Have you started to think about this year’s holiday shopping? Before you know it, Thanksgiving will be here – along with Black Friday and Cyber Monday, two of the biggest holiday shopping days of the calendar year. Even though Halloween was only a few weeks ago, this year’s holiday season will soon be in full swing, and here before you know it. If you’re in need of some extra cash for gifts this year, here are few tips to get you started.

Get ahead: If you’re buying something big and on the costly side, shopping on Black Friday or Cyber Monday may be your best bet. If you have a smaller list, start looking for deals as soon as possible. Take your time and don’t buy anything until you’ve done your research and found the best price. In December, you probably won’t be able to use this method. Whether you’re shopping for gifts, food, or holiday decorations – look early and find the best deals. They’re out there!

Pay in cash only: A digital wallet like Apple or Google Pay makes it easy to pay with your phone passcode when you’re in a store or even online. Venmo makes it simple to share money between friends and family. Amazon allows you to buy everything you need with the click of a button at any time. With all of this digital payment technology, even if you lock up your credit cards – your phone can still be a culprit for out-of-control spending. If you’re not usually the cash type, it’s time to become that way at least for the holiday season. Using cash is often a wake-up call for your spending habits. Set a dollar amount for your holiday budget, take out the cash, and when it’s time to spend it you will realize how strict you’ll instantly become.

Cut back everywhere: Whether it’s cutting back on going out to eat or dropping the thermostat a few degrees, having a few extra dollars to spend will be a pleasant surprise when you’re making your shopping list over the next few weeks. Maybe even think about shutting down your Hulu or Netflix accounts for a month or two while you’re shopping for the holidays and paying off holiday bills. You will be so busy you probably won’t even think about them and you’ll save money that you can use on gifts in the process.

Happy Holidays!

 Article Source: John Pettit for CUInsight.com