Jingle Bills: Keep your holiday spending merry and bright with Treshayla Wilson of the OCCC

We talked with Treshayla Wilson, an expert from the Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner, to get holiday spending tips on how to spend wisely, avoid scams and plan for the next holiday season! 

Mentioned in this episode: 

NerdWallet 2025 Holiday Spending Report 

Additional resources: 

Learn to use a credit card with Empower Learning 

ReportFraud.ftc.gov 

identitytheft.gov 

*title generated with help from ChatGPT

Transcript

Intro:  We want that perfect holiday season, but that looks different for everyone. So do what we call a check up from the neck up. It's easier to do more with less when you start with a bigger picture. 

It's not too late to make your holiday shopping list and check it twice. We sat down with an expert from the Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner, Treshayla Wilson, to help us get situated, and for some of us, get started on our holiday spending for this year, we're here to help you keep your holidays merry and bright on today's episode of ERS Money Talks.

ERS Crystal Olvera: Hi, everyone. And welcome to the ERS Money Talks Podcast, a podcast for State of Texas employees. I'm Crystal Olvera. 

ERS Suzanne Krause: And I'm Suzanne Krause.

ERS Dani Levrie: And I'm Dani Levrie. 

CO: And we're here to offer you the tips and resources to get the most out of your state benefits. Now, this episode we're welcoming back one of our favorite guests, Treshayla Wilson from The Office of the Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner. We first talked to Treshayla back in April about the importance of spotting scams. So if you haven't listened to that episode, check it out for some tips on how to avoid getting duped. But today, she's here to give us some tips on how to budget this holiday season. Welcome, Treshayla. Can you talk a little bit about what you do? 

Treshayla Wilson: Sure. Thank you so much for having me again. I'm excited to be here. I teach financial education throughout the state of Texas. I specialize in avoiding scams, budgeting tips, and overall financial literacy. 

CO: So this holiday season, um, I know we're all probably trying to make sure we budget correctly, you know, especially when you have a huge family like mine. Um, I love my big family, but yeah, lots of gifts to buy, so it's hard to kind of prepare for that. What about you, Dani?

DL: I have a pretty small family, and I keep my my family tight. And because I am such a giver, I try to keep my circle tight, too, because I want to gift everybody something. But I'm. I try to be pretty strategic about it, whether that's buying early or, you know, um, I try to also find people that enjoy crafts. So will you appreciate a homemade gift, a homemade meal treat? You know, so but, you know, the holiday season is my favorite, specifically Christmas. So I do have to plan pretty heavily. And in fact, I plan basically starting last year's Christmas. Wow. 

SK: My family is really small and I find that it the people I want to give a gift for, it takes me forever to decide and I never end up getting things early. So I end up buying something that I've put a lot of thought into, but maybe not at the best price, so I could use some tips. 

TW: Yeah, I am on the side with a small family as well. I'm definitely more of an experiences person, tradition person than a gift person. But we do exchange gifts. Um, try to give meaningful things or practical things instead. 

SK: So today we're going to talk about creating a plan, how to spend wisely, a little bit about how to avoid scams, because they definitely proliferate around the holidays and a little bit of planning ahead for next year because we're already in November when we're talking about this. So it can be helpful to plan throughout the year. So we'll get to that at the end. So, Treshayla, take it away.

CO: Yeah. What's the first thing someone should do? Maybe before they plan to start holiday shopping? 

TW: Sure. I think the first thing to do is set a budget. It's recommended to start at about one percent of your annual take home pay. Um, and then you want to make a list of your expenses, include anything like travel donations that you often make, parties that you know you're going to attend, etc. and be realistic. Know what you can afford. Don't stretch beyond your means and compare yourself with others. Um, and then the last thing I would recommend is to track your spending. Keep all of your receipts because this is going to give you an idea for the next year of about what amount you need to budget.

SK: I think one percent is really interesting. How did y'all come up with that percentage? 

