Article posted: 11/18/2012 7:13 AM

5 tips to steer clear of debt in holiday shopping

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As the holiday shopping season expands and retailers make impulse buys ever-easier via smartphone and otherwise, consumers have to be extra-disciplined to avoid money trouble.

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Black Friday deals are starting early this year, and that means more pressure to spend spend spend. As the holiday shopping season expands and retailers make impulse buys ever-easier via smartphone and otherwise, consumers have to be extra-disciplined to avoid money trouble. Many are willing to indulge. The National Retail Federation forecasts holiday sales to rise 4.1 percent to $586.1 billion this year, a bigger increase than usual over the last 10 years.