subject: Take Advantage Of Debt Couseling Before Its Too Late [print this page] Presidents Day is oftentimes referred to as the Black Friday of February, since you can get great offers from retailers nationwide on a variety of goods. You have three days of shopping sales where retailers take perhaps up to 75% off ticket prices on some of their best items. If you're planning on taking advantage of Presidents Day this February, it's important to have a good strategy moving in in order to avoid having massive amounts of credit card debt after the shopping is done.
While you can find bargains almost anywhere for Presidents Day, you don't only want to leave and begin spending without having a strategy in place. You can easily research online to determine which retailers are having sales and what they're offering. Take note of any specific shopping days or times, in addition to any details you might need, for example coupon codes for online retailers.
Once you observe where you can save, it's time to decide what you need and what you can afford. Make a list of all things you would like to buy and compare it to the stores you've found with sales. Ensure that you get specific with what you intend to buy-instead of just saying you're planning to shop clothes, identify what specific items you're going out to buy. This can help avoid coming home with several shopping bags worth of clothing you may or may well not actually need.
With your plan in position, you're prepared to shop Presidents Day sales. If at all possible, stay away from credit cards and pay instead with cash or debit. Should you intend to spend money on credit, make sure the charges may be covered in your monthly budget so you're not spending over and above your means. You can even find debt calculators online which will tell you just how much your monthly payments will be depending on the amount you spend and your credit card APR.
This way, you don't get surprised by a credit card payment you can't afford once the bill comes in.
If you spend too much at Presidents Day sales, don't wait to take care of your debt. Ignoring a debt only gives it additional time to build interest. Additionally, many debt relief options can't be utilized if you allow an account to go delinquent, because you don't have the cash to pay. If you're having trouble, you must seek help immediately.
An experienced credit counselor certified by the Center for Financial Certification provides the expertise to assess your debts and provide options for debt relief. Many credit counseling agencies are non-profit, so you can have your debt evaluated and obtain the advice for free. If you along with your credit counselor determine you'll need debt relief they might recommend debt consolidation, such as a debt management program. This program allows you to consolidate multiple credit card debts into one monthly payment-often drastically less than what you pay now.
