CONSUMER 6: Making Christmas less costly and eliminating junk mail with a phone call

<b>A little planning can make next Christmas less costly</b><br><br>During the holidays, many shoppers over spend, sometimes going way over budget. Now that holiday bills are beginning to arrive, many

Wednesday, January 24th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

A little planning can make next Christmas less costly

During the holidays, many shoppers over spend, sometimes going way over budget. Now that holiday bills are beginning to arrive, many are facing some New Year debt. There are steps you can take now to help avoid making the same mistakes next Christmas. "Sitting down, and making a plan,â€ said Consumer Credit Counseling Servicesâ€™ Meredith Exline. â€œLooking at Christmas as a large periodic expense, and going ahead and determining how much of your money you want to spend at Christmas. Then dividing that by 12, the number of months in the year, and setting that money aside each month."

Saving a little each month means when the holiday season rolls around, you should have enough cash to cover holiday expenses, so you won't have to rely on credit cards. If you are facing overwhelming debt, you can find help at Consumer Credit Counseling. Just call 744-5611.

Eliminate Junk Mail with One Phone Call

Are you tired of getting unsolicited offers in the mail for credit cards? There is a way to remove your name from many mailing lists. Call 1-888-5OPTOUT or 1-888-567-8688. Follow the directions, and you should see a decrease in your junk mail.

If you have questions, comments or suggestion for Consumer 6, call our tip line at 732-6111 or send an e-mail to dwhite@kotv.com.