How will you shop for the holidays?
Photo credit: Curtis Compton, AJC
Thousands of consumers are paying credit card charges racked up during last year’s holiday season.
Considering the economy was already in decline, that may not come as a surprise. While many slashed holiday shopping, others pressed on, and used credit cards instead. Once job losses and other factors crumbled around us, they were unable to make the payments on accumulated bills.
There are helpful tips to help you avoid falling into holiday shopping debt. Here are a few:
- Do not shop for yourself.
- Set a budget before you shop and stick to it.
- Use cash instead of credit cards.
- Make a list and don’t stray from it.
That begs the question, how likely are you to use your credit card at all this holiday?
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8 comments Add your comment
Safety-Minded ATL Shopper
November 6th, 2009
1:36 pm
Like many respectful, peace-loving, law-abiding, citizens of Metro Atlanta with decent-or-better credit, I will do my “holiday” shopping this year in the parts of the metro area with the LOWEST percentages of panhandling, gang shootings, vehicle break-ins, poor security, dark lighting, hoodlums, carjackings, THUGZ, Democrats and Michael Vick Supporters.
If you “Obamamanics” think you are going to make this peace-loving citizen another one of your victims, I shoot my legally-owned-and-registered firearm first and don’t bother to “axe” any questions of you hoodlums.
Be safe out there, ATL!
Matt
November 6th, 2009
1:49 pm
This is what we’ve come down to – and I don’t blame either side; both equally to blame and both need to work together to find a way out of this racially divided mess of a City we are in. Can’t leave it up to the politicians or the churches – they only add fuel to this.
God help us.
txgal
November 6th, 2009
3:08 pm
Wow, Safety-Minded ATL Shopper, you should seek counseling immediately.
Rana Cash
November 6th, 2009
5:25 pm
Hello everyone, Let’s try to stay on topic. I personally plan to do all my holiday shopping with cash. If I don’t have the cash, the item will stay on the shelf.
Dixie Darling
November 7th, 2009
12:25 am
When we meet for Thanksgiving, my family draws one adult name from the hat — then we chose a limit to $ cost — this year the $ limit will be lower — we like to do this because it keeps gift-giving sane and reasonable. But the kids in the families are not included and so it goes a little crazy here. As grandma I try to think of gifts of value that will last — no toys or clothes — that is up to their parents to do. I use my credit card to buy the grandkids’ gifts of either stamp collection or minted money that will grow in value as they mature. I used to give Savings Bonds but they don’t grow in value much any more. What kind of gifts do you all give? It is not like the old days when folks didn’t have much. Nowadays everybody gots what they want whether they can afford to have it or not.
Carrie Odendahl
November 7th, 2009
1:00 am
Last year we did the Best Buy 18 month same as cash deal to buy some electronics for our family’s Christmas. We figured up how much we could comfortably add to our monthly budget, then we shopped after that. We are only 4 months away from paying it off, and that will be early for the 18 months, so I am excited we were able to stick to our plan and we didn’t have to pay a penny in interest.
That being said, I don’t want to do that again until the balance from last year is paid in full, so this year will be an all cash Christmas. We may cash in some “reward points” to get some gift cards and things too.
RealityCheck
November 7th, 2009
7:47 am
Interesting Matt. Both sides are to blame for a thug coming up and shooting you. That will be an interesting police report when you tell the cop it was 1/2 your fault.
RealityCheck
November 7th, 2009
7:50 am
Additionally Rana, I use a Blue Cash AMEX and pay it off every month. I also save every month for Christmas from January to December so I have a stockpile of cash to pay for it.