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Ellen McGirt's holiday shopping tipsMoney magazine's senior writer says leave credit cards at home
(CNN) -- Holiday shopping season has kicked off. And while sales brought shoppers out early on Black Friday, those savings don't always keep wallets full during the holidays. Ellen McGirt, senior writer for "Money" magazine shares some practical tips with CNN anchor Soledad O'Brien for sticking to a holiday shopping budget. Here is an edited version of their discussion. O'BRIEN: Let's talk a little bit about some of your tips, because I think they're really great. I'm going to run through them and I want you to explain. First you say don't use credit cards. Well, if you're not -- I mean, obviously, you don't want to haul a chunk of cash to the mall, do you? MCGIRT: Well, I wouldn't mind hauling a chunk of cash to the mall. There are other ways to shop, too, and you can use credit cards more efficiently. But studies show that you'll spend at least 30 percent more when you use your credit cards. You can justify it with [earning frequent-flier] miles. You can justify that you're tracking your expenses but... O'BRIEN: You don't really feel it. MCGIRT: But you really don't feel it. It's like just free money. If you don't have the cash don't use it, don't spend it. And, of course, use your debit card. They're such good consumer protection these days. O'BRIEN: Yes, that's true. All right. Don't sign up for the store cards. But, at the end of the day, you get that great deal: you get 15 percent off your purchases. You've saved maybe $300 at the register. MCGIRT: I know, but you've spent too much to justify it. They're spraying you perfume. It's just a heady moment. It's absolutely not worth it. You're spending too much for interest rates with those cards. And it can be a ding on your credit, which you don't think about later on in the year, which can cost you thousands. O'BRIEN: Even if people go in saying, "You know what, I'm going to pay it all off and it's not going to be a ding." You think people usually don't? MCGIRT: They're not going to go for the second helping, either, but they do that, too. Stick to your budget. O'BRIEN: Let's talk about shopping online. You recommend that. And that's the way I go, because it's just so easy. MCGIRT: It's so convenient. But you can comparison shop, make sure you're getting the better deal. And, of course, there's like free or low-cost shipping these days and you can track your purchases better and you won't do that impulse spending. O'BRIEN: Never pay retail. MCGIRT: Oh, everything is negotiable, anyway. We always believe that, right? But especially these days, you don't have to wait 'til the last minute to get bargains. We're seeing them all the way through. O'BRIEN: Make a list, check it twice. MCGIRT: Absolutely. O'BRIEN: And I would imagine people spend a tremendous amount more when they don't have a list. They kind of free-form through the mall. MCGIRT: Everything looks attractive this time of year. Figure out who you're going to want to buy for, what you want to spend, what are good possible gift choices for them. Comparison shop, stick to budget, give and have a wonderful time. O'BRIEN: You have an amazing consumer rage survey to talk about. Seventy percent say that they experienced some kind of rage in 2005. Thirty-three percent yelled, 15 percent attempting revenge, of which 1 percent, I believe, were successful. Thirteen percent cursed out the person they were dealing with. And 59 percent -- the bulk of people really just want an apology. These are your frustrations, really, with customer service, I think, a lot of the time. MCGIRT: Right across the board. And this is in all parts of our lives, it's not just the retail clerks. Think phone service, think financial services. These are the places we're really having a hard time getting the kind of service or... O'BRIEN: Right. What's the best way -- you know, you don't even want revenge. You just want what you want, whether it's an apology or the toy replaced or the money back on your credit card. MCGIRT: That's exactly right. O'BRIEN: Best way to get that? MCGIRT: Don't get mad, get organized. You have to be -- make your case. You're going to have to make your case often. Be a detective. You're going to have to figure out how this organization works. Everyone tracks a problem differently. Is it your last name, is there a customer number, is it a phone number? Ask for an investigation. That's the magic word. If there's a really serious problem, ask the 800 person -- 800 call number -- who launches the investigation, how do I get to that department. And be patient. It takes a while. Some of these people in this survey spent 18 hours getting a problem resolved. O'BRIEN: Wow, 18 hours? MCGIRT: I know, I know. It's a complicated world. 
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