How to Keep Holiday Shopping from Draining Your Finances

Posted on November 23, 2022 by VP of Marketing and Business Development Jessica

If you’re stressed and money is a worry this holiday season, you’re not alone. According to a recent survey, 61% of Americans worry about extra spending during the holidays. Last year, 1 in 3 consumers went into debt after the holidays. Half of those consumers took 3 months to pay their holiday spending back, while others needed 5 months to pay it back.

Keep reading to find out a few ways you can financially prepare this year, and soften the blow to your budget.

Be sure to set a strict holiday budget

The first thing you want to do, is see if you can figure out how much you spent last year during the holidays and look at the gifts, food, and decorations you bought. Did your shopping last year leave you financially strapped and did it take multiple months to pay off? If so, you’ll want to rethink this year’s spending.

Create a gift idea list and approximate costs for this year. If you can’t afford the grand total on your monthly income after your necessities are paid (housing, utilities, food, gas, etc.) you will need to reconfigure your list. You also don’t want to stray from your list, once it’s done it needs to be done – don’t keep spending money on extra items.

Think of ways you might be able to cut back this year – do you really need to buy gifts for every person in your family or for all your friends? Perhaps in a larger family or a group of friends you can suggest doing a Secret Santa with an affordable purchase limit. This way you’re only buying one gift instead of multiple. In your group of friends, can you skip giving each other gifts and just go out to dinner or have a potluck meal together at someone’s home instead? These are all ways to keep your holiday spending budget down.

Take a look at your regular spending habits

In November and December you might need to cut back on your regular entertainment or dining out expenses in order to put those funds toward holiday gifts. How often do you go out to eat, stop at the nearest drive thru for a seasonal coffee, or use delivery services like DoorDash? These purchases can really add up. Try to cut back or cut them out altogether during the holiday season, and use that money toward your gift list instead.

The same goes for other entertainment expenses. Take a look at your subscription and streaming services – how many services are you paying for and are you even using them during such a busy time of year? Maybe pausing them for a month or two will pay for another gift on your shopping list.

Add to your monthly income

Do you have any extra availability on nights or weekends to pick up a part-time job for the holidays? Depending upon where you work, you may even gain an employee discount to help you save a little on gifts you can buy. You’d also be able to bring in additional income to help you afford holiday expenses.

Do your research on sales and discounts

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are coming up, but many retailers will also offer sales and promotions all season long. Be sure to research the retailers you plan to purchase from this year, follow them on social media and sign up for their emails. A lot of times, signing up for emails or texts gets you a first-time enrollment discount too. If you know you’d like to purchase gifts from a particular store, check your email in the morning and see if they have any promotions, coupons, or discounts going on that day.

Don’t forget your rewards credit card

Do you have a rewards credit card that offers cash back for purchases during the year or offers merchandise and gift cards? Login to your account before you start shopping for gifts. If you have money you can redeem for cash back, you can use these funds to buy gifts on your list. If your rewards credit card has a merchandise catalog you can redeem points earned for or merchant gift cards, cash in and you might be able to check some more off your gift list!

Our First Financial Cash Plus Cards offer cash back, merchandise, retailer gift cards, travel experiences and more – through uChoose Rewards. Learn more and apply today!**

Plan ahead for next year

It’s never too early to start saving money. If you don’t want to feel stressed about the holidays again next year, look for ways you can start saving now. For instance, at First Financial we have a Holiday Savings Account which can help you save for all your holiday expenses during the year. This account will allow you to have money deducted from each of your paychecks and sent to your Holiday Savings Account. Come next October, it will have accrued for you all year long and be available for you to use.

Don’t let the holiday season become stressful or a drain on your budget. With careful planning and saving – you’ll find you can afford the extra expenses this time of year often brings, and help spread some holiday cheer at the same time!

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*A $5 deposit in a base savings account is required for credit union membership prior to opening any other account. All personal memberships are part of the Rewards First program and a $5 per month non-participation fee is charged to the base savings account for memberships not meeting the minimum requirements of the program. Click here to view full Rewards First program details. Some restrictions apply, contact the Credit Union for more information.

**APR varies up to 18% for the Visa® Cash Plus Card when you open your account based on your credit worthiness. This APR is for purchases and will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate. Subject to credit approval. Rates quoted assume excellent borrower credit history. Your actual APR may vary based on your state of residence, approved loan amount, applicable discounts and your credit history. No Annual Fees. Other fees that apply: Balance Transfer and Cash Advance Fees of 3% or $10, whichever is greater; Late Payment Fee of $29, $10 Card Replacement Fee, and Returned Payment Fee of $29. A First Financial membership is required to obtain a Visa® Credit Card and is available to anyone who lives, works, worships, volunteers, or attends school in Monmouth or Ocean Counties. A $5 deposit in a base savings account is required for credit union membership prior to opening any other account/loan.

