Time is short, but technology can help stretch holiday budget

Monday, December 21, 2015

If Christmas sneaked up on you as quickly as it has on us, you're not alone.

Only 10 percent of shoppers say they've finished their holiday shopping, according to the National Retail Federation.

If you're one of the 90 percent, someone else -- other, more organized shoppers -- may have made your shopping choices for you, purchasing your first choice from local stores and leaving second or third choices for you.

The federation estimates shoppers will spend more than $630 billion this year, meaning there's still half a trillion dollars of spending left to do before Friday.

While shoppers have a deadline, so do retailers, who are offering a lot of buy one, get one deals or 50 percent off to attract sales before Christmas.

And while it will soon be too late for even modern overnight shipping from online purchases, your computer or smartphone can still help stretch your holiday dollars. Look for online coupons and store apps for extra discounts, or compare prices to use as leverage when there is an opportunity to haggle.

And if you find your Christmas budget a little short, now would be a good time to start an automatic savings plan -- for next year's holiday shopping!

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