Holiday shopping starts earlier each year. In 2021, 61% of consumers started their holiday shopping in early November.1 This trend also relates to an increase in holiday spending, as almost 30% of shoppers plan to spend more than last year. If your holiday shopping plans are already in the works, and you’re planning to shop with a credit card, these tips and tricks can help your shopping go smoothly!
- Budget, budget, budget. Creating a holiday budget for your credit card is a smart first step. It can help you avoid overspending and use your credit card rewards program to your advantage.
- Create a gift-buying schedule. With holiday shopping starting as early as October, it can be hard to prioritize what gifts you need and when you need to have them in hand. Having a schedule can help relieve stress and ensure you’ve checked every person off your list.
- Avoid store cards. Retail store credit cards can appear to have great benefits, especially around the holidays. However, they usually carry hefty interest rates of 25% or more, which could ultimately have you paying more if your balance carries over.
- Stay safe online.
If online shopping is part of your holiday routine, take steps to keep your personal information safe. Avoid using public Wi-Fi when making your purchases, and stick to websites that have “https” in the URL.
- Pro tip: Whether you’re shopping in-store or online, linking your credit card to a digital wallet such as Apple Pay®, Google Pay™, or PayPal®, is the faster and safer way to pay.
- Shop smarter with an Sunward credit card. If you already have an Sunward Visa Signature® credit card, you can earn up to 1.50% cash back each month on your purchases, which means while you’re getting holiday gifts, you’re giving gifts to yourself, too!*
Don’t have an Sunward credit card? Apply for one to enjoy a low rate, cash rebates, and a $100 statement credit when you spend $1,500 in the first 90 days* – a great bonus just in time for the holidays! Learn more: slfcu.org/CreditCards
*Some restrictions apply. Visit our website for more information. 1. www.drip.com/blog/holiday-shopping-statistics
