Before You Go Shopping this Holiday Season...

Read my blog! Just kidding. Well let's face it you really should!

Welcome back to our little corner of the Web.

So, who is excited about shopping for the holidays? I am I am and so should you because I'm going to do my best to make it easier for you. If you've been to your local mall just after Halloween, chances are you've already been bombarded with all the holiday decorations, along with Santa posters and wish lists that go on and on.

With all the money you spend on gifts, holiday flights and parties, it's no reason this is the time of jolliness for retailers. But before you go out and spend all you're savings, here are a few things you should know that are sure to help you save money, time and keep your credit in tact, all in time for the new year.

The first rule of thumb for holiday shopping:  pay in cash for as many things as you possibly can. Paying with money, frees you from credit card interests, increasing your debt, but most importantly it keeps you in the know of how much you're spending right at the moment. Say you have $300 worth of merchandise before you check out, you might be inclined to take out a few unnecessary items, while waiting in line if you are paying with money instead of with a charge card. It's quite simple folks, letting go of actual money from your hand is harder than handing over plastic.

Guess what's back? Layaway plans are! These things are making a comeback just like the Republicans did during this past mid-term election. Now I'm not saying there are layaway plans available at Bloomies or Nordstrom, but you sure can find them at Kmart, Toys "R" Us and Burlington Coat Factory, which are great places to pick up toys and electronics. Before you layaway, make sure you clearly understand the terms of each stores' policy, as it does differ. And be sure that you can afford what you are putting away. Layaway isn't a shortcut to getting everything you want, but can't afford.

The second most important thing you should do is review all the interest rates on your cards, before you hit the streets. Winning half the battle against debt is knowing what you're best options are.

The next two tips go hand in hand, well sorta. As you're going over your list of who's been naughty or nice, try to do all your shopping in one store and if you can apply for a charge card that allows you to save up to 20 % like Macy's does, go for it. Don't get charge happy though, use credit cards responsibly and pay it off as soon as possible. That can even be one of your New Year's resolutions.

If you feel like you can't condense the majority of your shopping to one store, then pick out the credit card with the lowest interest rate and try to keep all your holiday spending on that one card. This helps you track  how much money you've spent and if the card has a low interest it will help you from paying those crazy interest charges later on. Pretty simple, huh. I'm not professing rocket science here, all these things are very simple and plain, but a lot of the time are forgotten.

Holidays and parties are like the white on rice. They just go together. Just don't charge your card, while you're partying. Do not, I repeat do not use your credit card to pay for anything after midnight. Creditors have completed extensive research that indicates most charges made by Americans after midnight are made by people who are under the influence.  As a night of celebration progresses, you begin to lose your good judgment and are more prone to making poor decisions, such as buying a round of drinks for everyone at the bar. Public service announcement # 2: don't drink and drive this holiday season or ever. Thanks!

Additional money and time saving tips:

• Be sure to make a list of people you need to buy gifts for, as well as a  couple ideas of what you'd like to get for each individual and finish the list by including a budget of what you'd like to spend (by budgeting your money you are really saving your precious time, which should be spent with your loved ones and not in the jungles that are shopping malls.)
• Always ask stores, if they offer gift boxes or free wrapping services in order to save you some money on these items because wrapping your gifts gets pricey. If you're a creative individual make your own gift wrapping paper by drawing your own designs on recycled brown paper.
• Start your shopping now! Don't wait until the last minute when items are out of stock and stores are in a frenzy.
•  Black Friday isn't your only option for the biggest sale of the year. Go viral on Cyber Monday  and save just as much money from the comfort of your home or office.

I hope that all of you have a pleasant shopping experience. And as always, if there is anything that you do every holiday shopping season, please let me know, it can make it onto next year's list.

Stay tuned for more things to come these upcoming months and keep your peepers open for the debut of my next blog coming very soon!

"Once again, we come to the Holiday Season, a deeply religious time that each of us observes, in his own way, by going to the mall of his choice."