Diario Libre shares its tips to avoid going way over budget during this year’s Christmas and New Year’s festivities.
The first one is to make a budget and stick to it. This should include your gift list as well as your normal running expenses — water, lights, gas, and phones.
One way to avoid reaching the limit of credit cards is to use the BNPL technique, which is simply “buy now; pay later” because payments are smaller and generally have little or no interest tacked on.
Of course, this is not to be abused. One trap to avoid is called FOMO—Fear Of Missing Out—and refers to special deals and sales. This is generally not going to happen, so it is better to stick to the budget and not fear missing out on a deal.
Then there is the possibility of getting a new credit card, one that offers a few months of no interest. However, one must be careful, since at the end of the grace period the interest rates kick in and are generally quite high.
Finally, there is the most obvious: Use the Internet. Online shopping is growing every day, and in reality it allows price comparisons.
Good luck and Merry Christmas.
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Diario Libre
11 December 2023