Christmas on Visa

**lottaLove** · 12-22-2006, 09:13 PM

I was listening to the radio this morning, and there was a man from a credit counselling service saying that the week before Christmas, approximately 300 Christmas related transactions per minute will go onto a Visa (or some other form of plastic)

Last year at this time, I would have shrugged and thought that was normal. This year it almost made me spew my coffee all over the windshield!!

I'm proud to say we had a cash-only Christmas this year. Merry Christmas everyone!

**FrugalMomof3** · 12-22-2006, 09:25 PM

I totally agree with you and have done the same, No CC's used this year and I am proud of it!

**nuisance26** · 12-22-2006, 09:33 PM

~300 per minute? Wow! I have a feeling we'll be seeing alot of new members around here in January when the bills start rolling in. DH and I charge to get rewards points, then we pay in full every month. Cash-Only Christmas is the way to go. No big surprises and guilt in January. You did great!!!~

**chatterweb** · 12-23-2006, 12:35 AM

I read that the average spending is around $750.00 for the season! I am happy to have made all my gifts this year, and maybe spent $100.00 total. I did omit sending cards though...

**autumnlynn** · 12-23-2006, 06:22 AM

Happy to say it's been a cash only Christmas for me.

**watchingpennies** · 12-23-2006, 09:03 AM

Cash only for me too! I think this is the first year since I have had a credit card that I have been cash only at Christmas!

**3-boys-4-me** · 12-23-2006, 09:23 AM

Wow, that's a lot of charging going on. I did charge a few items on my cc, mainly items purchased online or at stores that didn't take Debit cards so I had to use the cc. However, the bill came Thursday and it was paid in full Friday. Everything else we purchased was paid for in cash. We will have no Christmas bills comes January...thank goodness.

Happy Holidays all!

**baronmom** · 12-23-2006, 09:58 AM

Unfortunately, this year I had no choice but to put the gifts on the cc. I have been doing a cash Christmas for many years in the past, but this year, there was no cash to use. It was either charge it or have nothing. I did not go overboard though. I think I may have spent a little over $400 on my 3 boys. We did not buy for anyone but the boys.

**Emerald_Mommy** · 12-23-2006, 10:46 AM

We spent nearly $800 but paid cash for everything. We spend $100 on each other & $50 on each daughter but we have so much family we have to buy for! Despite the fact that we budget all year round & pay cash in December I'd like to make more gifts for next year. - Hey, I think I just made my first 2007 resolution!

**PrairieRose** · 12-23-2006, 11:41 AM

I haven't tallied up what we've spent yet but it was a LOT less than in years past. We have used our credit card but we'll pay it off in full when the bill arrives. We do every month and we rack up tons of free airmiles which we use to visit our son in D.C. with. WTG everyone on doing so well for Christmas.

**JustJoy** · 12-23-2006, 12:37 PM

We haven't used a CC for the past two Christmas' now. It's a good feeling.

**Michelle68** · 12-23-2006, 02:18 PM

We've been doing cash only Christmases for the past 7 years or so. This year was no different. Unfortunately, we did spend a bit more for Christmas than I budgeted this year.

Gotta work on that.

--Michelle

**starsapphire** · 12-23-2006, 03:20 PM

I shop mostly online for Christmas gifts (I hate Christmastime crowds) but I paid it in full online when the statement closed.

**yankeegal** · 12-23-2006, 05:36 PM

Ours was a cash only Christmas as well....went a little over budget, but not by much.

**peanut** · 12-23-2006, 06:33 PM

Congratulations! We had a cash only Christmas too, but I did put a gift for dd#2's birthday the end of January on VISA. Our credit cards, unfortunately are loaded with household stuff that seems to be breaking down at the moment.

It's a good thing we are having a cash only Christmas! The house maintenance and my book printing has resulted in a wild CC balance! I'm more than a bit panicked about it. I'm in high savings mode till January 15th at the earliest. I gave dh my CC's yesterday.

Jean