Financial Advisor Gives Tips On How To Have A Debt-Free Holiday Season
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) — One of the biggest shopping weekends of the year is just days away and while it's tempting to take advantage of the deep discounts on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, spending can quickly get out of hand.
"You've got to have a plan," said financial advisor Steve Ringo with Dewitt & Dunn Financial Services in Dallas. "Set forth a budget on what you're trying to buy and make sure you stay within that plan."
If you don't, Ringo says all that splurging could cause your finances to suffer year-round.
He recommends making a list of things you actually need to buy before you start shopping, and avoid impulse purchases — even if the deal seems too good to pass up.
"Take a breath and realize it's not just about accumulating," said Ringo. "It's about if I really want something, hopefully it's something I've been planning for, and then you can take advantage of the discounts."
New data from RetailMeNot shows 85% of consumers surveyed plan to shop this weekend, from Black Friday to Cyber Monday. On average, they'll spend $738.
According to Ringo, one of the worst things you can is put all your holiday shopping on a credit card, without a plan to pay it off in full. Gifts will get a lot more expensive when you add up the interest accrued.
"The last thing you want to do is go into 2020 with $1,500, $2,000 or $3,000 in debt," he said. "We want to start fresh."
Then it will be easier to start setting aside money early to cover next year's holiday spending, so you can get through the season debt-free.
