Tag Archives: credit score tips for the holidays

The holidays are here, and while it’s a golden time to enjoy family, friends, give back to others and the many blessings in our lives, it’s also a time of year that can be dangerous financially. In fact, most households see a huge spike in spending and debt over between Thanksgiving, Christmas or Hanukkah, New Years – so much so that many retailers make 15-20 percent of their total annual sales during that period. Add in Valentines Day, winter family vacations and possibly a couple of birthdays, and it’s a time of year that could break the budget and crash your credit score.

The good news is that the holidays don’t have to time to see your debt and spending spin out of control. Here are 12 tips to help you save money, plan responsibly, keep your debt level down, and protect your credit score.

1. Set a budget

Did you know that the average American plans on spending $812 on Christmas or holiday gifts? While that is a significant amount of money, the reality is that we often shoot far past what we intended to spend, especially if you add in extra holiday meals, entertainment, decorating, parties, etc. So this holiday season, set a realistic budget and stick to it, skipping those extra money wasters that are necessary.

2. Consider spending cash

Studies show that we spend far more when we pay for purchases with a credit or debit card compared to cash. So this holiday season, visit the bank and take out the cash you’ll need for each gift on your list. You’ll end up spending less overall and also won’t have a big credit card bill come January or February – or a potential hit to your credit score. 

3. Set gift limits

Have you ever given someone three presents totaling $150, only to receive a $20 gift in return? Have a conversation with your friends and family to determine if you’ll exchange gifts, how many, and set a spending limit. You may be refreshed to hear that many of your friends would rather spend time with you or go out to dinner than receive a gift, which means you’ll have more money to spoil the kids!

4. Don’t open store cards

You’re at the cash register at your favorite store at the crowded mall, doing some late Christmas shopping, when the friendly cashier asks the inevitable question, “Would you like to open a store card and get an additional 20 percent off your purchase today?”

You look at the pile of your things and do the math – saving 20 percent on the bill would add up to enough to buy you a nice lunch AND a Starbucks for the ride home.

Wait!  Stop!  This scenario is played out millions of times during the holiday season and throughout the year, with virtually every big retailer offering store credit cards these days.  But even though it seems like a hospitable offer for a generous discount, applying for additional credit may really hurt your credit score. Store retail credit accounts often have high interest rates, low balances, hidden fees, and aren’t looked at favorably by the credit bureaus. Instead, skip the store cards and keep a responsible, low-interest card that gives you cash back or rewards points. 

5. Be wary of identity theft

Identity theft and crimes of financial and data theft are more prevalent than ever in the United States, especially with the recent Equifax hack. Each year, approximately 20 million people see their identities used fraudulently, with the bill on that theft upwards of $50 billion dollars. (That’s three times more than the combined $14 billion in losses from all other types of consumer theft – burglary, motor vehicle theft, property theft, etc.) combined.

It also takes a lot of time and often money to clear up the mess identity thieves leave behind, as a compromised credit report will set off a domino effect of raising interest rates and even insurance premiums. On average, each identity theft victim suffers direct losses of $9,650, up from just $3,500 a few years ago.

So review your credit report with the help of Nationwide Credit Clearing, don’t use credit cards on fishy sites, don’t ever make purchases or give your financial details on public or unprotected Wi-Fi networks, change passwords frequently, and generally stay vigilant and protected.

6. Don’t max out credit cards

It’s really easy to max out credit cards during the holidays, but that could cause serious harm to your credit score. In fact, consumers with a score over 760 have an average credit card utilization (aggregate credit card balances relative to credit limits) of only 7 percent, and keeping under 30 percent will keep your score healthy.

7. Have a plan to pay off debt

If you don’t do you your holiday shopping with credit cards, not cash, make sure you have a sound plan how and when you’ll pay them off. It’s best to pay it off in one lump sum before interest charges even kick in, but if that’s not possible, then set a schedule of extra payments you’ll make to get your card paid off at least within the first couple months of the next year.

8. Put some money aside for emergencies

Murphy’s Law dictates that the least convenient time something can go wrong, it will. So put a few hundred dollars aside in case of emergencies or special events over the holidays. That way, if the water heater explodes Christmas morning, the car breaks down on the way to the office holiday party, or you run up your cell phone bill wishing everyone a happy New Year, you’ll be covered. The best part is that if nothing happens that warrants spending your emergency fund money, you can use it to pay off debt, add it to savings, or invest the money.

9. Start saving for next year

Now that you’ve had a great holiday, it’s time to start thinking of next year! Open a separate savings account or out aside an envelope and deposit some money every month once you get paid, not to be used for anything else. Even $25 or $50 a month will add up to big bucks that can cover most of your holiday gift-giving budget come next winter!

10. Keep your resolution to improve your credit score

Our credit scores factor into just about every lending and financial decision we make these days, including even renting a home or getting a job with some employers. Furthermore, just be improving your score from the Fair or Poor range to Great (around 720 or 760 and up), you can save a LOT of money over time. In fact, over your lifetime as a consumer, you could potentially save tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in interest payments on mortgages, student loans, credit cards, and auto loans, just by keeping a great score.

Therefore, it’s more important to make a firm resolution to finally improve your credit score The good news is that it’s easy to analyze your credit report and see what needs fixing with the help of Nationwide Credit Clearing – and free!

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Contact us at MyNationwideCredit.com for to set up your free credit report review and consultation, and make it a happy holiday!