Whether you are a Valentine’s Day cynic or a lovebird who revels in the holiday of romance, chances are your significant other still wants to be shown some love with a gift this February 14.

You’re at a department store. You’re a smart shopper so you’ve prepared a list of items you plan to buy and have budgeted accordingly. As you venture toward the back of the store, you pass the clearance rack. You know you should just keep walking, but you spot a pair of designer jeans that have been reduced from $200 to $75. At a discount like that, the store’s practically begging you to buy them, right?

One of my Spendster weaknesses is eating out. Now, I’m not necessarily proud of this, but as a creature of habit, I have been to my favorite four restaurants 168 times so far this year. These aren’t fancy places, but the numbers sure add up. I’ve spent $681.20 in 78 visits to my top favorite place.

Layaway has made a comeback this holiday season. Yes, the thrifty practice your parents and grandparents knew so well is back in style, as customers wanting to complete their gift lists without racking up a lump of debt have come calling.

The holiday shopping season is a very tempting time for us Spendsters. With all the discounts and deals going on and with everyone else out spending their hard-earned cash, it can feel only natural to pick up a few items for ourselves.

After indulging in turkey and all the fixings on Thanksgiving, I’ve never really been inclined to wake up at 4 a.m. the next day and haul my over-stuffed self to a big box store. But many Spendsters make Black Friday an annual tradition, switching into defensive mode as they elbow with other shoppers in an attempt to find the best deals.