Sears offering vacation packages on layaway

@CNNMoney June 30, 2012: 7:42 AM ET
sears-vacation-layaway

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Sears launched SearsVacations.com last week, a full-service travel web site that allows customers to put everything from cruises to the Bahamas to golf trips in Hawaii on layaway.

Through the SearsVacations' layaway plan, customers put down at least 10% for a cruise or a vacation package and pay off the rest in self-determined increments that must be paid in full before the trip.

"[I]t's a natural fit for Sears," said Shannelle Armstrong, the company's director of public relations. "We have a layaway at Sears, the store, so our customers are used to more flexible payment options."

Other contract terms, such as the exact payment deadline and the refund policy, vary with the company offering the trip. Unlike Sears (SHLD, Fortune 500)' in-store layaway program, there is no initiation fee in the SearsVacations.com layaway plan.

Layaway programs regained popularity during the recession when many retailers revived them, especially around the holidays. However, Sears is one of the first major retailers to offer such a program for vacation packages.

Similarly, warehouse club Costco (COST, Fortune 500) offers vacation packages with the option of paying off the trip later, but few other major retailers offer options like this. Most travel companies give customers the choice to pay a down payment and then make a final payment before embarking on the trip, although some allow for payment plans.

Think twice before booking: Certified financial planner Lauren Lyons Cole said consumers should think twice before putting a vacation on layaway.

"I always encourage people to prioritize travel into their financial plan," Lyons Cole said. "That said, putting it on layaway is something I would never recommend."

She advises that cash-strapped vacationers seek out the best possible deals and set a budget. Once that's established, the personal finance expert says to start saving for the trip in a separate bank account, so in case there's an emergency -- like a broken car or an unexpected visit to the hospital -- you can always dip into the travel funds.

"Hopefully they'll get to their goal, but if something else came up, they can use that money toward something that they actually needed... as opposed to being stuck paying for this vacation at Sears, which becomes less important," Lyons Cole said. "It's good for people to have control over their own money."

When looking at layaway options in general, the Federal Trade Commission advises reading the fine print. Look at the terms of the plan, such as possible fees and the refund policy. To top of page

Help! We need a makeover
Young dad, $15,000 in credit card debt
Readers' Choice

Carlos Rodriguez is trying to rid himself of $15,000 in credit card debt, while paying his mortgage and saving for his son's college education.

$400,000 portfolio, too many holdings
Readers' Choice

Susan Carson and Laura DeLallo make $225,000 and have half a million in retirement savings, but their sprawling portfolios is proving hard to manage.

Overnight Avg Rate Latest Change Last Week
30 yr fixed3.80%3.88%
15 yr fixed3.20%3.23%
5/1 ARM3.84%3.88%
30 yr refi3.82%3.93%
15 yr refi3.20%3.23%
Rate data provided
by Bankrate.com
View rates in your area
 
Find personalized rates:
  • -->

    Most stock quote data provided by BATS. Market indices are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes. All times are ET. Disclaimer. Morningstar: © 2018 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Factset: FactSet Research Systems Inc. 2018. All rights reserved. Chicago Mercantile Association: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved. Dow Jones: The Dow Jones branded indices are proprietary to and are calculated, distributed and marketed by DJI Opco, a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and have been licensed for use to S&P Opco, LLC and CNN. Standard & Poor's and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. All content of the Dow Jones branded indices © S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC 2018 and/or its affiliates.