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As a kid, my favorite time of year would be the day we went shopping for our “layaway order”. My mom would take my brother and I to the Hills Department store twice a year and let us pick out a bunch of clothes we needed for the upcoming season, usually winter and summer. I remember how exciting it was to get a ton of new clothes all at once. Though my parents probably remember most how convenient it was to make small payments every two weeks in order to afford the clothing we needed.

As an adult, the layaway plan was a great way to afford Christmas for my daughter and extended family. Alas, Walmart did away with the layaway plan in 2006, making it much harder for me and tons of others without credit cards to get through the holiday season.  Because of the credit fiascos hitting around the nation, more retailers are bringing back the layaway plan, while some stores like Kmart and Burlington Coat never stopped the process. It may take some time for other places to catch on and once again offer this convenient service to their customers. In the meantime, there is an online service called eLayaway that uses the same concept of shopping for the merchandise you want then “laying it away” as you make regular payments during a set timeline (between 3 and 12 months) until the total bill is paid off. The payments are automatically deducted from your bank account and the merchandised will be shipped to you soon after your last payment is made.

eLayaway offers a “mall” where you can shop at over 1000 vendors or consumers can shop through the site’s Merchant Network. Membership to the site is free. There are several advantages to using the eLayaway  First, shoppers do not have to worry about becoming overextending on credit during the shopping season, or at any time of the year.  Your payment plan can be set to fit your own financial needs and the payments are automatically deducted from your account so you don’t have to remember to drive to the store or mail in a payment. It is a good resource for people on a budget who carefully must watch every dollar spent. eLayaway allows you to plan ahead for your shopping instead of having to spend large sums all at one time. You also can shop from the convenience of your home, without having to waste gas or battle crazed shoppers during the busy shopping season. If you choose to cancel your layaway plan, it will cost you $25, without further obligation.

Check out the website and take a look through the different merchants and mall stores that participate in this program. You may be surprised at the places you can shop and still stay within your budget, especially if your local stores are no longer offering this convenient service.



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