"Can I pay less?" How to save money and protect yourself during the holidays
BOSTON - As we near the beginning of the holiday season this is a good time to do a self-check of your financial behavior and your spending habits.
Thanksgiving is only 69 days and Christmas is only 101 days away, as of September 15. That means time is of the essence!
Let's start with how important it is to shop around.
Yes, we know it may take some extra time that you feel like you already don't have. But - oftentimes the extra legwork leads you to the same products or services you were looking for, for hundreds of dollars less.
"Don't assume that the biggest sellers out there, Walmart, Amazon, the big box stores--are going to offer you the lowest price, because often they don't. You won't know whether you're getting a good deal or not, unless you shop around," said Kevin Brasler, a Consumer Expert with Consumers' Checkbook.
Next, as you're shopping for gifts, dinners, holiday trips and not to mention it's still wedding season, make sure you're paying with a credit card whenever possible.
Why? Because you'll be most protected from fraud and bad service.
This is also a good time to sit down and review and re-evaluate all of the services (and free trials that have now turned into services) that you're still signed up for.
"Find out can I pay less? A lot of us get hit with the same, for example, the same cable and internet bill every month, without exploring whether or not there's a lower cost tier we can join. Or even if they're offering a lower rate to newer subscribers, we may be able to ask for," said Brasler.
You should also take this time to deep dive into your credit.
You can get free credit reports here.
Brasler specifically points this one out, because this website is authorized by federal law, which makes it safe for you to use.
He also suggests putting a freeze on your credit, so that criminals aren't able to open a new account in your name without your permission. He told WBZ it's also a good idea to check your children's credit history as well, to make sure they haven't been victims of identity theft.
And remember if you're the victim of a scam, it's important to report it.
"Criminals these days are quite sophisticated at getting us to give them our money. And I've spoken to highly intelligent people who have been scammed and felt really dumb afterwards. Felt like, you know, how did I fall for this? If you are the victim of a scam, report it. It will help investigators later on in law enforcement track down the criminals," Brasler said.
You can report a scam to the FTC here and there's additional information from the FTC here.
You can also report it on this website and to the Better Business Bureau.