Show Dec 24 1996 Salina SunGunnison Valley News Page B3 Did you overspend this Christmas? The Olsen by Anita Lyons How much does your family drops) costs anywhere from cents an ounce A package of graspend on Christmas? If you’re feeling like you've overspent again it ham crackers costs $250 the cost is m ight be wise to draw up a Christmas probably a little less to bake your own budget for next year gingerbread A kit including gingerto Jean bread Davidson at According icing and decorations costs Good Housekeeping Magazine the $11 average American family spent $432 Lights and Outdoor Decorations on gifts last year This figure includes Just as with ornaments most only gifts remember to calculate in people buy at least one (string of lights all the other expenses that come with or outdoor decoration) each year the holiday: With lights you usually end up returnof ing to buy another a burn out or to' get better coverage Average cost for a string of 00 lights is $4 If you plan to add the lighted grazing deer or toy soldier to your front yard display budget $8 for the soldier and $80 for the deer Statistics show Americans spend 43 million on outdoor ornaments each Christmas crew captures the perfect Christmas tree Off the top Christmas Tree hunting by Lori Olsen We have a beautiful artificial Christinas tree We have used it for about nine years Every year want a live tree (okay recently dead tree) or let’s say a real tree but can ways figure a better way to use that $20 to $35 a Christinas tree would cost This year while on a short trip on Thanksgiving weekend we saw cars pulled off the road no one around Then we passed a car off the road with a young couple pulling a tree onto the luggage rack and we figured out what everyone was doing We stopped in St George and bought our own Christinas Tree cutting permit that was good in the Dixie National Forest We took the dirt road between Pine Valley and Pinto above St George and began our family adventure When we pulled off the road and jumped out of the van the kids were all excited and dashed off to find the perfect tree Our dog verted into a wild animal as he jumped like a deer over drifts and bushes With sun shining and the new drifted snow it was beautiful Jim turned to me as we watched the kids galloping around whooping and laughing and said "It doesn’t matter what kind of tree we get we can even throw it out when we get home this is great fun!” Looking for tax Charitable gifts are one of the few remaining federal income tax deductions and the only deductions a taxpayer can create The following facts will greatly assist you in making gifts that will generate a deduction for you and benefit your favorite charities A charitable donation is only deductible if you itemize deductions To itemize you need an official receipt canfor any gift of $250 or celed check is no longer adequate Deductions can only be taken for gifts to organizations qualified as tax exempt and charitable by the IRS Check an organization’s status before contributing Contributions of appreciated property like stocks bonds and mutual fund shares are especially popular because of continued market highs These types of donations are usually deductible at their full fair market r was more practical With a permit for only $5 wanted a great barwanted a $75 looking Pinion gain Pine We hiked We piled back in the van and drove farther down the road We got out and looked around We hiked some more It seemed every tree had a defect "This one looks good but it has a big hole on this side” said "That one has two trunks and won’t work in the tree stand" said Jim le believes Pinon Pine have a technique of parting into two trunks just at the base Or "This one would do but it’s a little small” said Remember trees look a lot Special Foods How often do we make gingerbread fudge or eggnog at other times of the year? Remember to calculate into your Christmas budget extra grocery items such as $80 for a ham for Christmas dinner and took down the tree That was $350 for a can of ginger $189 per the easiest part They then had to package of baking chocolate and an haul it WAY back to the van You extra $ 20 per carton of eggs that will know over at least four hills the be used in Christmas baking length of four football fields and Ornaments What’s two dollars here? or five through some big drifts It looked there? Not much but budget it in heavy It was definitely awkward if you have a large collection Even We should have asked a few experienced Christmas tree hunters for ready you’ll probably purchase at least one new ornament each year It's tips a great for the suppliWe tied the tree on top of the ers wholesale figures total 24 billion van and away for home we drove It was such a lovely we day figured we would take the gravel road 25 gloriously beautiful? Well it was Good fortune was smiling on us that day We made the main road without a mishap Several found!" Then we would hike (up hill) another 50 yards only to be disappointed Then someone would sec another "great" tree just on the next rise drives had plowed the way for us earlier that weekend It was a true When we finally found one that Jim and agreed on some of the kids thought that the tree three hills ago was th'e best By this time was exhausted from traipsing around in my big