The holiday spending season is the time of the year everyone waits to gift their loved ones the things they wanted all year long. However, while tracking your spending is not a particularly fun activity, especially during Christmas time, it doesn’t mean that controlling your holiday spending is impossible.

The truth is that taking holiday spending under control is pretty simple. If you fix a few bad habits, you should be able to significantly decrease how much you spend. Here are 5 primary bad holiday spending habits you can start with along with a tip on how an installment loan in Delaware can assist you in tackling unexpected or emergency expenses.

Biggest Bad Holiday Spending Habits

1. Shopping Without A Budget

Have a clear limit to your holiday spending. That’s the biggest change you can make. Instead of making a list of what you want and need to buy and going through it regardless of how your finances look – set a certain amount of money aside and work within its confines. This way you’ll need to adjust your spending according to what you can afford. 

2. Shopping Without A List

Since we’ve mentioned lists – it’s smart to not go holiday shopping without one. Even if you don’t do budgeting, having a list can still help.

Spontaneous purchases are the biggest enemy to your budget during the holidays. So, even if you don’t have a set budget, you’re guaranteed to spend less if you stick to a pre-determined list. 

3. Buying Without Comparing Prices

Buying everything you need at the first store you visit may often result in overpaying since you don’t give yourself the chance to find the best price for each item.

Holidays are a great time to window shop! In fact, you should window shop before you start writing your shopping list because it will allow you to work with a variety of budget-friendly alternatives and help you save the most.

But even if you’ve got your heart set on certain items, you’re less likely to overpay if you look at multiple stores and compare prices.

4. Buying New When Old Can Be Used

Holiday décor, tree ornaments, tableware, and mugs tend to be a big expense line in the budget if you often buy themed décor every year. That means you may buy new decor, even if you still have old décor stored away.

This is not to say a new Christmas-themed mug will break the bank but do keep the holiday spending line for décor as small as you can.

Decorate the house early! Take Christmas-themed tableware out of the cupboard. The more thematically appropriate things you’ve got lying around from early on, the easier it will be to curb the impulse of buying new.

5. Not Saying No To Expensive Outings 

How much money do you spend during Christmas on outings you don’t necessarily afford? Putting a budget limit not only on the gifts you buy but also on your outings and destinations can actually save you a lot of money. Plus, there are so many events that are taking place this year that are either budget-friendly or completely free.

What About Emergencies You Didn’t Prepare For?

Even when you fix your bad holiday spending habits, you may not be able to afford an unexpected expense out of pocket during the holidays season. If that’s the case, and you need cash fast on short notice – then you can consider getting a signature installment loan.

A signature installment loan is a type of unsecured fast loan. At Delaware Title Loans, Inc. you need a state-issued ID, proof of income, and a recent statement from an active checking account in your name to qualify.

How To Get A Signature Installment Loan

 The process to acquire a signature installment loan is quite simple. Here are the steps you would follow:

1. Submit a filled-out form for online installment loans Wisconsin.
2. Receive a call from our loan representative after a few minutes. They will schedule a meeting with you and provide you with further instructions.
3. Take the required items to the meeting they’ll arrange for you.
4. Let the loan representative assess the items to determine if you qualify.
5. If they approve you – you can finalize the paperwork. You will then receive your loan on the same day or the following business day.

Keeping The Bad Habits Out

We all have our own traditions for Christmas, learn how to keep the good ones, and get all the negative holiday spending habits out! Follow our guide to start off right.

And if you run into an emergency, you can’t handle alone, know that our streamlined installment loan process takes less than a day to complete. Submit an online form today to get the loan by the next business day at the latest.

Enjoyed this article? We have plenty more tips on how to handle your money wisely during the holidays!

Note: The content provided in this article is only for informational purposes, and you should contact your financial advisor about your specific financial situation.