This time of year, you got slasher flicks coming to a theater near you by the bushel. But another type of slashing is already going on ... Wal-Mart is slashing prices on a bunch of their toys, getting a jump start on the holiday shopping season. It's already in full swing, baby, and we haven't even gotten past pumpkin time yet.

If they're selling, watch how you buy. Here's some good Dave Ramsey advice for you, jack ... save money a few weeks or months before Christmas instead of turning to credit cards to save your neck. Make a "Christmas gifts" category in your budget and put aside cash out of each paycheck between now and shopping time. It doesn't matter if you have two people to buy for or 22, save up the dough and pay for gifts with cash, so your New Year's resolution isn't "I promise I'm going to pay off my credit card balance this year."