Yuletide comes with a lot of activities, as it is a season that is generally characterized by shopping, traveling, and lots of merriment.
For holiday shopping, a Yuletide survival guide is essential to help you avoid some of the biggest shopping mistakes and avoid overspending.
Here are four tips that can guide your shopping decisions this Christmas:
Create a holiday budget and stick to it!
As much as you want to have all the fun in the world, you need to create a vacation budget to help you manage your spending and make sure you don’t go broke.
You should make a list of what you want to buy and the amount you plan to spend on gifts. As you spend the money, subtract it from your total. This will help you stick to your vacation budget. It would be best to stop spending when you have used up all your vacation money.
Avoid debts
In everything you do, don’t go into debt. It’s tempting when you finally have the money to buy extravagant gifts for everyone on your list. You may want to buy an extra nice gift for your parents or a close friend, but try not to go overboard with everyone’s gift.
Always remember that a new year is coming up and there will always be expenses after the festivities are over.
Stay safe while shopping
Avoid moving with large amounts of money. The advent of debit cards and mobile banking has made it easy, so you can easily do without cash.
However, beware of scams and avoid sharing sensitive information, such as debit card numbers, bank verification numbers, and transaction PINs, while transferring funds or paying with a point-of-sale machine.
For bulk purchases, always plan your method of transporting your products from the market to your home. You may want to rent a van or explore other options if you don’t have a personal vehicle. Plans should be made before buying to help you manage logistics and save costs.
Beware of online scammers
To make shopping easier, you may need to shop online. For online purchases, patronize authentic sellers. Avoid pop-up ads that may contain malware. It is advisable to visit a reputable e-commerce site or online shopping website.
When paying, check that the site you are on is secure. The site address must begin with “https: //” with a closed padlock at the top of the browser window.
It is also recommended to ask your bank to establish a double precaution to make your purchase. It can be a confirmation through your bank’s mobile application or a code (One Time Password) received by SMS.