Tips for Creating and Sticking to Your Holiday Budget

Posted on November 23, 2021 by VP of Marketing and Business Development Jessica

It’s that time of year again! Here are some budget conscious shopping tips as we head into the holiday season.

Set a Spending Limit: Before you start to shop, decide on an amount that you are comfortable with and can afford to spend on gifts this year. Be realistic and firm, and stick to this spending limit throughout the holiday season. Don’t forget to also factor in your regular monthly bills that will need to be paid during this time.

Don’t Forget You Might Need to Buy Other Items Besides Gifts: Other factors to include in your holiday spending budget might be travel, gift wrap, decorations, food, and clothing. These items may be outside of the holiday gifts you are purchasing, but can still add up and blow your holiday budget if you forget about them.

Do Your Research: Before you head out to the store or make an online purchase, do your research. How much do the things on your list cost, and are there any promotions or online deals you can take advantage of to save money? If the items on your list are ones you have purchased in the past, see if you have previous receipts or online order emails to remind yourself how much the items cost or where you purchased them.

Make a List: At the beginning of the season, make a gift list with one or two ideas for each person – within your budget of course. Try to create this list as soon as possible, so that if any of the items on it are on sale – you can get them early and at a discount. Be sure to also stick to your list – once it’s made, it’s made. Try not to buy extras or overspend.

Scale Back: If you’re on a tight budget and your gift list includes many people outside of immediate family or kids, you might need to consider cutting your gift list. Instead, you can always try a homemade gift that’s much less expensive for adults outside of immediate family (baking cookies, crafting something personalized) to save your holiday spending budget.

Try Secret Santa: If you have a rather large family or a big friend group – you can always try the Secret Santa gift method. This way you won’t have to buy an individual gift for everyone – you can simply pick one name out of a Santa hat, the group will set the spend limit together as a whole so it’s the same for all, and then you only have to buy one gift.

Compare Prices: Once your list is made, start doing some comparison shopping to see where you can purchase the items that will save you the most money. Check out early Black Friday deals (which many retailers have been participating in for 2021), Black Friday sales, Cyber Monday savings, and online coupons. Be sure to also sign up for emails with the retailers you plan to shop with this year, as well as follow their social media pages to keep an eye out for timely promotions.

Track Your Spending: Once you start purchasing gifts, keep a tally of how much you are spending to make sure you are in line with your original budget. Keep this as up to date as possible so you know how much you’ve spent and what is still left to buy.

Happy Holidays!

Article Source: News 12 New Jersey

Tips for Holiday Shopping on a Budget

Posted on December 10, 2019 by VP of Marketing and Business Development Jessica

‘Tis the season…to avoid going broke buying presents for your loved ones. It’s easy to do, right? Sometimes we get carried away and spend more money than we intended to. You don’t want to look like a cheap gift giver, but you also don’t want to buy the whole store either. So, how do you buy awesome gifts for everyone on your list without breaking the bank? We have a few tips to help keep your wallet full this holiday season.

Make a List, Check it Twice. Hey, the process works for Santa so it can work for you too! Start with a list of people you plan to buy for, jot down the gifts you think they’ll love and then check it twice. Santa has to buy gifts for the whole world, but you don’t have to. If your shopping list includes more than five people outside of your immediate family, trim your list. Look at alternatives like homemade gifts or baked goods so you can spread holiday cheer without looking like a Scrooge or going broke.

Create a Budget Based on Your Finances. Your best friend started a great job a few years ago and always gets you the most amazing gifts. However, if you’re in a different place in your financial life, don’t overextend yourself to match another’s gifts. Look at your budget and see what you can do. Don’t shop based on what you think you should spend. The saying “it’s the thought that counts” really does ring true here. It’s still possible to give thoughtful gifts to your loved ones without going into debt.

Take Advantage of Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Online Deals. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the busiest shopping days of the year. And for good reason – those are the two days you can get the best deals and save the most money. Electronics and toys are usually highly desired items on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, so if those are on your list, don’t miss the discounts. However if you did miss these two shopping days this year, keep checking your list and retailers’ websites and promotional emails – a lot of the time they end up extending their Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales or even offering new discounts in the weeks leading up to December 25^th.

Keep It Local. Shopping local is a great way to save a little cash while also supporting local businesses. Because there are fewer hands involved, buying local can often save you some money. You’ll likely save by purchasing green beans from a produce stand because the farmer doesn’t have to divvy up profits the way a chain supermarket does. It’s also a great way to improve your local economy. Plus, shopping at local businesses helps to improve your town’s economy. Follow your local news and check Facebook pages in your area to see what businesses are offering locally made products.

We know that holiday shopping can be stressful. You’re paying your regular bills, taking care of your regular expenses, and planning for holiday shopping on top of that. It can be tempting to open multiple credit cards or store cards, which often come with incredibly high interest rates. Don’t get stuck paying big balances on multiple cards. We have numerous options that can help you fund your holiday shopping without breaking the bank!

Let us help. Stop by, check out our website or give us a call to see what money saving options we have to help you this holiday season.