The holiday season is full of enticing opportunities to spend. Everything looks sparkly and shiny, but the tinsel and the glitter could burn a hole in the wallet.
Here are a few shopping traps to resist this holiday season.
Chill on the Gift Wrapping: Half of the fun of opening presents is tearing off the pretty decorative paper, ribbons and bows, but these extras can add up. Instead of racking up $100s on gift wrapping paper and bags, save the ones from last year and recycle. It’s not a faux pas anymore, and will save you in the long run.
Trim the Tree and the Gift List: Hopefully, by now making a list is a given. Impulse shopping will most certainly lead to post-holiday debt. It’s important to take a second, even third look at the list before stepping out of the door and see where cuts can be made. If any item on the list is there because the shopper feels guilty, it must go — negative emotions lead to overspending.
Shopping Does Not Equal Celebrating: Spending during the holiday season does not necessarily mean that the season is being celebrated. Instead of going crazy in the aisles because everything looks and feels festive, remember that the true celebrating is spending the time with the people you love and the higher power you serve. Keeping those things in perspective should keep your spending in check.