When it’s time to make a big purchase like a new TV, computer, furniture, appliances, or yard equipment, most people wait for a sale to buy them.
And that’s a great way to save money. But then they’ll put their purchase on a credit card and make monthly payments. Or even worse, they’ll take out a loan.
So why is that so bad? Because what you probably don’t realize is that by paying for your purchase with monthly payments with a credit card or loan, the interest you pay will completely eliminate any of the savings you got from the sale. Or worse, make you end up paying even more.
To avoid making this costly mistake, try planning ahead when you want to make any big purchase. And start putting extra money aside every month until you have enough to pay for the item in cash.
You can earn interest on it by putting that extra money in your Compass CCU savings account. Plus, making direct deposits from your paycheck will make it even easier to save. Once you have the amount you need to make that purchase, then it’s time to start looking for the sales. It’s the best way to ensure that you’ll never pay more than the sales price for anything.
Of course, if it’s an absolute emergency to make a purchase before you save up enough money to pay cash, you can put it on a credit card or ask us for a personal loan. Just make sure you pay it off right away or at least make more than the minimum payment every month. That way, you’ll save on some of those extra interest payments.
