Jimmy and Stephanie Norris stood in line Wednesday with a shopping cart full of toys and electronics, flatscreen TV, precariously balanced on top.
TV shake like Stephanie began to enter the Christmas presents in a table. Cashier Walmart rushed to pick it up, lifting it to the table before it could be toppled.
He called up Xbox Kinect, cute animal toys and play superheroes set to the total below $ 500, took about $ 50 from Stephanie and put items on layaway.
"It is easier to budget like that instead of all at one time," said Stephanie. "With four children we have a cost that they forget to tell us about. Teens tend to tell us the day before, and everything else that we find in their backpack. "
This holiday season could herald back layaway shopping, plan deferred payments regularly used before the days of credit cards. Christmas shoppers across the country have signed onto the program was revived, which many say make the budget more easily and avoid post-holiday hangover when credit card bills pile up.