Although I’m not a spendthrift, I feel as if I never have enough money in my bank account. Because I’m setting aside cash in order to buy a new home, I’m always searching for ways to decrease my monthly expenses. Fortunately, through my research, I’ve found some great, simple tips that provide substantial savings over time. For instance, I turn off my HVAC unit whenever I’m traveling. I also conserve gasoline by running all of my errands for the week on the same day. On this blog, I hope you will discover some easy, painless ways to lower your regular monthly bills. Enjoy!
Holiday shopping can be expensive, and people sometimes turn to credit cards as a way to afford to buy gifts for everyone on their shopping lists. If you don't have a credit card or you don't want to use one to do your holiday shopping, here are three alternatives you can use to make sure you get the gifts you want to purchase without having to pull out a credit card at the checkout counter.
Payday Advances
Payday advances are short-term loans that are essentially taken out against your paycheck. The lending company advances you a percentage of your paycheck and withdraws the payments from your bank account automatically over the course of your upcoming paychecks. In some cases, you can determine the number of pay periods you would like to pay the loan back over, and in other cases, the loan company will give you a set time frame for repayment. The loan company will also let you know how much interest you can expect to be charged. If at all possible, plan to pay the loan back early to save some money on accruing interest. Be sure to figure out your budget for shopping and bills in advance, and only take a loan for what you need. Contact a company like EZ Check Advance to learn more about payday advances.
Lay-Away
Some department and discount store chains offer lay-away options. This type of program lets you shop for the items you want and place them on hold at the store. You can then make regular payments up until the end of the lay-away agreement. Once everything is paid off, you can take the items you chose home with you. Be sure you understand how long you have to pay everything off, and don't forget to make each payment on time. Stores will sometimes cancel the lay-away agreement and place your items back on the store's sales floor if you miss a payment.
Holiday Savings Accounts
Some banks offer short-term savings accounts for the holidays. These accounts let you put a little bit of money aside throughout the year so you can withdraw it when you are ready to do your holiday shopping. Look for a bank that offers interest on your savings account so your shopping funds can grow throughout the year, and try as best as you can not to touch the money until you are ready to shop.
No matter which option you choose, it's important for you to create a holiday shopping budget. Set an amount you absolutely won't spend over, and stick with it. Plan out your shopping ahead of time by watching the different holiday sales and determining the best price you can get for each item. With a little work and a bit of planning, you can surprise everyone on your holiday shopping list without having to use a credit card.
Share25 July 2016
