When it comes to the “Season of Giving”, many of us “give” our credit cards the workout of the year, then end up “giving” ourselves a coronary when the bills come in.
How can we truly celebrate the “giving” of this season and stay out of debt?
Kevin Arrington, a financial education coach with ABNB Federal Credit Union joins Quincy and Patricia to give us some tips on how to have a great holiday without breaking the bank.
The first tip is to create a budget and adhere to it. Living within our means can be tough during the holidays, so giving yourself actual unwavering guidelines can help.
Create a list, write it down, and (the important part) stick to it. Having a list gives you visual focus for your spending.
It clears up some of the mental noise the holidays can bring, and it is super satisfying when you cross items off.
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If you do over-do it during the holidays, you want your bills off as soon as possible.
If you are fortunate enough to get a tax refund or even a bonus at work, Kevin recommends using that to pay off any debt.
In this age of online shopping, Kevin also recommends that you keep a close eye on your credit cards.
Identity theft is no longer uncommon, nor is the “hijacking” of credit card info which can be used by hackers to make purchases and cash advances.
Be sure to closely monitor your statements, both credit and banking, and notify the lenders immediately if you find any unfamiliar charges.
Finally, if you do end up with more credit card debt than you are comfortable with check the interest on your credit cards.
If it is high, consider transferring the balance to another card. Many companies have balance transfer options. Make sure to check out what ABNB has to offer!
Pick the plan that works best for you, and make sure to have a very happy holiday season.
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