TW: It was recommended online. That was the tip that I saw. And then I calculated it for myself. And I think that it seems a lot lower than what the average person spends. Yeah, but you don't need to get anything extravagant or crazy or like I said, go beyond your means just because it's the end of the year and gift giving season. 

CO: It's really helpful especially when you include travel and parties. Yeah, that's I mean, I feel like it goes way over the one percent, but that's a good tip. I mean, you know, I might try that. I'll try.

DL: I think if I were to look at my budget, I could say that reasonably. If I'm truly doing my gifts, maybe it's at a one percent, but I'm a sneaky person and potentially, you know, maybe I could readjust my budget so it's clear. But in my brain, my little funny little thing up there, I know that I'm adjusting my entertainment budget throughout the year, and I'm saving some of that specifically for entertainment and groceries, specifically for the things that I'm doing. So again, I said, I bake for or I like to give my family treats. I'm known as the person that does the cookies in the family, so I will all that can add up. It really can, but I buy. I also buy in bulk. So I go to the wholesale places and I buy big things of. I'm also gluten free, so that's also adds into my prices, right? But I find recipes that people can't tell they're gluten free. And if y'all can attest, because I've made y'all treats here, that is true. They're delicious. 

SK: They are delicious. 

DL: And you can't exactly tell they're gluten free. Um, so I budget that throughout the year and I start stocking up on those things because of course they have a longer shelf life. So I do that strategically to prepare for the holiday season so I can make those wonderful treats made with love and gluten free flour. 

SK: We appreciate it, Dani. 

TW: You can also buy at the end of Christmas. I mean buy for the next year because that's when everything is going to be on clearance. That's when they have blowout sales. So just be thinking ahead at every step of the way if possible. And I do have some data here. It's predicted that holiday shoppers plan to spend one thousand one hundred and seven dollars on average on presents. That's according to a NerdWallet survey. And that's actually up one hundred and eighty two dollars from last year's average. 

SK: Okay. Um, maybe from, uh, inflation.

TW: Yes. Inflation. People are taking into account the tariffs. So those things are influencing that number growing. But that's a pretty big amount. And that was from NerdWallet with a Harris poll if anybody's interested in looking it up.

CO: So I know a lot of people probably just think I'm going to put it on my credit card, right. A lot of shoppers just, you know, pay it later. Just put it on the card. I know that can be risky, especially when you have a high limit. I feel that can get out of hand pretty quickly. So do you have any tips of about maybe when you have to use a credit card?

TW: I would say definitely limit the number of charges and the number of cards that you use. Um, turn on your account activity alerts. And a lot of times, because it's credit, it's invisible money to us, right? We're just swiping. We don't see it coming out of our pocket like we would with cash. So I have activity alerts on my phone every time I swipe. It says this amount was taken. This is what you owe. And for my debit cards it's this amount is taken. This is your balance now. So that really puts it in my brain. This is coming out of your wallet or you owe this money later on. And don't forget about that.

DL: It works guys I do that too. And let me tell you, I literally see the dollars flying away. 

SK: And I know what it's like to start the beginning of the year with holiday spending debt, and it's really no fun. And it totally takes away your motivation when you're trying to do resolutions and start fresh.

TW: The other thing from the Harris poll is that some Americans still have credit card debt from last holiday season, and more than half of twenty twenty five shoppers, fifty six percent, say the cost associated with holiday spending stress them out. So we were talking about this earlier and really think about how you feel when you're purchasing gifts. Is it something that's causing you stress or anxiety? Is it something that is giving you joy? And if it's the former, maybe reevaluate what you're, what you're buying, who you're buying it for, and how that's affecting you throughout the year.

CO: I like that.

SK: I know I thankfully don't have too much pressure because I have a pretty small family, but, um, I definitely love the idea of spending on experiences because, you know, baking cookies like Dani does, or watching your favorite Christmas movie or just, you know, going to see the lights in the neighborhood, something like that. You know, you remember that a lot more than maybe a gift that didn't have as much thought or meaning to you. 

