PHOENIX, AZ — (Marketwire) — 11/30/11 — Every holiday season, millions of Americans spend above their means. So the temporary feel-good high of giving big to the ones we love ends up hurting more than helping. “It-s self-defeatist to overspend to make loved ones feel good when the result makes you feel worse in the long run,” says Meredith Simonds of . “I-m talking about worst-case scenarios that all-too-often come true, from to .”
To avoid overspending, try to:
This means leaving and debit cards at home. Know your budget for the day-s spending and take no more cash than that on your shopping trip.
Take your time with it, carefully choosing the right item (at the right price) for everyone you want to buy for this year.
To be more specific, shop with a friend who has your best financial interest at heart. When you-re tempted to go over or make an impulse buy, they can help keep you on track.
If it-s not on your list, that sale item isn-t saving you anything. Unless you buy the sale item to replace something else you planned to buy.
For example, if you planned on spending twenty dollars on something but find it for fifteen, stop there. As long as you got the item you were looking for, don-t feel you need to spend the full twenty dollars.
. You-ve know the prompt at checkout asking you to enter a promo code? Rather than skipping over this option, simply do an online search for one, such as, “[name of store] promotional code.”
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