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Do you always find yourself in credit card debt no matter what you do? Simply put, some people cannot stay away from their plastic. While this is a common problem it does not mean that you have to let it affect you. One of the best things you can do when heading to the store is to leave your credit card at home and only carry cash and/or your debit card. Simply put, if you don’t have your credit card you cannot use it; no matter how badly you want to make a purchase.

When you shop with cash or your debit card you will be forced to stick to a budget. For instance, if you only have $100 in cash in your wallet you will not be able to spend more; this is just the way it works. As you can see, by only carrying how much money you can afford to spend you are more or less training yourself to follow your budget. It may not be fun, but dealing with loads of credit card debt isn’t a good time either.

If you are struggling with credit card debt leave your plastic at home and shop with cash. You will be surprised at how much good this does for you and your financial situation!

Do you think it is wrong to treat yourself to a “shopping spree” every now and again? If you are on a tight budget your answer may be yes. But before you give your final answer keep in mind that you need to have fun and buy stuff for yourself from time to time. This does not mean that you should go nuts and spend tons of money on a regular basis. You need to stay responsible, but at the same time you should not feel bad about treating yourself if you reach your financial goals.

Do you have savings goals in mind for the new year? If so, you should work hard to reach all of them. And when you do there is nothing wrong with treating yourself to a few things you have had your eyes on. Again, you don’t want to go overboard but when you reach a goal you deserve to be rewarded.

When you set a reward for reaching a savings goal you are sure to work harder than ever before. For many people, a shopping spree is the best reward there is. Just make sure that your trip to the store does not negate all of your past progress.

You walk into a shop, you see the TV/guitar/outfit of your dreams, and you really, really want to buy it. You definitely have to stop right there and ask yourself the important question - can you afford it? If you’re not sure you should try this list of reasons why you can’t afford something. You can’t afford this “must have” item if:

• You would be using your bank overdraft to buy it
• You would be using a credit card that has a balance on it that you can’t afford to pay off in full at the end of the month
• You would be using money that should be going to your emergency fund or into a retirement plan
• Your job is not secure at the moment - if there are rumors of lay-offs or your industry is experiencing a downturn
• And if the economy is in recession, then maybe you can afford it, but you should really wait and see.

So if any of these conditions apply, think twice before making a purchase. If you’re not sure, then take at least overnight to think about it. If you have to go all the way back to the shop the next day or week you will often find that you don’t really have to have the item after all.

Saving money by shopping online is something that many consumers have found beneficial. If you are not the “online shopping” type you may want to reconsider. With the online world offering so much you are making a mistake if you continue to shop at local stores without giving the internet a chance.

How can you save by shopping online? The best way is to use the internet to compare prices and products. For instance, you may be in the market for a new computer. While you could opt to buy from a big box electronics store in your city, the internet offers more options. The internet gives you the chance to find and compare computers at a wide range of stores. Soon enough you will have the knowledge to make the right decision. This means that you will not only find the best computer, but you will also locate the store that is offering the best price. Does it get any better than that?

You, as well as anybody else, can save a lot of money by shopping online. No matter what you are in the market for, use the internet to find the best deal. You may be surprised at how easy it can be!

If you’ve got some spare cash then you might be tempted to go shopping as recession-level prices make some goods look more attractive than usual. But if you do, be sure to follow Gerri Willis’s tips to avoid some expensive recession shopping mistakes:

• Don’t buy gift cards or vouchers from retailers that could be in trouble. If they go broke, the chances are unfortunately quite high that you will lose your money. Same goes for redeeming reward points in the form of gift coupons - use them fast or don’t use them at all. Just in case!
• Be careful if you think that bank-branded gift cards might be safer. They might be, if your name and personal details are accurately registered to the card but this is not always the case, and you could lose your money just as easily.
• Be aware of return policies and don’t get caught out. In liquidation sales, make sure you are totally satisfied with what you’re buying because the chance to change it or get a refund won’t last long. Get informed because lots of retailers are changing the time limits on refunds or exchanges - for example, Best Buy shortened theirs by a week, although others have made their exchange time longer - don’t assume that you know from last time.