DL: I think like, for sure. Um, in my family, we celebrate Christmas for a while, but typically we do the gifts on Christmas Eve and then like, Christmas Day and, um, Christmas Eve morning, we'll do it right. And then Christmas Day and Christmas Eve will go around with hot chocolate in the car and go look at Christmas lights. 

SK: Fun.

DL: I know. Okay. So you you talked a little bit about purchasing after the season. So I also I have a Jeep Wrangler and I decorate my jeep for Christmas and I put Christmas lights on it. 

TW: That's awesome.

SK:  Antlers. 

DL: The antlers always fall off. I have to admit to that. So I can't do that. But I do the lights around. And so far I have one thousand five hundred lights that wrap around my jeep. You have to count it. Yeah. Oh, I have pictures. I'll show y'all pictures and then we can post it on on money matters, right? But, um, and then, of course, I also do it more. Let me tell you, Christmas is literally my favorite thing, but, um, so we'll go and, like, we'll put everybody in the Jeep and we'll drink hot cocoa, listen to Christmas music, and we'll drive around, 

SK: I want to come hang out with your family. Yeah. 

DL: Totally invited. Absolutely. Everybody's invited. I'll buy a bigger Jeep and then be able to put more lights on it and lots of hot cocoa, and we can drive around, and we do drive around and listen to music and look, and that's the experience. But of course, my family lives far away, so it's always us traveling to somebody's location in order for us to get that we all live in completely separate locations. I live here in Austin. My sister lives in Houston. My other sister lives in Dallas. My mother lives in West Texas. So like. 

SK: And that can really add up. 

DL: Oh, it so adds up. So definitely, it's tough and it but it's the experiences that count. And sometimes that's also part of the reason why you keep your circle small. Yeah. And we can talk about a little bit about travel later too. 

CO: So what are some of the best ways to keep a budget?

TW: I think one option is a cash only system. Um, I, I like to use the envelope system. I do it digitally. I have a debit card for my fund spending, and then I have my, um, primary bank account checking account where my paycheck is deposited. And then I have my savings account and a high yield savings account. Then I have a credit card for certain things. So you don't have to physically use cash you can get separate envelopes, which is what people used to do. 

CO: Yeah, that's my mother. Okay. I've heard that's really popular with younger people now who are. It's like the novelty of cash. But yes. 

TW: So they have these binders that they sell now that you can buy already made. And it says twenty dollars on each slot of the, um, it's like a plastic folio. So you could save twenty dollars a month a week, whatever works for you. But basically it's a way to allocate funds for specific things and a way for you to keep track of those things better. You can also use apps. There are a lot of apps that will help you. QuickBooks is one. I'm not affiliated with any of these, but QuickBooks is one that you could use. Your bank would usually have some kind of budgeting tools you can use. I bank with USAA, and they also do they have a money snapshot. And see if you can get your credit score through your bank account or your credit card. 

SK: Okay. So since we are not planning way in advance if we're talking about it now, let's say people haven't put that much money aside yet, even in their envelope system or whatever. But how about some kind of crunch time tips?

TW: Well, it's definitely not too late to start setting things aside for that. Like I said, the most important thing that will help is making a list and estimating what you plan to spend and then working backwards from that. It's easier to do more with less when you start with a bigger picture.

DL: So I, I you know, those envelopes are so popular I've seen them like on social media TikToks, all these things. In fact, I was gifted one because like, my family thought that, like, I was going to be that person to to utilize it. I like the novelty of, you know, those things. And I have to admit to y'all, that thing is collecting dust inside of my drawer. I'm not that person. I have to do the digital way. Like I have to separate my accounts, do everything like that. I cannot for the life of me keep money. In fact, if I have that money outside of any of my digital accounts, in my mind, that money's already spent, that money's already gone. So I can just pull it out and just take it. And that's what happens. So maybe I'll regift that for the holiday season instead of spending more money on somebody else's gift. Because, I mean, you mentioned it and it is so popular on social media right now. So there's that. I mean, we're even like small things that maybe I purchased that I thought I'd love. And that's one of the great things about my family and my friends. Like they don't mind a regift. They don't mind, 

SK: Like you're lucky, really. 

