Five Easy Tips To Help The Pocketbook (NAPSA)-—-Cansumers spent an average of $850 last year on gifts during the holiday season, according to a survey by Deloitte and Touche. To heip keep your pockethook in check this year, Springboard, a non-profit consumer eredit counseling organiza- tion, offers five easytips: & litte creativity can go a long way in saving money this holiday season. * Set a budget—Decide in advance how much you can afford. If you have to use a credit card, set a limit and log each purchase. * Make a list and stick to it--Write down everyone you plan to shop for and how muchyou want to spend on each person. By doing this, you help alleviate impulse buying. * Wateh for sales-—Scan the newspaper for sales and pay attention to when items you would like to buy go on sale. Many stores have sales as the holidays approach, so lock for coupons, ads and sale information. * Shop smart—Research the best place to buy the items that you need. Most discount retailers carry the same products as department stores. * Be creative, yet frugal—if you have an artistic talent, make something. A photographin a decerated frame or a collage can mean more to the person than a tie or a CD, “By establishing a budget and doing some smart shopping, con- sumers won't faint when they see their bank balance or their credit card statement,” said Dianne Wilkman, president and CEOof Springboard. “You don’t want the debt to outlast the gift.” For more information, contact Springboard at 1-800-WISEPLAN or www.credit.org.
