lawyers say divorce is seasonal and call January their busiest month.

Then I once moved house just before Christmas, I had furniture that didn't fit into the new

Reassess a relationship

There are many reasons for breaking up. For those who have been mulling over their misery in a relationship in the months leading up to Christmas, the new year represents a new start and an opportunity for a happier life.

Also, the festive season can be stressful - physically, emotionally and financially.

Celebrations can be hard work, particularly for the hosts, who are DR bringing together families with different expectations and traditions. There can be tensions all around, particularly for the partners of people with second or third families. Not surprisingly, resentments and tempers boil over.

It is a reminder to take it easy over the festive season. Don't overdo it. If your relationship is limping along and you don't want it to end, it could be time to focus on what might help revive it.

Talking to a non-judgmental counsellor can be an efficient way to process what is going on.

It is easy to get frazzled in the lead up to Christmas, as you busily finish off work before the office closes and rush around to end-of-year, alcohol-fuelled social events.

Denne historien er fra December/January 2023-utgaven av Money Magazine Australia.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra December/January 2023-utgaven av Money Magazine Australia.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA MONEY MAGAZINE AUSTRALIASe alt
An outrageous, beautiful monopoly
Money Magazine Australia

An outrageous, beautiful monopoly

Telstra's mobile business is a cash machine with few competitors, giving it the highest returns in the world.

time-read
4 mins  |
July 2024
Drop the anchor to judge value
Money Magazine Australia

Drop the anchor to judge value

Buying and selling decisions should be based on where a stock price is going, not where it has been.

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2024
Powering the AI boom
Money Magazine Australia

Powering the AI boom

Beyond the software and chipmakers, where will the energy come from?

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2024
Get into life
Money Magazine Australia

Get into life

Tucked inside super are products that can protect you from life's inevitable uncertainties.

time-read
5 mins  |
July 2024
Paths to home ownership
Money Magazine Australia

Paths to home ownership

Taking the road less travelled can sometimes deliver unexpected benefits.

time-read
5 mins  |
July 2024
Sold! Quick ways to add value
Money Magazine Australia

Sold! Quick ways to add value

Small, strategic changes can have a big impact on the look and feel of your home. And get you a better price on auction day.

time-read
5 mins  |
July 2024
Money lessons the kids need to know
Money Magazine Australia

Money lessons the kids need to know

Your children can learn a lot from your past money mishaps. Here are eight financial conversations I have had with mine.

time-read
4 mins  |
July 2024
Property-investing rules: are they likely to change?
Money Magazine Australia

Property-investing rules: are they likely to change?

The pressure for the government to curb the tax benefits of tax concessions, such as negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount, is unrelenting. Most recently, independent senators David Pocock and Jacqui Lambie proposed five options for paring back investment property tax concessions, with savings to the Federal budget of up to $60 billion over the next decade.

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2024
What's love got to do with it?
Money Magazine Australia

What's love got to do with it?

A rollercoaster of emotions could be driving poor crypto behaviour.

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2024
Are we ready to be cash-free?
Money Magazine Australia

Are we ready to be cash-free?

Saying goodbye to our piggy banks too soon could leave small businesses in the dark when problems arise.

time-read
2 mins  |
July 2024