DL: You don't have those kind of people in your life. I wish that on other people, I really do. I hope that people 

SK: It's usually kind of obvious. I mean, I also still give them something else, but it's like a small thing, you know, it's like, hey, I know that you would appreciate this. And I didn't give it the love it needed, and I think that you would. So here's this item. I think it works out.

TW: I think so. I'm a person that doesn't mind, uh, receiving a regift or repurpose or giving something that way to, um, some other options are buying local support, small businesses. I know here in Austin we have a lot of great makers, small businesses, artisans. You can look for markets every year and buy unique gifts for people. Yeah, that's the best part about buying local. I love going to these little markets and buying jewelry and earrings because they're one of a kind, you know? And that's that's the best gift, right? One that you can't get anywhere else. Absolutely. And you're supporting your economy. That's right in front of, you 

SK: No shipping costs. 

TW: Right. No shipping costs either. And you can meet the person that made it and get a little history on the gift you can buy second hand, like we were talking about. Shop on sale. So Black Friday is November twenty eighth. They also have Small Business Saturday now, which is November twenty ninth and Cyber Monday, which is December first. Those are all great days for sales. I think it can be deceiving. Not every sale means you're spending less. So definitely keep an eye on things and compare prices before you jump to get it on something like a Black Friday sale.

SK: I saw a news report that was saying in twenty twenty three and twenty twenty four, and they were predicting again this year that, there are often there was like research done, that prices had been inflated in the lead up to Black Friday so that the discounts looked better. So it was total marketing. doesn't mean you couldn't get a deal, but like, it wasn't that big of a deal. but definitely it was pressuring people to spend around that time. But I'm actually kind of curious about the idea of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, because we shop online all the time now. Like, is it really that special anymore, like, to focus on those two days?

TW: It can be. Like I said, you really want to scan throughout the year, have your eye on something, watch that price, see if it goes up right before and then goes down so you know you're really getting a deal. Otherwise, like you say, it's not worth the hassle. And then you can also, like we said, gift experiences or traditions. We've talked about this find free things to do at home activities in your area that can become a family tradition, like riding around, looking at the lights in the neighborhood. My mother and I watch White Christmas every year. So that's our free activity on the couch with some popcorn. And you can even cook while you're playing festive music. Something like that that people can remember and look forward to. Because we can give a gift any time of the year. We can get together with our family any time of the year, but maybe we don't have these specific traditions throughout the twelve months. There are a lot of things you can do for a low cost or no cost, right? 

CO: Yeah, with me it's tamales, like all breakfast, lunch and dinner for like a week. So it's really about the food sometimes 

DL: Or making ornaments. Yeah. That's something that you can do. And then every year you're able to see it stack up and stock up on all of them. That is definitely something that I tried to implement with my old workplace, and it worked a little bit, but then when I left, I heard it died. So there's that. I tried to bring traditions everywhere I go.

TW: I think things like that are memorable. And again, it's all about doing things that are stress free. And for me, I'm a frugal person, so low budget as well. And I did want to bring up buy now, pay later. I would say avoid buy now, pay later at all costs unless it does not check your credit or charge interest. So something like a PayPal pay in four or Klarna could be an option. But really, if you can't afford it at the time, try to avoid putting it on a layaway.

DL: I really appreciate you coming out and just saying it.

TW: You know, it's just a really a win for that company because you're buying something that you normally wouldn't have. But unless you're a super duper responsible with that, I don't think it's the best option for most people. 

