This is my third blog on Xmas 2011. In this blog you will find Tips for keeping Christmas holiday
Stress in control. If you do control this now, this will affect your health in January 2012 onwards.
As we are approaching 2011 winter Christmas holidays - the fourth straight season set against a backdrop of economic uncertainly. North Americans remain fixated on finances: their own and that of the nation. That is why lot of people are even more intent on watching their dollars, shopping on a set budget and, of course, bargain-hunting.
Tips to help you stay on budget and on less stress this holiday season:
1. Use plastic (credit card) with care
Try to resist the temptation to charge more than you can afford or you'll be nursing a debt hangover long after the holidays are over. Only take the bait for a store credit card and its one-time extra
savings if you're buying something expensive and know you can pay the balance on time and in full. Store credit cards typically carry interest rates of 20 percent or higher. To avoid lowering your credit score, don't apply for more than one store card in a season.
2. Paying cash the best choice
Shoppers who use credit cards spend more on holiday gifts than those who don't, we've found time and again in our shopper surveys. Stores don't have to pay a transaction fee for cash purchases, as they do with debit and credit cards, so you might be able to get a discount if you pay with cash, particularly on big-ticket items. Lord & Taylor still accepts personal checks in its branches, and if layaway appeals to you, Kmart, Sears, and Wal-Mart have programs.
3. Taking warranty is not good idea
Our years of surveying consumers have confirmed that extended warranties for most electronics and household appliances aren't worth the money. Those items usually don't break during their warranty period, and if they do, the average cost of repair isn't much more than the cost of an average
warranty. And extended warranties often have loopholes, such as not covering problems caused by wear and tear. However, a plan that covers theft or accidental damage might be worth considering for a laptop, netbook, or tablet you'll use on the go. Also know that some credit-card providers—
notably American Express—offer extended warranty protection on products purchased with the card.
4. Shiping for free
Online shoppers can stay on budget by taking advantage of free shipping offers, many of which are listed at FreeShipping.org. The site also sponsors Free Shipping Day, Dec. 16, one of the last opportunities for online shoppers to get free shipping from popular retailers for delivery by Dec. 24. Merchants who have signed on include the Apple Online Store, Bed Bath & Beyond, eBags, Kohl's, Lands' End, REI, Zales, and Ghirardelli and Godiva chocolate’s.
5. Bargaining online or in the shop
We've said it before, not enough people try their hand at Bargaining. In one of our recent surveys, shoppers who said they haggled at walk-in stores saved an average of $82. You can also haggle
online. Nearly three of five survey respondents were successful in scoring a price break. A third of them negotiated with a retailer by phone vs. 29 percent through e-mails, and 13 percent by online chat.
6. Exercise
Make sure you do some Exercise in holidays time, this will keep you mentally and physically fit.
