Holiday savings

After the presents are stowed away and the scent of the Christmas tree is still in the air it’s tempting to continue to consume and shop. The malls are full of people exchanging and returning their gifts as well as hunting for the best deals. More so than any time of the year it is common to shop for hours and bring home bags and bags of unnecessary items.

Instead of running out and spending the holiday money that’s burning a hole in your pocket, put it in the bank and leave it in there for a few weeks before you even think about touching it. With the after holiday sales it’s tempting to buy things you don’t need. Avoid the temptation by not going shopping and by forcing yourself to keep your money for a set amount of time. Better yet, challenge yourself to not buy anything new (excluding food a d necessities) for the first month of the new year. Make a list of what you want and need and put it away for a couple of weeks. After that time check back and make sure you still see a need for the items. When you are ready to go shopping and get something from your list, don’t be tempted to go for impulse buys.