3 Last Minute Holiday Shopping Tips This Christmas

LAKE FOREST, CA — Is it too late for your holiday budget? Many of us are already experiencing that melting credit card feeling as we tick off items on our loved ones' holiday wish lists. When you add shipping charges to the mix, chances are your balances are into the red!

Patch wanted to know how best to avoid draining our bank account in the final days before Christmas!

The minds of the Orange County's Credit Union advised that there is no better time to start thinking about budgeting, saving than right now. The best advice we received? Stick to your list and avoid getting distracted by the holiday sales. Face it. Are you really saving by making purchases you wouldn't ordinarily make at all? Track spending and make adjustments if you find yourself overspending.

Here are a few ideas on how to make the most impact in those last days before Christmas to keep away the post-shopping financial blues.

First thing's first: Do your holiday spending pulse check.

Did you have a budget when you began shopping, taking advantage of Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales? Or are you a wait until the last minute kind of shopper?

Did you take advantage of early-season sales for big-ticket items? Good for you! Still, if you didn't buy the big screen TV on Black Friday or Cyber Monday, chances are, Costco has one at a price range that might work for you. Many of those early season deals are "knee jerk" or "unplanned" purchases.

Second thing's second: Give with a happy heart and no regrets!

If you haven't already, look over what you've bought. Write it all out. Use code if necessary! Consider what you've spent and how much you still have to purchase.

If a better deal is out there, a return might be in order! Remember, it's never too late to start thinking about your spending strategy, even if it means standing in that return line.

What? You've already wrapped all of your gifts? Consider that a win and pour yourself a glass of eggnog to celebrate!

Third and final thing: There's always next year!

Finally, do you know your adult relatives need and want for Christmas? Put yourself in their shoes. Consider how a helpful hand would have made you feel at their age.

Though Santa fills the younger set's stockings with small toys and gifts, consider your older kids, nieces, nephews, and aging family members. If you have no idea whether they need a new sweater or a box of cookies, consider adding to their savings account, or helping them start one.

The perfect gift for teens, young adults, and your aging family members may be the gift of a month of car payments, rent, or even a trip to the grocery store!

Better yet, consider giving your distance relatives the gift of an experience they can enjoy all year long.

One of our favorite gifts for my nephew's family is an annual family pass to their nearby zoo and aquarium! All year long, we see the fun they have as their young children learn to love and respect animals and the world.

Christmas morning is just one day a year, but the gift of an experience, be it seats at the local theater or symphony or an annual pass to Disneyland can last the whole year long.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from all of us at Patch! and let us know what you think is the perfect gift this season!

Get more ideas at www.orangecountyscu.org.