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Home > I Christmas shopped with my credit card!

I Christmas shopped with my credit card!

December 5th, 2008 at 08:14 pm

I did, but it was in a GOOD way. For the past several months, I've been charging regular everyday purchases on this credit card and recording the purchase in my checkbook register just as if I had written a check. When the bill comes, I pay it, knowing that I have set the money aside. My rule is that is has to be something I would have had to buy anyway. This might not work for everyone, but I'm quite disciplined this way so it's not a problem for me. The purpose was to rack up rewards money so I could turn them into gift cards for Christmas gifts, and that's exactly what I did today.

I cashed in $80 worth of rewards to buy $100 worth of gift cards, and took care of my four nieces & nephews gifts. I would much prefer to buy something for them rather than just a gift card because it seems more Christmas-y, but we don't live near each other so I would have to deal with the whole shipping situation. Plus, it's just too hard to know what to get them. I give up after the age of 12 and go with the gift cards. They haven't complained yet!!

This is the start of my shopping, although it may be close to the end as well. Hubby and I aren't exchanging, a friend who knows I lost my job told me to skip her kids this year (how sweet!), and there are some other extended family members I may be skipping as well. That just leaves 3 or 4 more people, so that shouldn't be too hard to do.

3 Responses to “I Christmas shopped with my credit card!”

  1. Analise Says:
    1228509352

    That's a very good strategy... deducting the purchase amount from your CB balance to ensure you have the $$ set aside when the bill comes.

  2. merch Says:
    1228510765

    You just need to keep on top of it. I have always looked as credit cards and a seperate decision form the purchase. If you have the money and no debt on that credit card and pay it off every month, then in my eyes there is no difference between a CC, dedit card, or cash.

    One interesting survey is that CC users spend more then cash. But, the real issue is to have a budget and live within the budget.

  3. whitestripe Says:
    1228534878

    i do that too, all the time, with my everyday purchases. i just transfer the money into another account when i get home, so the money has been put away by the time the cc statement comes in. and i earn interest on the money i put aside too.

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