With the holiday season just around the corner, you might want to keep those funds smooth and steady. After all, there’s going to be a hell of a lot of shopping, gifting, and paying bills. This is why now would be the right time to cook up a money-saving strategy, and more importantly, stick to it!

Kira auf der Heide/Unsplash | With the holiday season just around the corner, now is the right time to cook up a money-saving strategy

During this time of the year, the number of debt borrowers increases like a swing. The reason being, excessive usage of plastic money and credit cards. So, how can you tackle any debt that comes your way?

Here are some expert tips.

#1 – Make a list

Take note of the people you’re buying for and fix how much you would like to spend for all of them. Make proper lists well in advance, and take notes even if you’ve already shopped for them so that you don’t end up shopping twice.

At the end of the entire occasion, that list will come in handy to adjust finances. This is exactly why you shouldn’t wait until your entire shopping is done. Try staying ahead of time, it’ll help you manage things better and be on track.

#2 – Reward points on cash and credit

If you have enough credit card rewards that have been sitting in your account, now is the nicest time to make the best out of them. Consider using these reward points in order to pay for your gifts instead of using cash or credit cards. You can also look up apps and browser extensions that provide coupons and reward points for shopping with them. Try out apps like Honey or Rakuten.

Artem Beliaikin/Unsplash | If you have enough credit card rewards that have been sitting in your account, now is the nicest time to make the best out of them

#3 – Be mindful with your credit card

Be careful while using your credit cards and be mindful of when the due dates need to be covered. In order to keep things simpler and more decluttered, consider using only one card.

If you use multiple payment sources, you’ll spread your payments and all of them will have different due dates. The key here is to be aware of and repay your debts before the due date. You must pay the entire debt at once and avoid racking it up.

Mark OFlynn/Unsplash | Be careful while using your credit cards and be mindful of when the due dates need to be covered

#4 – Prioritize your important payments

Just in case you wind up with a bunch of debts, make it a point to repay all the highest rate interest cards first. If the amount of debt sits overwhelmingly heavy on your pocket, try consolidating it with a balance transfer card that has zero or minimal interest rate.

Be easy on yourself

The holiday season is all about enjoying yourself with your friends and family. So, if you end up overspending, don’t be way too hard on yourself despite all your efforts. Just consider it a costly learning experience and redirect your mind and energy to make more solid plans for the next season.

Minnie Lane