5 Unhealthy Christmas Shopping Habits
It’s not always the most wonderful time of the year.
We all have them – those unhealthy Christmas habits that year on year end up resulting in overspending and resentment. Christmas is supposed to be fun and enjoyable but thanks to bad shopping habits so many of us ruin it for ourselves and end up with a pretty nasty financial hangover well into the New Year and possibly even a bad credit situation that affects your future borrowing. However, this year there’s still time to change for the better. Look out for these 5 unhealthy Christmas shopping habits and stop yourself from making all the wrong choices this year.
- Doing all your Christmas shopping at the last minute
The argument is that buying everything you need on Christmas Eve is fun and lighthearted and festive. However, the reality is that this is when you’ll panic buy, overspend and exhaust yourself before the main event has even begun. Everything costs more at the last minute and the lack of choice you’re likely to encounter could leave you with no option but the most expensive gifts. Get started early this year and save yourself the cash and the heartache.
- Sentimental spending
Everyone wants this time of year to mean something. Plus, we all want to give something back to those we love, to show people how much they mean to us and maybe even to apologise for bad behaviour with a big gift. All of these have the potential to result in huge credit card bills and overspending and rarely do they have the desired effect. If you’re feeling sentimental this year then spend time with the people you love, write them an amazing letter or card or even a poem instead of spending big.
- Buying for everyone
Sometimes we can just get totally caught up in the festive atmosphere when we’re Christmas shopping and come home with multiple gifts that we didn’t really intend or need. Next-door’s cat really doesn’t need a present this year and you don’t have to buy something for every single person at work. Buy gifts for the people who matter and the people you want to give something to and try to keep the Santa impulse under control.
- Going mad on credit cards
It’s Christmas so it doesn’t matter, right? Wrong. You’re still going to have to pay interest on every one of those purchases and credit cards aren’t free money. Most of us know this at every other time of year but seem to forget that there are consequences to spending on a credit card, even at Christmas. If you’re going to do your Christmas shopping on a card then find one with 0% on purchases so you don’t have to pay interest. Plus, set yourself a max limit and stick to it.
- Getting sucked into the sales
A 75% discount on anything is very hard to resist, it’s true. And at this time of year the sales are starting to come thick and fast. It’s all too easy to find yourself surrounded by promotions and feel like you need to take advantage of them right now before you miss out. Buying what you don’t need or a lot of stuff you didn’t plan to buy – that’s a very unhealthy Christmas shopping habit, whether it’s 75% off or not.
