Four Guaranteed Mind Tricks To Save Money During Christmastime

It's crunch time for gift buying. I know with me, I end up going out for milk and seeing about seventy things that cousin so and so would like. Or should I get that for NJ?

And, it's super easy to get into the "Treat Yourself" mode, which is fine, but it can be easy to go too far.  So what can you do to stop your brain from making you want to spend money?  Or at least stop it from now until the end of the year?

Here are four mind tricks that will help you spend less during the last-minute rush.

1. Use the "10-second" rule.

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Whenever you're about to buy something, hold it for ten seconds and ask yourself if you really need it or if that money could be better used on something else. It's especially helpful for stocking stuffers, since it's easy to get carried away with small, inexpensive presents.

2. Go cash-only.

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Research shows that people spend a LOT more when using credit cards instead of cash. So if you want to keep your spending in check, try bringing only cash to the store.

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3. Shop alone.

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The more people you bring along, the easier it becomes to impulse buy.

4. Take fewer shopping trips.

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The more time you spend shopping, the more money you'll spend. So take fewer trips to the mall, and limit the number of stores you go into altogether.

So here's hoping we'll all save a little money....so we can pay for those gifts we bought!

Monetarily yours,

Behka