The Holidays can be a whirlwind of socializing and spending. Many of us overindulge at the dinner table, and while shopping. During the busy holiday season, it’s important to keep a close eye on your finances and know what you can afford to spend before you head to the malls, sit down at the computer, or even make purchases from your mobile phone while on-the-go.

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Here are some Holiday budget tips from Financial Expert Manisha Thakor, Director of Wealth Strategies for Women, Buckingham and The BAM Alliance.

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• Set a budget and stick to it: Make a gift list and don’t let guilt lead you to overextend yourself.
• Pay your bills on time and watch your balances: payment history is 35% of your FICO Score and utilization counts for 30%.
• Beware of identity theft and fraud: monitor transactions and use credit card alerts.
• Don’t be tempted by new store credit cards: it may be more trouble than it’s worth to open a new credit account.

holiday budget tips

Before you make another purchase, get the tips you need to avoid overextending yourself this Holiday season by checking out more advice from Manisha below.

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For more Holiday Budget tips, visit: www.FICOscore.com

holiday budget gifts

Meet Our Guest

Manisha Thakor, CFA, CFP® is the Director of Wealth Strategies for Women at Buckingham and The BAM Alliance, a St. Louis-based financial advisory firm. Known for making the complex simple, the cornerstone of Manisha’s work is a concept she calls “MoneyZen,” a joy-based approach to personal finance. An ardent financial literacy advocate for women, Manisha is the co-author of two critically acclaimed personal finance books: ON MY OWN TWO FEET: a modern girl’s guide to personal finance and GET FINANCIALLY NAKED: how to talk money with your honey. Manisha is on Faculty at The Omega Institute, a member of The Wall Street Journal’s Wealth Experts Panel, a member of CNBC’s Financial Advisor Council, and wearing her MoneyZen LLC hat serves as a consultant to TIAA’s Women’s Initiative. Her financial advice has been featured on CNN, FOX, PBS, NPR, The Today Show, Dr. Oz, Dr. Drew, Steve Harvey, Rachel Ray and in print in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Real Simple, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Women’s Health and others. Manisha earned her MBA from Harvard Business School in 1997 and her BA from Wellesley College in 1992.

holiday budget tips