Bankruptcy Lawyer | 10 Simple Ways to Stretch Your Holiday Budget Pt. 2

 

Bankruptcy Lawyer | Make your own gifts. From baked goods to holiday decorations to clothing, there are plenty of homemade gifts those on your list would be happy to get.

Use cash for your purchases. Credit cards can shield you from the real cost of your holiday purchases, so use cash whenever you can. Be sure to keep your receipts, and always keep your holiday spending cash in a safe place.

Make a list before you go out. Shopping without a list is a recipe for financial disaster, and a sure way to fall prey to impulse purchases. Make, and stick to, a shopping list on every holiday excursion.

Track your spending as you go. Every time you shop, add up all your purchases and compare the amount to your pre-established holiday budget. This will help you know where you stand – and how much shopping you have left to do.

Know the difference between a low price and a great value. Everyone loves a bargain, but a low price on a cheap piece of junk is nothing to get excited about. If you want to buy holiday presents that will last, you need to know the difference between the lowest price and the best value.

 . Next year, start planning early. If you can put an extra $10 or $20 from each paycheck into your Christmas savings account, you could have hundreds of extra dollars to spend by the time shopping season rolls around.

Holiday shopping can be a lot of fun, and if you know your limits, it can be. Setting a budget, paying in cash and being an educated consumer can all help you stretch your holiday spending this season.

Max Gardner represents debtors, creditors, trustees, and creditors’ committees in Chapters 7, 11, 12 and 13. He has extensive bankruptcy litigation experience in trying cases involving discharge ability of debts, preferences, fraudulent conveyances, objections to claims, objections to exemptions, plan confirmation and a variety of other actions obtaining declaratory relief from the Bankruptcy Court. He also practices general debtor/creditor law in Kern County Superior Court. He is a long-time member of the Bankruptcy Dispute Resolution Panel for the United States Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of California.

Mr. Gardner’s law office is located at 1925 G Street in Bakersfield, CA. Office phone: 661-888-4335