I am now on a tight budget, but want to get my boyfriend a professional digital camera for Christmas. Should I charge it to my credit card and hope for a good tax refund to pay it back?

I wouldn't spend money before you have it. It will only dig a hole that you might not escape from should an emergency expense come up in the meantime.

Professional quality cameras also typically cost well over a thousand dollars.

Charging a camera this expensive on a credit card will cost you much more in the long run. i understand you may not have the cash and charging is your only alternative.

This is exactly why our economy is in the shape it is today........credit card debt.

Christmas is still several months away.

Why not just save your money between now and then and pay cash? if even you do not save the entire cost of the camera, it will be a lot cheaper to use your credit card to pay the remainder of the balance on the camera.

In the long run, you will be the winner and your boyfriend will take a nice picture of you with his paid-for Christmas present........the camera!

NO...this is the type of thinking that gets people into A FINANCIAL PINCH...Never spend more than you earn.

Why not look for a great USED digital Camera?

I joined a Yahoo Group about three years ago. The main promise you make is NOT to buy new.

You try in general not to shop willy-nilly, but you can (when you need something) Buy USED, Barter/Trade, Make it or Re-purpose (recycle) to a new use or DO WITHOUT IT!

The goal being to make "less of a footprint" on the planet...which something that already was made and exists...does over something newly manufactured, packaged and delivered to somewhere.

In the past three years, not only have we managed to make less of a footprint...we have SAVED MONEY...a nice chunk of money...enough money to be able to afford a "new" USED Toyota 4-runner when my partner's 20 year old Jeep...began to take a serious "nickel and dime..you to death"...final journey!

I was able to replace our stereo system...upgrade it really, with a used system that works fantastically and cost half of what it would have brand new...

It's great...all the frills, with none of the burden!

Remember...Credit Cards are designed NOT TO ever pay off..that is "their" goal..to keep you in debt.

What if you were able to not over spend, and take that refund and invest it in a ROTH IRA..? If you are under 30...the pay off could be fantastic when you retire!

aww! thats so sweet of you! if your BF really means that much to you then compromise :]

If he is just starting out, you could look at entry level cameras, like the Sony A200, they have dropped a lot in price and should be available for around £155.00 I think thats around $240.00 and second hand a bit less. A good camera to learn on
you would be better to save up for this rather than spend before you have it. by the time you pay interest on what you want it will have cost you twice as much.
On another note.
Cameras are very specific. If he is already into it a bit, I would make sure he is part of the selection process, or the odds are you will not get what he would desire from a camera.
It took me over 6 months to choose mine and I would not have been happy if I had got a different one as a gift, I know that sounds pretty selfish, but it would be like buying him a nintendo wii when he wanted an Xbox360. and that would be a shame after all your good intentions.

If you are on a tight budget, your boyfriend can buy his own camera. Get him something small and meaningful.

No, you still have time so shop around. Check out ebay, woot, egghead, and other discount electronics websites. See what the average price is and determine if you can save up to buy it.

Good budgeting begins months in advance.

Good luck!