Save Money During The Holiday Season

We are in the middle of holiday season and wish you are having a great time. The holiday season is also the peak season of spending. The U.S. offline retail spending during the holiday season is expected to increase 2.7% and online retail spending is expected to increase 14.8% [1]. These are few ways to save money during the holiday season.

1. Traffic Accident

37,133 fatal motor vehicle crashes [2] were reported in 2017 according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It is an average of 101.7 people a day. We lose roughly 100 people just by traffic accident every day. 48% of those passenger vehicle occupants who did not wear seat belt lost their lives during the traffic accident [2]. The National Safety Council estimated a loss of 433 people due to traffic accident during the Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend in 2018 [3]. The serious injury by traffic accident is estimated to be 49,400 during Thanksgiving holiday period [3]. As the number indicates, there are many traffic accidents during holiday season. The similar scheme applies to Christmas day and New Year’s day holiday.

The driving impaired by alcohol, speeding, and unrestrained passengers are the major contributors of fatal accident. The alcohol impairment is involved in approximately 29% [2] of all fatal traffic accident in 2017. The speeding is involved in 25% and unrestrained seat belt is involved in 26% of fatal crashes respectively in 2017. These factors may occur individually or simultaneously. Just to follow these laws will help you to reduce the risk of getting traffic accident during holiday season. Remember it’s the law.

The Cost of Traffic Accident

The cost associated with injury and deaths from car accident is totaled more than $63 billion [9] in 2015. Not only the accident ruins your holiday but also it costs a lot of money that is not on your holiday expenditure list. You might not feel that way but this is the sure way to save money during the holiday season. The traffic accident is the last thing you want to have during the holiday season.

Especially, one thing you need to keep in your mind is that you might be cautious and following all the laws. But other motorists might not. Take safety margin when you drive. Let all passengers buckle up, follow speed limit and take enough space between vehicles to avoid sudden steering or braking. The weather condition may affect the safety factor as well.

2. Chronic Disease

You might wonder why? But the chronic disease such as coronary heart disease have a seasonality. According to study [4] published by American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, the peak of coronary heart disease death is December and January. The correlation between temperature and incident rate is considered to be marginal based on the facts that the study was conducted in Southern California region. Particularly, the occurrence is concentrated on Thanksgiving Day and New Year ’s Day. The researchers hypothesize that the increased intake of food, salt, alcohol, and emotional and psychological stresses could be the contributing factors.

Be easy on the dietary habit. People tend to push the boundary during the holiday season and try to do something not normal. Your body won’t tolerate just because it’s holiday season. The health is the most precious thing that you can earn in your lifetime. The cost associated with coronary heart disease is colossal. 1.5 million people suffer heart attacks and strokes each year in the U.S. The cardiovascular disease costs nation more than $320 billion due to healthcare and productivity loss. It is not only to save money during the holiday season but also your thoughtful behavior will save human lives.

3. Influenza

This might not be unusual but worth to mention. Needless to say the peak of flu season is December to February. The influenza-associated deaths are approximately 12,000 (during 2011-2012) to 56,000 (during 2012-2013) [6]. The flu costs the nation approximately $10.4 billion every year [7]. If you get flu, it is another unplanned expenditure which you don’t want. Since a lot of people travel during holiday season, the chance that you get infected could be higher than other time of the year. AAA predicts 112.5 million people travel during year-end holiday week [8]. 102.1 million people are expected to travel by car [8] and 6.7 million are expected to travel by air [8]. By the way, there are few tips to save money for travel. Check out this article to learn more about saving tips for traveling.

Fortunately, you can reduce the chance of getting influenza by being vaccinated, washing hands, gargling throat, periodically sanitizing kitchen and belongings, and avoiding cross-contamination. If you already have your health insurance, the immunization is free in most cases. The disease prevention not only prevent you from getting sick but also prevent one for others. Having a matured behavior will save money during the holiday season. If you become sick, you won’t be able to enjoy the greatest time of the year.