DL: Right. I fully agree with that. 

CO: I can't get into it. Um, you know, I'll use a credit card, pay it off at the end of the month. And that's just kind of how I've. I've gone. Um, again. Well, I feel like I was taught by, uh, a mother who keeps an envelope with with a certain amount of money, and me and my cousin always laugh because she will pull out the envelope at the restaurant or at the store at Walmart and pull out, you know, her money, and that's that's what she has to spend, and that's all she's going to spend.

TW: I have used them. I think the bad thing is that you forget about it. 

CO: Yeah.

TW: So just be aware of any of those things that seem too good to be true, because what they usually are and try to use not maybe not physical cash, but your debit card as much as you can, unless you're using your credit card as a second checking account, which is what I like to do. I use my credit card for points, and then it deducts that balance every month out of my checking account, and I don't accrue interest that way. And then I can use those points for travel later on for hotels and for the perks that it gives. But that's really the best way, some, uh, protection to it in case you get scammed. Exactly. That's really the best way to use a credit card. 

SK: Let's talk about shipping, because I think a lot of people get caught up in the idea of free shipping. Also, if you're shopping last minute and you need to get it tomorrow there's some real, the cost can really add up if you don't, um, account for shipping. 

TW: Yes. Waiting till the last minute can cost you more. And then again, you want to avoid any impulse spending maybe a week or so before. Look at those fees for shipping. For expedited shipping. Know that the wait times are going to be very long, so that person may not even get the gift that you intended them to have on Christmas Day until a month later. And then beware of any scams around shipping too. There are a lot of fake notices sent by UPS or texts. I've gotten them before saying your package wasn't delivered. Please click here. Me too. Don't click on yes. Do not click on any links. They will not send you a text like that. And if you did order something, use the certified website with a tracking number provided by the company. If you're not sure, call the company directly to verify that it's your account and don't provide any information over the phone or via email.

CO: Those are some good tips because, I mean, we're all really shopping online a lot now, so shipping is a big part of it. And you know, you see the product or the gift online and you think, oh, I can get this tomorrow, you know, but for a price, right? It just all depends. And if you wait last minute, it's even worse. 

DL: I think the I personally, I hold off on purchasing things online and getting them shipped unless I absolutely need to. And part of that reason is also because, like especially during the season, I get so nervous about porch pirates. If I do ship something, I'm gonna go send it to like a box. One of those postal lockboxes and most of the places that you're buying online from do offer that. And then if I need to get a P.O. Box for the season, I'm going to get a Po box for the season. 

SK: That's a really good point. It's its own kind of scam. 

TW: People are just bold nowadays. They will watch and if you're going to be gone for several days, make sure somebody can take your packages for you because people look to see, oh, that package has been sitting there for five days. That means no one's there. Maybe I can also break into their house. So really be aware of delivery services. Also ordering for something for somebody that may not be home. 

SK: I've heard that during the holidays, gift card scams can be a really big deal, and I'm not sure what exactly it is about the holidays that drives it. Except that maybe people want to buy them as gifts. But can you talk about gift card scams in particular? 

TW: Yes. My number one tip for gift cards is never purchase a gift card as payment for anything. No reputable business or government entity is going to ask you to make a payment through gift card. Second, if you're going to a store to purchase a gift card, go to the cashier to get it. Don't just grab it off of the racks where they have them. I know in HEB they have that wall of gift cards. People are manipulating those gift cards, unfortunately. So if you can go to a cashier or customer service representative, ask them to get you a new gift card from the back. Inspect that envelope, make sure it hasn't been tampered with and that the code is still there for that, so that you make sure you're getting your money's worth that you wanted to get. You can also just do what we were talking about give people cash. I know it's very uncommon to spend with cash, but it's a secure way. If you get it from your bank, you get it from an ATM. 

CO: You know, sometimes you donate during the holidays. I know that there have been, you know, charity scams. Can you talk a little bit about that? 

