'Tis the Season...for Overspending: WomensWallStreet.com Offers Tips to Avoid Spending Yourself into the Abyss.NEW YORK New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of -- The countdown has begun, the stores are getting into gear and now is the time to really get serious about the holidays. Here are some statistics you should know going into the holiday shopping season: Shoppers generally spend between $750 and $1,700 annually and routinely exceed their holiday budget by 15 - 30 percent. As much as 60 percent of holiday shopping goes on credit cards and individual credit card debt Credit card debt is an example of unsecured consumer debt, accessed through ISO 7810 plastic credit cards. Debt results when a client of a credit card company purchases an item or service through the card system. is growing...meaning some of us are still paying for Christmas 1998. With these statistics in mind, WomensWallStreet.com offers 7 tips to help you and your pocketbook survive the 2004 holiday season: --1. Make a list and check it twice! Do you really need to buy a gift for your husband's cousin's best friend Bob? Make a list of everyone you want to buy a gift for, then go back and circle those you must buy a gift for. Then, set a reasonable amount to spend on each person and stick to it. --2. Watch for "free shipping" at your favorite online stores. Many e-stores, like Amazon.com, offer free shipping to a single address for totals over $25. These free shipping options generally mean longer shipping times, so don't wait until the last minute. --3. Buy "extra gifts" to avoid last minute shopping. Most moms have a "gift closet" where they've stored goodies for last-minute birthday parties (you know, the ones your kids forgot to tell you about). Expand the concept to Christmas and Hanukkah. Good ideas are sets of playing cards playing cards, parts of a set or deck, used in playing various games of chance or skill. The origin of playing cards is unknown, and almost as many theories exist as there are historians of the subject. , interesting reference books ("The New Way Things Work" by David Macaulay makes a great gift for guys of almost any age) and really nice candles. Stock up on a few items of this nature and you won't find yourself at the mall at 6 p.m. on December 24 desperate to buy anything at any price. The same goes for last-minute online and catalogue orders. Those overnight shipping charges really start adding up. --4. When you do shop, do your best to pay cash. If you must use credit cards, bring only two: one with a zero percent rate for purchases you will pay off in full when you receive the bill and one with a low rate for purchases you will pay off in three-to-six months. --5. Keep a tally of your purchases, have a budget for each person and stick to it! Use a check register, a small notebook or the back of cocktail napkin napkin See Sanitary napkin. , it doesn't matter. Knowing what you are spending as you shop will prevent you from post holiday stress syndrome when you get your credit card bill in January. --6. Combine charitable giving and gift giving. Most local PBS PBS in full Public Broadcasting Service Private, nonprofit U.S. corporation of public television stations. PBS provides its member stations, which are supported by public funds and private contributions rather than by commercials, with educational, cultural, stations sell gift subscriptions. You get the deduction for the contribution and the person to whom you're giving the membership often receives a premium such as a CD, cap or T-shirt as well as a membership card that can be used for discounts at participating merchants. The same is also true for memberships at museums, local arts groups and zoos. --7. Don't forget about Uncle Sam Uncle Sam, name used to designate the U.S. government. The term arose in the War of 1812 and seems at first to have been used derisively by those opposed to the war. Possibly it was an expansion of the letters "U.S. . Think about giving a gift that will lower your 2004 taxes. In addition to the charitable contributions you made as gifts in the form of public radio and TV memberships, museums and zoos, think about donating funds in a friend or family member's name to the Salvation Army Salvation Army, Protestant denomination and international nonsectarian Christian organization for evangelical and philanthropic work. Organization and Beliefs The Salvation Army has established branches in 100 countries throughout the world. or the American Cancer Society American Cancer Society, n.pr established in 1913, this national volunteer-based health organization is committed to the elimination of cancer through prevention and treatment and to diminishing cancer suffering through advocacy, scholarship, research, . About WomensWallStreet.com WomensWallStreet.com is an objective, unique and entertaining source for reliable and expert information on all things financial, including career advice, balancing family and work, becoming a savvy investor, saving for retirement and much more. Coming Soon: The WomensWallStreet.com relaunch Relaunch can refer to several things:
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