snow boots through the soft snow up hills and through the trees "This one will do I’m not going all the way back to compare the two trees" said The guys got the saw would have family adventure gladly paid the $75 for my beautiful full fragrant Pinon Pine but would have paid a lot more for the family experience Merry Christmas! This column is the product of Lori's rambling and often disjointed thoughts This conversational style piece does not reflect the opinion of this newspaper just spent $9 Budget en if their original cost to you don’t pay you was much capital gains taxes on the difference Appreciated securities however are only deductible at their appreciated value if they have been held by you for at least one year and then donated (not sold first then donated) to a public charity or a private foundation The amount of your tax deduction depends upon the type of gift you make the vehicle used and the donation’s size in relation to your adjusted gross income (AGI) For example: If you make a gift to a public charity (such as your alma mater local health center or the delity Investments Charitable Gift Fund you for a deduction of 100 percent of the size of your gift as long as the deduction is no more than 50 percent of your AGI for cash gifts or 30 per cent of jour AGI for securities You can carry over any deductions above those amounts for the following five Virion January Gift Wrap A typical roll of wrap costs $100 and will wrap about nine shirt boxes Ribbon costs 79 cents a roll and a package of gift tags costs another dollar Hallmark’s statistics show that most people wrap 30 presents each Christmas budget at least $5 to wrap your presents Tickets are $4 ' Kosmi Director ioii Ephraim: Kent's Market Maj field: Manti: Mayfield Merc ' Mcssengef 'Enterprise Office msi&m May the spirit of Christmas be always at your door Just as you are always welcome at ours Happy holidays everyone We look forward to serving you again in the year to come 13 in advance $6 at the door Available at: lawful and Tree Skirt If you're adding to your family For those who want to take a tax remember to add at least $20 to the deduction this year but want the flexChristmas budget to buy a stocking for ibility to spread their decisions and each new baby A white flannel tree skirt costs about $6 and a patchwork gifts to charity over time Fidelity vestments Charitable Gift Fund makes quilted one runs about $50 Once sense It is an especially popular ve- again if you’re a seamstress with the hicle for donations of appreciated time you could make a stocking or a curities skirt for under $10 each For those who want to take a tax Gingerbread House deduction and want to receive income Much of the cost for this item defor their gifts the Charitable Gift pends on what you buy to decorate it Fund’s Pooled Income Fund is an ex- with Candy (from M&Ms to gum- cellent option Other advantages include growth and Fidelity’s expert management of charitablcdollar Formore information or for a free copy of Giving Wisely Giving Well: A Consumer Guide to Charitable Giving call jears Gunnison Valley Hi gy School Gunnison: Ace Hardware Valley Furniture Gunnison Valley Bank Stockings it In her article Davidson calculated that the average American family spends $38443 on Christmas extras each year nearly as much as is spent on gifts Charles Langham founder of SCROOGE the Society to Curtail Ridiculous Outrageous and Ostentatious Gift Exchanges recommends a Christmas budget of one percent of family income That’s $500 fora family earning $50000 “You don’t have to bust the bank to have a happy holiday" said Langham deductions? Think charitably fflutcmcfm' flBB&SQUSGT mm Trees and Wreaths For you can go to the forest and cut your own tree Those who opt to buy one at the lot generally spend to keep up the tradition $ Wreath prices average at $25 You need to set aside some cash even if you plan to make your own with live boughs The frame and craft wire to put it together will cost about $9 day paper) Christmas Village Nativity Scene Ifyou collect these miniature replicas you need to budget from (depending on the type you collect) for your purchase next year The average wholesale figures for the amount spent per family on villages is $2082 If you haven’t purchased your nativity scene yet budget anywhere from Americans spend $176 million a year on them Charity Donations If you’re likely to send the minimum asked donation of $3 to the Salvation Army The American Cancer Society and the local charity you’ve t plus miles all the way to Highway 56 It was exciting dangerous stupid and beautiful Did say it was smaller out in the open It's because HIGH ceiling! Then it was "1 his one is really good butJiey look at the one Cody of the Electricity or Gas Bills As well as budgeting more to heat the house during cold weather member that keeping all those lights lit and using the stove and oven for holiday cooking uses more energy than usual L Christmas Cards Americans send 265 billion cards each year If you are average you’ll send 36 cards It will cost you at least $12 for the two boxes of cards plus $1 152 for postage 40 cents per printed photo you include and $360 for the copies of the annual Christmas letter (more money if you choose holi- SaMnm (Dirty Elected Officials and Staff |