5 Tricks to avoid overspending this holiday season
It’s the season to be merry especially if you
just received your bonus this early, and now you’re just too excited to spend
it on this and that, go on a shopping spree, or give gifts to your family, friends,
or even to random people – sounds good, because you have a lot to spend so you
won’t end up broke this season, right?
NOT. The truth is, you can’t
truly spend just enough without a
plan.
So, how do you plan it out? Perhaps you’ve been reading too many
budgeting tips since the –ber months started, so you might have noticed by now
what they have in common. If you’re
trying to come up with a Christmas spending strategy, but you’re flooded with
the hundreds of advices that you don’t know what to follow anymore, go back to
basics and keep it simple. Make your funds work with you with these five
straightforward tips.
1. Do your
pre-Christmas cleanup. There’s
more to it than just decluttering your closet.
Cleaning before Christmas will help you find the stuff you barely or
never used—those that take up too much of your space. Try selling them. Or give them to friends or family
members. How about give them away as
charity gifts? You can also draw ideas
from the things you’ll find: What do I
have here? What do I NOT have here? What more do I need?
2. Make a
list. We know there are too
many gift ideas you’d like to try, but before you rush in to Christmas shopping
without a battle plan, you might want to think twice. Identify what’s worth your budget – if you
already set a budget! Making a list (and
checking it twice) is a must when you’re playing Santa Claus for this
season. It will help you plan and keep
track of your spending, and most importantly, help you avoid impulse buying.
3. Check
online. Now that you know what you need, you might
also aim for a cheaper version or an alternative. From the many hours you spend on social
media, try to take at least 30 minutes of it to research on the items you want
to buy. This will give you info about
the product, or maybe if you know where to look, you’ll even find good
deals. So by the time you do the real
shopping in a physical store, you’ll know the price range and specifications of
your items. This will save your precious
time!
4. Take
advantage of promos and discounts.
You know the best thing about online research? You get to discover more affordable
options. If you already set a spending
limit to your Christmas shopping, then buying things on sale or availing of
promos might just be good for you; with cheaper purchases or installment
promos, you’ll get a chance to add more items to your list without exceeding
that limit.
5. Set your
budget. Stick to it. Have we mentioned this already? —Let us say
it again: avoid impulse buying. You’ve already tidied up your closet, made a
list, checked online, so now you know what you’re going to buy when you visit
the mall.
We know self-control is hard to practice when
you find something that really appeals to you, but staying within your limits
is crucial if you don’t want to overspend.
If you really can’t help it, remind yourself of #4. And you’d be surprised – you may even get the
product you want by paying through monthly installments that fit your budget.
Installments?
But I have no credit card! Don’t worry, we’ve got your back! Home Credit lets you easily afford the things
that matter to you. Even without a
credit card, you can pay for it through installments at 0% interest. Through a simple, easy, and fast process, you
can take home that item you want and still have a budget to spare.
Now if you succeeded with these tips, why don’t
you reward yourself with that spare budget?
You deserve it!
The tricks to avoid overspending take less
effort and more diligence in staying inside your budget. So if you already set a limit to your
spending but can’t stop yourself from buying the things that interest you,
check your available resources, make your list, and do your research – you
might find good deals that are just waiting for you!
For
more info about Home Credit’s promos, loan applications, and store locations,
visit www.homecredit.ph.
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