Cada temporada navideña, siempre parece haber el mismo grupo de personas que disfrutan de una experiencia dramática de compras navideñas. Estos Larrys de última hora saben que la temporada navideña llega a la misma época cada año. Sin embargo, no tienen planes establecidos para la compra de regalos. Simplemente están improvisando y haciendo que sus cuentas bancarias paguen el precio más alto.
El año pasado, el 41% de los consumidores planeaba hacer la mayor parte de sus compras entre Black Friday y Cyber Monday.
Aquí en McCoy Federal Credit Union, creemos que sus finanzas merecen más cuidado que "improvisar". No espere hasta noviembre para prepararse para sus gastos navideños. Siga leyendo para aprender cómo mantener sus finanzas organizadas durante la temporada navideña.
Tackle Major Debt Before Hand. Nothing can put a damper on holiday cheer like a ginormous snowball looming over you (and not the good kind). Lucky for you, there’s a few more weeks to either put all debt behind you or lower the current balance. This will make seasonal spending less painful.
Create a Holiday Spending Plan. When you have not established a spending plan BEFORE the season starts, it’s easy to spend more than you anticipated. By November 1, set a budget on gifts and a spending limit on holiday décor and food. This will keep your finances from feeling depleted in January.
Open a Dedicated Holiday Savings Account. You can open these accounts at any time of year – it’s never too early. In fact, McCoy offers the Christmas Club savings account for this exact purpose. With the Christmas Club account, you have access to the funds year-round. That means your money will be available to you any time you find a deal for someone on your list. Lastly, it earns dividends, which is more money back into your seasonal spending budget. How’s that for Christmas magic?
Price Compare for Your Ideal Gift. Stop! Take a moment before you add that item to your Amazon cart so you can compare prices. Most popular holiday gifts, especially the “toy of the season,” have a competitor selling the identical item or something similar. Be sure to browse other stores and take advantage of stores offering price matching. Some stores sell an item online cheaper than in-store. If you show it to the store clerk, typically they will honor the online price for you.
Increase Your Income. Sometimes budgeting out your main source of income is not the best option for keeping more money in your pocket. Consider getting a seasonal position at a retail store or picking up odd jobs for your neighbors. Seasonal gigs have a low commitment, and the money you make can be allocated to holiday gifts.
Save the Extra. Workers on a biweekly pay schedule get an extra paycheck twice a year. This is because of how the standard payroll falls into the 52-week calendar year. Which two months of the year will vary depending on the date of the year’s first paycheck. Whenever this happens for you, don’t spend that money. Instead, put it into your Christmas Club or savings account. Alternatively, consider paying down your credit card balance, as previously mentioned, to make Christmas shopping easier this year.
There is no time like the present and the holiday season means giving lots of presents. It is never too early to start preparing for large expenditures. Remember: Your greatest asset in financial wellness is the gift of time.