TW: Yes. So a lot of people manipulate the kindness of others during the holidays. So one of the big ones is that these people, these scammers will change the name slightly of a charity. So it sounds similar to something you've heard before, but it is not exactly that. They will also manipulate the URL, so it might be this charity instead of dot com. So make sure you're validating a website. Another thing to look for is that the website starts with https, which means it's a secure website. It is end to end encrypted, and that it has a little picture of a lock on the right side of the search bar as well. If it doesn't have those things, you should be cautious. And if you're unsure, you can always call the entity. I think that people don't like to use the phone, but that's the number one way to tell if something is real. If it's your bank, use the card number. Use the number on the back of your credit card that is secure. You know that it's coming from your bank, not from somebody else. 

CO: Yeah, definitely. It's sad that, you know, people take advantage of the Christmas season and, you know, the season of giving, right. People are more likely to give. 

TW: And that goes with the shopping as well. Make sure that you're shopping on secure websites, check reviews online for these businesses, and you can also check the Better Business Bureau. That's a website open to everybody. If they belong to the B-b-b, they will be on there. It'll show that they're accredited. That's something I do all the time. I leave reviews and I check reviews constantly, even for something like I wanted to get my eyebrows done. I went online and I looked at the pictures and I looked at the reviews. 

CO: I need to do that for lashes. 

TW: Yeah, same thing. But that will help you to determine if it's a legit business. If there's a strange number calling you, just google that number. People will say scammer, this is a scammer, this is a debt collector. All of that information is public and available to you on your phone.

DL:  I think, um, going back to the charity, I do appreciate I, you know, I have to admit, I didn't donate as much before becoming a state employee, but being able to donate to the Texas State Employees Charitable Campaign is such an easy way for me to be able to donate, and I really appreciate that, because who in the world is going to scam thousands of state employees at the same time? So I have a big trust that my money is going to the appropriate places. And they have such a vast network of places that I'm passionate about, that I can easily donate to in one, one little click of a button.

TW: I think that's great. Something else to really avoid is QR codes. They are everywhere. Don't just scan any random QR code. It can be malware. It can be someone that's capturing your data that you don't want to. So unless you know again that it's a reputable source, someone you know, don't scan any QR codes. And another thing that you can donate besides your money online is your time. Go to local food banks, go to shelters, maybe serve soup. There are lots of offers, especially around Thanksgiving Christmas and that's a legitimate, legitimate way to give back to your community 

DL: And pets that are potential pets that need to be pets. Yes, so many pets 

SL: Taking in a foster for the holidays. 

TW: Exactly. Yeah. 

SK: So let's talk about, planning ahead for the next year. And then also when you've overspent. How can you recover? 

TW: So I would say review what you've done in the past, review your track spending. Like I said, you're going to save all of your receipts. Um, maybe you make a quick book. Maybe you make an Excel, if that's your vibe. Um, it doesn't have to be on pen and paper. It could be something digital and then decide, did that budget work for you? Like we were saying earlier, maybe the envelope system isn't for you. It's not something you can keep up with, but not everything is one size fits all. Maybe you need to pivot and choose another method. list any surprises? Was there anything that snuck up for you that you weren't planning and avoid them next year? Or maybe you need an emergency saving for those things. Look ahead. So I like to do a stop start and continue. What are things I want to stop doing? What are things I'd like to start doing, and things that worked for me really well that I want to continue doing. And then lastly, create your system, store your data somewhere safe, and then decide that you're going to dedicate time to it the next year and be vigilant and diligent with that method.

DL:  I really appreciate you giving us that information, because I might need to utilize that when I bring everybody into my brand new Jeep for our little holiday getaway with all of my extra lights.

