{"id":1393,"date":"2025-04-19T12:14:20","date_gmt":"2025-04-19T12:14:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging8.dynaserverx.com\/newenglandtrust.com\/?post_type=newsletter&p=1393"},"modified":"2025-04-19T12:14:20","modified_gmt":"2025-04-19T12:14:20","slug":"eight-ideas-for-smarter-holiday-shopping","status":"publish","type":"newsletter","link":"https:\/\/staging8.dynaserverx.com\/newenglandtrust.com\/newsletter\/eight-ideas-for-smarter-holiday-shopping\/","title":{"rendered":"Eight Ideas for Smarter Holiday Shopping"},"content":{"rendered":"

1. Make a list.<\/strong> Establish an overall budget, then make a list of gifts you will need to buy and how much you can afford to spend on each person.<\/p>\n

2. Shop early.<\/strong> If you shop early in the season, items are more likely to be in stock, and you may face fewer shipping delays. Sales often start well before Black Friday, so keep an eye out for promotions. Signing up for online or social media deal alerts can help.<\/p>\n

3. Search for deals.<\/strong> Knowing whether a deal is truly good can be tricky, but many websites and phone apps are available that can help you compare items and prices as you shop. Promotions might be limited to certain items and may expire quickly, so read the fine print. Retailers may also match competitor prices on identical items \u2014 it doesn\u2019t hurt to ask.<\/p>\n

4. Set up accounts.<\/strong> To complete purchases quickly, consider saving your information and shipping addresses on trusted online accounts with your favorite retailers. Look for special offers and coupon codes that you can use at checkout.<\/p>\n

5. Track spending.<\/strong> Try using one card for everything so you can quickly review your spending. A rewards card may give you cash back, points, or miles that you can redeem in the future but may carry higher interest rates, so avoid making purchases that you can\u2019t pay off by the due date.<\/p>\n

6. Watch out for gift card scams.<\/strong> Take precautions to help protect yourself from card-draining scams (where a thief has copied a gift card\u2019s number and security code before it\u2019s been purchased and will drain the card\u2019s value when activated). Buy cards near the register, inspect them for obvious signs of tampering, and check the balance right away. Keep the receipt as proof of purchase, and contact the retailer if you suspect an issue.<\/p>\n

7. Reconsider buy now, pay later.<\/strong> Offers for these services may pop up when you\u2019re making an online purchase. Splitting your purchase into smaller payments may be convenient but makes it easier to overspend and rack up debt quickly.<\/p>\n

8. Focus on shipping costs.<\/strong> Soaring shipping costs have made free shipping offers especially valuable. If you\u2019re sending your own packages, compare carriers because costs vary. Unless you\u2019re using flat-rate shipping, both the size and the weight of the box may factor into how much you\u2019ll pay, so use the smallest packaging you can. Ship as early as possible to avoid having to pay premium rates for one- or two-day shipping. And keep tracking numbers and a copy of receipts for gifts you\u2019ve shipped in case your package is lost or stolen.<\/p>\n

This information is not intended as tax, legal, investment, or retirement advice or recommendations, and it may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. You are encouraged to seek guidance from an independent tax or legal professional. The content is derived from sources believed to be accurate. Neither the information presented nor any opinion expressed constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. This material was written and prepared by Broadridge Advisor Solutions. \u00a9 2024 Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1394,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"newsletter-category":[33],"class_list":["post-1393","newsletter","type-newsletter","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","newsletter-category-december"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nEight Ideas for Smarter Holiday Shopping - New England Trust<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In Evanston, IL, Robard Flaremoor offers Financial Planning Services & Financial Advice. \u2018Financial Services\u2019 from College Funding to Wealth Protection. \u2018Tax Services\u2019 include Tax Preparation, Tax Reduction, and Tax Management\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/staging8.dynaserverx.com\/newenglandtrust.com\/newsletter\/eight-ideas-for-smarter-holiday-shopping\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Eight Ideas for Smarter Holiday Shopping - 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