← 5 Holiday Shopping Tips for Shopaholics

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By Anslem Samuel | Published November 22, 2011 | Full size is 620 × 480 pixels

From Black Friday door buster specials to pre- and after-Christmas sales, the start of the holiday shopping frenzy may soon engage your inner shopaholic—and leave you with a mound of debt by New Year’s. The average American is expected to spend a little more than $700 on holiday gifts and seasonal merchandise in 2011, according to the National Retail Federation’s 2011 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey. Nationwide, sales are expected to reach $465.6 billion, putting retailers in the black. If the shopaholic in you is ready to be unleashed, take steps to control your spending habits so you aren’t left in the red, with credit card debt and an empty savings account before the year is over. Here are some useful tips to control your inner shopaholic this holiday season. —Lynette Khalfani-Cox

From Black Friday door buster specials to pre- and after-Christmas sales, the start of the…

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