Keep More Green By Budgeting Your St. Patrick’s Day

A Few Fun Facts About St. Patrick’s Day: 

• The patron saint of Ireland is actually a Brit. His designated color was light blue.
• As a teen, he was enslaved in Ireland. Once he escaped, he returned to England.
• St. Patrick’s Day used to be a holiday that was alcohol-free. In 1970, Ireland made it an alcohol-themed holiday.
• The three-leafed shamrock plant is a religious metaphor.

How are you spending your St. Patrick’s Day this year? Will it be with a green outfit and plenty to drink or will you forego it all together? Whether you’re planning on spending it with just adults or with the kids, here are some festive ideas:

Celebrating St. Paddy’s Day with Other Adults

Do you want to stay home this year, but still enjoy a St. Patrick’s Day-themed holiday? How about making it a movie night with some of your favorite Irish beers? Here are some fun and festive films to consider: 

• “Finian’s Rainbow” stars Fred Astaire in this 1968 fantasy musical that’s directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Astaire is an Irish immigrant who moves into a town that has a magical piece of gold that can change people’s lives. 
• “Leprechaun,” with a young Jennifer Aniston who stars in this 1990’s horror-comedy about an evil Leprechaun who goes on a killing rampage in order to find his pot of gold.
• “The Boondock Saints,” starring Willem Dafoe in this late 90’s movie about two Irish brothers who kill mafia thugs. 
• “Once” is a 2007 musical set in Dublin, Ireland, where a busker and an immigrant write, rehearse, and record songs about their love story.
• “Leap Year,” a 2010 romantic comedy starring Amy Adams, who goes to Dublin to propose to her boyfriend.

You can easily make it a small affair at home, or even throw a low-budget party with friends. Whether you want to assign food duties to your guests or provide the festive treats yourself, all it takes is a few drops of green food coloring to get everyone in the holiday spirit with these St. Patty’s Day favorites. 

• Green beer 
• Green ginger ale
• Green smoothie (make it as healthy or fattening as you want)
• Shamrock Shake (which you can easily make on your own as well)

Celebrating St. Paddy’s Day with the Kids

Planning on spending March 17th with the kids this year? There are plenty of ways to celebrate the day, whether you take everyone to a parade, do some arts and crafts together, or put together a Shamrock Hunt. All you have to do for a successful scavenger hunt like that is to incorporate holiday mainstays like shamrocks and rainbows and provide a “pot of gold” at the end. And you should, of course, be sure to capture it all in pictures to enjoy later.

You can easily delight the kids by putting out bowls of Lucky Charms, baking some green-colored Rice Krispy treats, making some green eggs and ham, or serve up a rainbow cake.

Related: Here are 5 life hacks to fatten your wallet! 

How to Find Your Pot of Gold 

While it would be nice to go all out on holiday parties and the like, for many people, it isn’t really feasible. According to the personal finance website Bankrate.com, 3 out of 5 Americans experienced a major unexpected expense in 2016 that caused multiple repercussions:

• About half of households that earn $75,000-plus, they don’t have enough money to finance a $500 emergency expense.
• Over a fifth of them will pay for emergencies by using a credit card. 
• More than a tenth will borrow from loved ones.

Source: January 2017 Money Pulse survey by Bankrate.com

In other words, you aren’t alone if you’re struggling to pay some unexpected costs. Hardships are inevitable, but you have options to get through those trying times. You might say that you could get your own pot of gold when you turn to a title loan.

All you need to qualify for a loan up to $15,000 is a clear car title that’s in your name. You don’t even have to have good credit in order to be eligible for a title loan. These operate as a short-term financial strategy that could help you pay for expenses, bills, and debt. You can also continue driving your vehicle as always. 

Have a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

No matter how you decide to spend your St. Patrick’s Day, there are plenty of creative ways to have a memorable holiday that tops all others. However, if you can’t get your mind off your financial picture and you need money right now in order to pay for your many bills and expenses, a title loan could provide the extra help you need.