It's easy to get caught up in the holidays; how to avoid surprises
During this season, let's not forget what's important for the holiday shopper -- being a smart consumer.
The last thing you want after the glitz and lights come down is to realize that you have overspent, racked up major credit card debt or forgotten to keep the receipt for a sweater that doesn't fit. Without a receipt, you might get store credit -- if you remember where you bought it -- but forget about getting cash back.
To avoid such headaches, here are a few things that savvy shoppers should keep in mind over the next few weeks.
• Hold on to all receipts, including those for gift cards. These can come in handy if the person loses the card. Pass along gift receipts to your friends and family.
• Consumer Reports is again warning consumers to avoid paying extra for extended warranties. The magazine says that most extended warranties are a waste of money, because they are overpriced and because products rarely break within the three-year period that most cover. There are exceptions to the rule. For example, Consumer Reports suggests that shoppers buy warranties on rear-projection TVs and Apple computers.
Read full story [Raleigh News & Observer]
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