YORK, Pa. — As stores and restaurants open back up, people will be tempted to splurge on all sorts of things. A year without being able to do whatever you want can do that to people.
But as the economy and spending opens back up, many may be wondering how to celebrate the world getting back to normal without breaking the bank.
FOX43's Chelsea Koerbler spoke with finance expert, Vera Gibbons, about how to stay "money smart" post-COVID.
According to Gibbons, there are three things consumers must do to ensure they're spending responsibly. First, she said, is keeping your emotions in check.
"You don’t want to overspend," she said. "You don’t want to impulse buy. It’s okay to treat yourself to something every now and then, but we don’t want to overspend."
Second, she said it's important to compare prices to make sure you're getting the best deal on whatever it is you're buying.
“There’s been so much price fluctuation going on brought on by the pandemic," she said. "The supply and demand is all sorts of messed up if you will. Some prices are sky-high and they’re moving around a bit so you are seeing fluctuations, which is when browser extensions like 'Honey' really come into play because it finds the coupon codes for you and applies them right at checkout."
Third, Gibbons said it's important to consider touch-free payment options. According to her, it's easier, efficient, and healthier considering we aren't out of the COVID-woods just yet.
“We saw this trend takeoff during the pandemic and now it’s pretty much becoming mainstream," she said. "You just take your smart phone and you open your PayPal or your Venmo app, press the scan button and then you select show to pay. Or you just scan the QR code that you see displayed at checkout.”
Gibbons concluded by reminding us to think before we swipe, and stick to a budget.
To hear more of what she had to say, check out the clip above.