Considering layaway? Wait... there are better options. (CC-BY-Business Working/Picasa)

It’s that time of year again, when people start to brainstorm new ideas and options to finance their holiday spending. However, don’t make the same mistake many people run into by using layaway. A much better solution could be to use an easy payday loan. Layaway potentially can end up costing you more money than the interest on a small payday advance loan.

Payday loans offer better options than layaway

Layaway, at face value, seems like a good choice, but there are so many things that people don’t consider– things that could lead to more money loss. This time of year is famous for its holiday sales and ridiculously low prices. Throughout the next two months, if you watch the ads closely, you can save hundreds of dollars on the items you want to buy. If you use a layaway program, you are usually locked into the price of that item — even if it goes on sale the next week. This is yet another reason why a payday loan may be a better option.

Having the money on hand could prove invaluable

Simply having the cash you need on hand when a product goes on sale can save you hundreds of dollars. Not to mention, if the product you bought goes on sale even further, most retail stores will reimburse you the difference within a certain time frame. So by being able to spend what the store is asking when they are asking it, you could wind up with some of the best deals of the holiday season this year.

How do I get a payday loan?

Obtaining a payday loan is simple. All you have to do is apply here, and you will get a response in just minutes. There is typically no faxing of any personal document, no waiting for days for a review on your application and no worrying about a less-than-stellar credit score. As long as you are 18 or older, a legal United States resident and hold a steady job, you are on your way to getting a payday loan today. What are you waiting for? Apply now!

Apply for a payday loan today | Start HERE!

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Now that the holidays are over, many Americans are mired in debt. Sure it was easy to pull out credit cards for expenses, but now is when the credit card bills are coming in. Gail Cunningham, spokeswoman for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, said, “It will only get worse as the bills continue to arrive…putting it off will only result in ruined credit and more stress.”

One of the most important tips the National Foundation for Credit Counseling gives to all its clients is to set a goal date when holiday debt will be paid off. Cunningham stated, “Setting a goal date like March 31, for example, can give you a clear picture of what you have to do to pay down debt.”

Credit cards and the future

When you are trying to get out of debt, it is important to stop purchasing on credit. Though small charges seem to be more easily handled with plastic, they add up quickly. Cunningham also instructs her clients that stretching out debt payments as a result of a holiday spending spree, only negates savings. Once the holidays are over, leave the credit card at home. If you can’t afford to pay for an item with cash then leave it at the store. Lynn Mayabb, financial planner at BKD Wealth Advisors said, “It is much harder to pay for something if you have to pull cash out of your wallet.” Research shows that people who pay with cash end up spending about 20% less than those who use credit. Using cash can cut back substantially on frivolity.

Budgeting post-holiday season is crucial

Finding a workable budget is also important to getting out from under Christmas debt. Experts warn that budgeting isn’t always fun. In fact, it can be a difficult task to honestly assess what comes in versus what goes out on a monthly basis. In the end though, it’s the only way to get an accurate picture of where your money is going and what changes need to be made.

The best way to get started with a budget is to start tracking every expense for one month. Cunningham said, “It can be as intricate as buying a software program to help you track expenses, using a spreadsheet or getting a notebook for 99 cents.” It’s also important to note everything from a big-ticket item’s purchase to a cup of coffee. You want as accurate a picture of your fiscal month as possible. That way you can make the necessary changes to realistically reach your financial goals.

Check out the paperwork

Finally, it’s important to take time to look at paperwork that may reveal money drains. Reviewing your tax withholding on your W-4 form can show you whether or not you are deducting more than you should every month. Reading credit card statements can show you if there are additional charges you were not aware of. Cunningham said, “You’d be surprised at how many people are unaware of a $9.99 charge to their credit cards that came with a free-trial. Sure it may not sound like a lot, but over the course of a year, that adds up to almost $120.”

No debt is good debt

Debt is something that can easily grow out of control during the holiday season. It’s an expensive time for many Americans and a lot of stress comes along with it. Addressing debt early on is key to overcoming it. It may take a few months, but paying it down will save money in the end. When your credit card statement shows a balance of zero, you will be thankful you conquered it.

