The holiday shopping season will be here before you know it and Walmart is helping customers get a jump-start on those lists. The retail giant will once again open its layaway program by the end of August in select stores, so you can start budgeting for some of those big-ticket items.
Between Aug. 28 and Dec. 14, Walmart customers at participating stores can use the store’s layaway program, which gives shoppers more than three months to build their holiday shopping lists and gradually cross off items.
If you’re looking to save a little money and avoid adding to your credit card balance, Walmart’s layaway plan is worth a look.
Layaway programs offer shoppers the opportunity to put their items on hold at the store with a deposit, and then make regular payments over several weeks or months until the total purchase amount is paid off. Then they can head back to the store to pick up the items.
So, how does Walmart’s layaway program work? It’s pretty simple.
First, head to your local Walmart store and pick out the items you want to buy (layaway is not an option for online purchases).
Individual items must cost $10 or more in order to qualify for layaway, and your total purchase amount must be $50 or more. Wireless phones are also not eligible for layaway.
Once you’ve made your selections, go to the store’s layaway desk and talk to a customer service associate to set up your layaway program. While there is no layaway fee to hold your items, you will be required to leave a 10% deposit or $10, whichever is greater. This will put your item(s) on hold in the layaway department.
Once your items are on layaway, you can make regular payments whenever you like. However, you must have your balance paid off by Dec. 14 to retrieve the items in time for the holidays. Walmart can even send you reminders via email and/or text to help you stay on a payment schedule.
If the items are not picked up by Dec. 14, Walmart will cancel the layaway and return the deposit minus a cancellation fee (which varies by state).
That’s it! Don’t miss your chance to start chipping away at that holiday shopping list and maybe even save a little money by sticking to your budget, thanks to layaway.
This story originally appeared on Don't Waste Your Money. Checkout Don't Waste Your Money for product reviews and other great ideas to save and make money.
