How To Avoid Overspending On Your Credit Card Over The Christmas Holidays

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When Christmas rolls around the best credit card for making purchases is the St.George Vertigo MasterCard as it features a low introductory offer on purchases for the first 6 months so you can avoid paying expensive interest repayments. You will also enjoy up to 55 days interest free on purchases.

• $55 annual fee
• 12.49% p.a. on purchases
• 2.99% p.a. for 6 months on balance transfers
• Cash Advance Rate of 21.24%
• Free secure online shopping service

Click here to read the St George Vertigo terms and conditions

Credit card overspending can be tricky to avoid at the best of times, but what about when Christmas rolls around with all its expensive temptations and obligations?

It’s no good telling people you want to get back to the true meaning of Christmas – in other words, the religious bit – because that’s not actually the true meaning of December 25th. Christmas was originally a pagan festival, later hijacked by the Christians. Most historians believe Jesus was born sometime in September. In ancient Babylon, the feast of the Son of Isis – Goddess of Nature – was celebrated on December 25th. This involved much partying, overeating, boozing, and gift-giving. Therefore the true meaning of Christmas is a lot like the current meaning. So the religious cop-out won’t wash.

So how else can you avoid credit card overspending?

Drop the shutters and bar the door.

It may seem a little mean, but if you don’t go out you cannot spend. That doesn’t mean it’s okay to hop on the Internet to buy stuff, either. The main point here is to avoid big family get-togethers that involve expensive travel. Packing the family onto a plane at Christmas and heading across country or abroad is a sure-fire way to increase credit card overspending, and that’s before you’ve even bought a single gift. Then you’ll sit around the table on Christmas day resenting your nearest and dearest who have only just driven round the corner to join in.

Buy smart

This takes some organisation, but how about reducing your credit card overspending by hitting the sales – whenever they occur in the year? Purchase your presents throughout the year when prices are low and store them until Christmas. This will also prevent one big hit on your credit card at Christmas. It isn’t an easy subject to broach, but you could make an agreement with your friends and more distant family members not to purchase rubbish gifts for each other, and especially not for the numerous small people that will be involved. If you have one child and all your relatives have hoards, you will end up seriously out of pocket. You may actually find that most of the people you talk to about this are very relieved not to have to search for hours for those extra gifts.

Cash is king

Credit card overspending cannot happen if you leave your credit card at home and only use cash or a debit card. This will ensure you stay within your means, and it will focus your mind on keeping spending to a minimum. It is far too tempting to overspend when your credit card allows for that “buy now, pay later” attitude.

With a little effort and maybe one or two disgruntled relatives, it is perfectly possible to banish credit card overspending at Christmas. You just need to focus on your January credit card statement and what that will look like if you’ve let loose.

• Comparison of Top 10 Credit Card Offers

Editor's Choice: Our Top Credit Cards

Credit Card	Card Details	Interest Rate (p.a.)	Cash Advance Rate (p.a.)	Balance Transfer Rate (p.a.)	Annual fee	Interest free days (up to)
HSBC Credit Card	Editor's Choice: 0% for 6 months Balance Transfer & No Annual Fee Featuring a $0 annual fee for life, and 0% p.a. balance transfer for 6 months, the HSBC Credit Card was voted the Best Transactor Credit Card for 2010.	16.99%	20.75%	0% for 6 months	$0	55
Suncorp Clear Options Standard Visa Card	A great 12 month balance transfer offer, combined with a low annual fee and a good interest rate on purchases.	12.24%	17.99%	1.9% for 12 months	$39	0