With LED lights, you can save money on your electric bill this holiday season. (Photo: flickr.com)

With the holiday season fast approaching, now is the time to consider switching out your old incandescent holiday lights for modern light-emitting diode (LED) lights. LED technology has been used for years as electronic indicators and as easily adjustable signs. However, with the development of high power LEDs, they are coming to be used more frequently for general lighting purposes. From mobile flashlights to automotive headlights, LED lighting is becoming much more common throughout society, including as holiday lights.

LEDs Are More Energy Efficient

When compared to old-fashioned incandescent lights, LED lights are much more energy-efficient. While the old lights are somewhat brighter, LED lights consume much less electricity. This can amount to actual savings. Most incandescent holiday light strings use between 12- to 105-kilowatt hours of electricity, whereas similar sized LED strings use between one and three kilowatt hours. In real terms this means that by changing to LED lights, you can potentially save between $1 and $11 on your electricity bill for every month that your lights are turned on this holiday season.

LEDs Are More Durable

Beyond the savings on your electric bill, LED lights can also save you money because they are much more durable and do not have to be replaced as frequently as incandescent holiday lights. Unlike incandescent lights that get extremely hot, LED lights also stay much cooler, which allows them to be encased in plastic as opposed to glass. The result is that LED lights are more durable and are not as easy to break. Similarly, LED lights also burn much longer than incandescent lights. Most incandescent light strings lose at least one bulb after about 1,000 hours of use, whereas LED lights tested by Consumer Reports managed to go for more than 4,000 hours without any of the bulbs burning out.

LEDs Are Also Safer

In that LED holiday lights burn at a much cooler temperature than incandescent ones, they also represent much less of a fire risk. There have been a few cases of LED light recalls due to potential fire threats, but this had more to do with the wiring than the lights themselves. Therefore, it is important to make sure that the LED lights you purchase have been tested and certified by a legitimate testing laboratory like Underwriters Laboratories (UL) or Intertek (ETL). That being said, all the major insurance companies and product testers agree that LED lights represent much less of a fire risk than incandescent holiday lights.

Look for Incentive Programs

The current trend toward greater energy efficiency has also resulted in two types of incentives meant to encourage you to buy LED holiday lights and both may save you even more money. The first type of incentive is being offered by some retailers, such as Home Depot. These incentives offer discounts to people purchasing LED holiday lights and allows the store to capitalize on the trend by actively supporting more energy-efficient options. Similarly, some communities that have aggressively taken on energy efficiency are also offering incentives. For example, in Anaheim, California, people who purchase LED holiday lights receive a free gift card to other businesses (Starbucks, Borders, etc.) as an incentive initiated by the local public utilities administration.

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/autumnal_hedge/ / CC BY-NC 2.0

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. But do you know what the next best thing that comes after Thanksgiving is? That’s right, it’s Black Friday! It’s the biggest shopping day of the year!

Black Friday is the day to go out and buy the things you have always wanted but couldn’t because those discount tags never showed up as you planned. I mean, people are even willing to take out a cash advance to fund this nationwide shopping event. However, it seems this yearly shopping ritual is only getting better with time. Ever heard of Cyber Monday? Well, I just did and, as a shopper and an online marketer, I’m pretty stoked.

What is Cyber Monday?

Cyber Monday was invented by the National Retail Federation, the world’s largest retail trade association. According to Wikipedia, the term Cyber Monday refers to the Monday immediately following Black Friday, which unofficially marks the beginning of the Christmas online shopping season. So what this basically means is if you miss the Black Friday shopping hustle, you still have a chance to make it up on Monday. Cyber Monday is the Monday you will actually enjoy.

Great tip for Online Merchants

A recent Yahoo! Insights team research revealed that the number of sales during last year’s Black Friday were actually not too far from the overall sales that took place the Monday following. Click-through rates were down 27% on both days compared to the rest of the month. However, online traffic and conversions went up significantly. Black Friday showed an increase in conversions by 147%, while Cyber Monday had a 73% increase in conversions.

What does this mean for me?

This study lays out a great opportunity for online marketers. You have about 1½ months before the biggest shopping days of the year. I suggest you start promoting and investing throughout the month to create attraction. Get a head-start and take advantage of the holiday traffic now. You will witness flourishing conversions not just for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but for the rest of the holiday season.

For all you holiday shoppers on the other hand, start saving now! You are already aware of how busy and expensive holiday shopping can be. You have enough time to save a sufficient amount of money for your holiday expenses, which will prevent the need of a cash advance at the last minute.