Tips for Smart Holiday Shopping

In these tough economic times, smart shopping during the holiday season is more important than ever. Whether consumers are shopping online, by phone, or in stores, the Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, has some advice to avoid both debt and unneeded stress.

First, make as accurate and comprehensive a budget as possible – don’t forget to include the cost of incidentals like postage, gift wrap, and decorations. Then, learn to navigate holiday sale ads, make sure to keep careful track of your spending, and make the best of layaway opportunities.

To learn more about smart holiday shopping, see the consumer alert “Holiday Shopping, Circa 2008: Tips from the Federal Trade Commission,” at
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt082.shtm. For more general information about wise money management and savvy shopping, visit ftc.gov/consumer.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 1,500 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s Web site provides free information on a variety of consumer topics.

(FYI holiday shopping)

IR Press

Share
Published by
IR Press

Recent Posts

OCC Announces Enforcement Actions for November 2024

WASHINGTON—The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) today released enforcement actions taken against…

17 hours ago

Treasury Sanctions Gazprombank and Takes Additional Steps to Curtail Russia’s Use of the International Financial System

Treasury imposes sanctions on dozens of Russian banks, securities registrars, and finance officials; OFAC issues…

1 day ago

Acting Comptroller Testifies on State of the Federal Banking System

WASHINGTON—Acting Comptroller Michael J. Hsu today testified on the state of the federal banking system…

2 days ago

Remarks by Assistant Secretary for International Finance Brent Neiman on the U.S. Cross-Border Payments Agenda

As Prepared for Delivery Thank you very much for the opportunity to be here today, and…

3 days ago

Remarks by Assistant Secretary for Investment Security Paul Rosen at the Third Annual CFIUS Conference

As Prepared for Delivery Good afternoon.  I’d like to start by thanking our panelists today for…

3 days ago