It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but the holidays can also bring a lot of added stress. From finding the perfect gifts to figuring out how you’re going to pay for it all, here are five tips to help you make it through the season with your Christmas spirit still intact.
- Save Early with ēCO’s Christmas Club Account
It might be a little late to stash funds in a Christmas Club Account for this Christmas, but it’s never too early to start planning for next Christmas. ēCO’s Christmas Club Account is designed to help you save for all of your holiday expenses each year.
Between holiday travel, baking, and gifts, let’s say you spend $1,200 on Christmas. That’s a huge expense to work into a monthly budget. Instead, divide it by twelve and set aside $100 each month in your Christmas Club Account. The funds will automatically be transferred to your Share or Checking Account in November so you can get started on all of your holiday shopping.
Open your Christmas Club Account at any ēCO Credit Union branch.
- Beware of Fraud
When you see the ad pop up for the hot holiday gift you’ve been searching for, be sure to check the site you are visiting. Is it reputable? Are you familiar with the site? If an offer seems to good to be true, it probably is too good to be true.
Other tell tale signs of a scam can be poor grammar and misspelling. You also always want to make sure you see a padlock or “https” to verify the site is secure.
- Skip Your ēCO Loan Payment
There are a lot of benefits to financing your loan with ēCO Credit Union. A major benefit is being able to skip a loan payment in November or December. For a $34 fee, you can skip your monthly loan payment and use it to help take care of holiday expenses.
Learn more and complete your Skip-A-Pay form.
- Pay Attention to Christmas Shipping Deadlines
Many people are shopping online for Christmas gifts this year. With the surge in online shopping, be sure to pay attention to shipping deadlines. Some of the dates might seem like you still have a lot of time, but remember, some of the quick shipping options can add a lot to your final total.
Major shipping companies have laid out the following deadlines:
Amazon:
Amazon has not announced an official holiday delievery calendar as it has in years past, but you will still want to order as soon as possible.
FedEx:
Ground Delivery- December 15
2-Day Services- December 22
UPS:
Ground Delievery-Use the Online Calculator and Tool provided by UPS to check for an accurate quote.
2nd Day Air Service- December 22
USPS:
Retail Ground- December 15
Priority Mail- December 18
- Cover Unplanned Expenses with the ēCO Holiday Special
Still need a little extra cash to cover holiday expenses? ēCO’s Holiday Special* can help! At a low 7.49% APR** with terms up to 24-months, it’s a great solution to borrow extra money at a low interest rate. Apply online or at any ēCO Credit Union branch.
ēCO Credit Union is here for you! We wish all of our members a happy and healthy holiday season!