Close to endgame, should I start using a FAQ? [Spoilers(?)]

I started playing P4:G about 3 weeks ago and have been absolutely hooked since. As someone who grew up in love with JRPGs but has since fallen off, P4:G is now one of my favorite games I've ever played.

I've done my best to remain spoiler free, but now I'm closing in on (month and dungeon) December (in November now, about to go into "Heaven") and I've had some people say you should start using a FAQ when you get to (month) December in order to get the best ending. As much as I love P4 I don't think I'd be interested in doing a NG+ because of my lack of time to play games (I've had a few week break from work, which is why I picked it up in the first place).

Do you have any recommendations? Again, I don't know what happens at December and want to remain as spoiler free as possible. Is there any spoiler free FAQs you'd reccomend using or should I just play naturally and see how it works out?

Make a spare save and play it normally. Then you can restart with a FAQ if you mess it up

I'd start using a FAQ. If you don't want to replay in case of screw ups, i'd also consider using a series of rotating saves. Just in case.

This seems to be fairly well written. http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/641695-persona-4-golden/69817462 However, don't highlight the spoiler bars next to each ending unless you want to know what happens in that ending. I'll tell you what to highlight here if you want to know: there's a bunch of bars under 'bad ending 3' which are the questions you have to get correct to avoid the bad ending. Once you've done that, I'd say you could just go with the flow.

I'd personally take those steps if I were just playing the game once as you do miss quite a lot of potential content otherwise. But where you go after that is up to you, the other options are all listed out for you there in a fairly spoiler-free fashion and I think all the ways the story can go from there are interesting, so it's up to you whether you want to go with it or pick a specific version to see. Also if you decide to go for the Golden Ending you might want to check comment #10 on that page for additional info, although I'd note that unless you've been planning for this there's a chance you won't be able to max out the necessary social link in time.

Edit: Also take the advice of those other commenters and make a backup save. Then you could just play through it and see how things go in relative safety, which might be the best plan.

I think a FAQ is only necessary if you are trying to 100% the game. I would recommend an ending FAQ if you want the golden ending cause the choice thing is sort of bullshit in my opinion

The only thing you really need to know are that the game skips to Dec 24 once you finish the dungeon, so don't end it prematurely if you want to S-link and do other stuff. Other than that, have a backup save and play it naturally.

Make a second save, but also as far as I know you can't get the best-best ending until you beat the game a second time anyway.

Also vouching for making a second save. You seem to be at the point in the game were you can see almost all of the endings by fumbling around.

There is something that I reeeeaaaally want to mention that no one here has and that the GameFAQs guide leaves out, but it would spoil a few things.

I looked into this and you don't have to do a second run. To get it, you pretty much follow the same process from the original game with one or two extra things to do along the way.

Thanks again all for the responses. I think I'm going to see if I can go for the Golden ending given the guide Y2Ken linked. The only thing I'm not sure of is if I can max out Marie's Social Link before the given date. Its currently Nov 6th in my game and that S-Link is only at level 2.

@soego: Marie is available to hang out on every day of December. You should be able to do it.

@soego: I would save faq usage for your eventual 2nd playthrough. Just play the game how you want for the first time.