TW: And if you find yourself in a holiday hangover you need to recover from. There are many methods to do that. We have the debt snowball or debt avalanche. Basically one of those is faster than the other. But you want to consider what you would want to consider. Are payments with the highest interest rate and pay those down first. At least make the minimum payment. If you can't pay more than that, a lot of accounts will have something called an interest saving balance. You can set up auto pay to make sure you are at least taking out the interest saving balance each month. If you can't pay the entire payment, prioritize your payments. We know we love our fun money. We love our fun spending, but maybe we need to put that towards lowering our debt first and consolidate any debt you have. See if your credit card company allows that. See if your bank can help you with that. Find ways to increase your income. Maybe that is difficult for you, but if you're able to do some side work, consider something like rideshare or teaching lessons if you have a unique skill. Those are all things that you can monetize if you love to be on the internet and talking. Maybe you want to start a YouTube. Maybe you want to jump into social media. 

DL: Maybe you want to start a podcast. 

TW: Maybe you want to start a podcast and then overall avoid new debt. I know we want a new big Jeep, but we have to ask ourselves, do we need a new?

DL: I don't know. I need to hang out with my buddies. I think I need to give them new experiences that that make them really enjoy the Christmas season. 

TW: Okay, so for you, that's a need whereas for other people that may be a want. And those things are unique to everybody. I really would encourage you to sit down and make that list of wants versus needs for you. What that looks like for you and then move from there. So yeah, money is mental health as well. We don't really consider how we feel when we're shopping or the sustainability of what we're buying. Will someone else need this or use it? So I think those are important things to consider. And along with who you want to be as a person, your purchases are a vote for how you feel about society, how you feel about yourself as well. And we do get bogged down with comparison and social media, the commercials, the ads. We want that perfect Christmas, but that looks different to everyone. So do what we call a checkup from the neck up and speak to yourself about have that conversation. When you sit down to make lists. What is it that I want to vote for financially? 

DL: Mhm. 

CO: I like that checkup from the neck up. That's cool. 

DL: It is so cool. Mhm. 

CO: That's great advice. 

DL: For sure. Just so everybody knows, I'm not going to sit down and buy a new Jeep. That is absolutely not in my budget. I'm so sorry, guys. I'm just gonna have to, you know? 

SK: I think you might have to now? 

DL: I don't think I think so.

SK: I think you made it public. 

DL: Hear me out, hear me out. This is my plan. I've already thought about it. While we're discussing it, we're going to have time slots whenever y'all are allowed to come and hang out with me. And then we'll go see this. It might mean that I have to see the lights twice, maybe three times. But you know what? I will do that for your gas money. 

SK: I think the new Jeep is really the way to go. 

DL: Oh my goodness. Please, please, Suzanne, stop. 

TW: You could do Christmas themed rideshare in the Jeep.

SK: I would love that. 

DL: Stop. Y'all know how to twist a girl's arm. 

SK: Well, I feel like all of these tips are helpful in your general life outside of the holidays because it is important to be financially responsible. And also think about the things that matter to you when you're buying anything for the holidays or just, you know, throughout the year. So I think all of this is very useful advice, whether you're a super Christmas, uh, fan, like two of us in here or a little more low key like the other two. So, um, I think I definitely learned something from this conversation. 

TW: Good.

SK: Thank you, Treshayla.

TW: Of course. Thank you for having me. 

DL: You're always such a joy to be around. And, of course, if you're interested in learning more, you can always schedule some presentations with her and her team of one. 

TW: Yes. Um, you can reach out on occcc.texas.gov. You can also email me personally. But we do offer free classes. No cost to any Texans that would like financial education or financial literacy presentation. 

CO: All right. Well thank you so much for joining us for this episode. I think we all learned a lot. And it was fun to gab about holiday spending with you all. So we hope that you are able to create a plan, spend wisely, avoid scams, and plan ahead for the next year. Thank you so much again. And if you have any questions or maybe topic ideas for a podcast, let us know. You can always email us at story ideas at ers dot Texas dot gov. We'd love to hear your thoughts on Money Talks.