Talk all you want about Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the innumerable other ways to make great deals this holiday shopping season; come January the bills – online and offline – will pour in.  And Santa – no matter how naughty or nice you’ve been – is never going to settle your credit card debt.

Sharing the holiday spirit (or spirits as the case may be) is definitely a good thing, but consumers still need to be budget conscious.  Being aware of how easily your credit card debt can get out of control is crucial to avoid future financial problems.

Here are five things to think about as you “shop” forward…

1. See Credit – Think Debit.

Sure, having the credit is convenient.  Carrying a wad of cash in my view is never a good idea.  But I discovered a long time ago that looking at credit as cash made me think twice about almost every purchase.  The difference could be enough to make it easier to pay off the balance and avoid those nasty, “un-holiday-like” interest payments.

2. Develop a Holiday Spending Budget.

It’s simple.  Begin at the beginning.  Determine the funds you will have available when the bills come in.  Consider including cash back and other rewards which may stretch your budget a bit (just don’t overspend on something to get a “better” reward; kind of defeats the purpose).

3. Making’ a List – Checking’ it Thrice.

Three columns:  Recipient, Gift type, Dollar Amount.  Be aware this idea has a double-edged sword.  Organization is cool, but you’ll probably end up doing a lot of mix ‘n’ match.  However, it might end up being a good way to figure out who your real friends (and favorite relatives) truly are.

4. Spoiler Alert! Be Sensible, Practical, Pragmatic. 

I know it’s hard but please try to keep these words in mind – especially when dealing with # 2 and #3.  It’s easy.  Just remember, they all have the same definition.

5. Early is Never Too Late.

Don’t wait until the last minute to shop because, in fact, you won’t be shopping at all.  You’ll be engaged in hectic buying.  A gift shopping disorder that could ultimately be very painful in the spot where it may hurt most:  the wallet.

And yes, it’s never too late to get your financial house in order.

Don’t worry about debt collections after this holidays

Fortunately , there are online tools for debt settlement that are, in fact, free.  SettleiTsoft® offers an excellent Web Solution tool, which may be accessed via www.settleitsoft.com.  This intuitive, user-friendly software platform provides powerful budget management tools and creates a virtual environment for debtors and creditors to electronically negotiate and resolve the consumer’s debt crisis.  Most importantly, the settlement process is totally in the consumer’s control and can be customized to suit an individual’s personal financial situation.

Meanwhile…Happy Holidays and Here’s to a Fantastic New Year!

{Your gift is in the mail…I think.}