It shouldn’t matter what the economic situation is - it always pays to try to be smart about shopping whether you’re looking for clothes, electronics or anything else. And being smart includes:

• Doing your research - know how much you should expect to pay and set a budget.
• Checking online - it’s often cheaper to buy a product online than in a physical shop. If you prefer to buy in person, at least do some price comparison online to find out which shop will provide the best price.
• Looking out for cashback offers - they’re coming thick and fast now to encourage you to buy new products so make sure you take advantage of them - and check the fineprint before you buy to be sure you’re eligible.
• Keeping an eye on loyalty schemes - and calculate whether it’s worth buying something at a particular shop, if the reward is high enough from the loyalty scheme; but don’t be so loyal that you miss out on much cheaper prices elsewhere.
• Asking for a discount - especially if you can prove you’ve seen the same product at a lower price elsewhere, or if the product was a display model or is slightly damaged.

Have you waited too long to complete your Christmas shopping? If so, you may have missed out on a lot of the best deals and are now up against the wall. Even though you may be running out of time it is important that you keep your cool and stick to your budget. Believe it or not, you can save on Christmas gifts no matter when you head to the store.

The best way to save is to have a list and a budget, and then shop around to find the best deal. Of course, if you don’t have a lot of time you may not be able to shop around as much as you would like. But at the very least you should check out at least two stores before making a decision. For instance, if you are buying a GPS system it is a good idea to not only compare stores but to also compare models. You may find out soon enough that you can save money by purchasing a specific model from a specific store.

Most stores have sales leading up to Christmas, as well as the days following. By keeping your eyes open you will know where to turn for the best deals. Not only do stores run commercials during the holiday season, but you will receive ads in the mail while also coming across online sales. If you are constantly on the lookout for good deals you can save money no matter what day you decide to shop; even if it is Christmas Eve.

It is never a good idea to wait until the last minute to shop for Christmas gifts. But if you find yourself in this position it is important to realize that you can still save money.

Economic doom and gloom always has its up side and one is that a bunch of products that used to seem expensive have had some dramatic price falls either recently or over the last ten years. Check the list to see if any of the cheaper products are things that are also on your wish list:

• Toys: Over the entire last decade, toys have got cheaper and cheaper. One of the reasons, unfortunately, is that the quality is dropping, but often times that doesn’t really matter - a game is still a game.
• Clothing: Same applies for clothes - the quality might be lower at some discount clothing stores, but it’s often adequate for your needs and the prices are much, much lower.
• Cars: Not so many people are after a new car now - it’s one of the first things people stop buying when a credit crunch starts - but that means you can get some real bargains.
• Watches: Most people are buying watches that they don’t plan to wear forever - they know the quality will last a couple of years and that’s fine because by that time they’ll want a change. As a result, prices have been falling over the last decade.
• Electronic goods: Just as an example, computers cost almost 90% less than they did ten years ago. More competition and cheaper production possibilities - and now combined with an economic crisis where retailers have to slash prices to entice customers - mean there’s never been a better time to buy a new TV or computer.

photo credit: Tracy O
In my house right now, we’re considering buying a lawnmower and firing the lawmower guy (shh, don’t tell him!). But the lawnmower purchase is a big one - my other half’s looking at one around the $1000 mark - so it needs some research. This guide from Mint on planning for big purchases is helping us out as we narrow down on what type of lawnmower and how much we should spend. The most useful tips there are:

• Figure out the features that you must have. For example, what kind of blade on the lawnmower, or how big a new car should be.
• Decide on the price range - which really means, decide a maximum price. Ignore any product you see which costs more than that - ignore it without finding out anything more about it than its price.
• Ignore the up-sell when the sales person wants to sell you extra features - like cup holders in the car for $300. It might not seem much if you’re spending $20,000, but it is. Be strong!
• Check smaller stores as well as large discounters, and don’t be afraid to ask for a lower price at a shop you like when you’ve seen the same item advertised at a lower price elsewhere. Ask what extra features they can throw in for free, too.

photo credit: KitAy

Blogger and organic eater Ginger at the Girls Just Wanna Have Funds blog has been complaining about the rises in grocery prices over the last year - in fact, she says that between January and September this year, her grocery bill more than doubled.

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