The holiday season is underway and so are various Christmas sales held in different establishments. And if you don’t go about your Christmas shopping the right way, it can be a tiring experience. Here are some handy Christmas shopping tips to help you buy your presents and other stuff.
Christmas shopping tips no. 1: Prepare yourself
Stores can be crowded during Christmas sales, which makes looking for and getting the items you want hard. A good way to lessen the hassle is by preparing a shopping plan. This serves as a guide not only for the things you will buy but also for all your activities during shopping day.
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Start with creating your shopping list. Put down all the people you plan to buy gifts for and your intended gifts Write your immediate family and friends first. When adding more names, consider which ones should come first and which ones you can include for the next time.
Having a budget is also a must when planning your Christmas shopping. Decide on how much you are going to spend on each gift. It is also important that the gift you will buy is something the recipient will like. This helps you set the right ceiling for your purchases and make sure that the gift won’t go to waste.
Extra budget
Aside from your main shopping budget, set aside an extra budget. You will use this to cover any unexpected expenses, such as presents for important people you forgot to include in your list. You can also include here the food expenses when shopping.
When creating your extra budget, keep it as small as possible. For instance, you might want to limit it to just extra gifts for one or two persons. This way, you will not be tempted to use it for anything other than what you intended.
Christmas shopping tips no. 2: Look for good deals
A great way to cut down on your shopping expenses is to look out for deals on the items you buy. Check online to find out the general price range of the gifts. Use the information to compare the prices offered at different stores and select the best one that would fit your budget.
Many stores usually launch their holiday sales around a few weeks before Christmas. For these, it would be a good idea to go in the middle of the sale period. This way, you avoid the rush of customers during the opening and closing dates. You will also be able to find the items you want easily since it is the time they will be replenishing stocks.
On the other hand, you might also want to consider going during after-Christmas sales. These often offer larger deals in a bid to dispose of their remaining stock. Most people won’t mind if their aguinaldos come in a day or two late. The only downside is that some of the items you are looking for might already be not available by that time.
Christmas shopping tips no. 3: Use the right payment methods
While credit cards make transactions easier, they can also cause you to overspend. You will be tempted to just charge any expenses to your card. A good Christmas shopping tip is to avoid that by paying in cash instead. Withdraw only the amount you intend to spend and stick to the budget. In case you run short, withdraw only the amount you need.
Another way to deal with this is by using a debit or prepaid card instead. With both, you spend only based on the amount of funds already loaded into your account. The main draw with the latter is that it is not connected to your bank account. Hence, you get to exercise more control over the amount of Christmas shopping funds you have access to.
Christmas shopping tips no. 4: Control your impulses
While you might already have a prepared Christmas shopping list, there is still the temptation to buy something that caught your attention on a whim. Knowing what products trigger your impulsiveness will help you steer clear from them when roaming around. Here, you need to be honest with yourself to better see the signs of a possible impulse buy. Remind yourself that there is still the next time to calm that urge.
Your shopping companions also affect your decision-making. This is particularly the case when shopping with kids. It can be quite tempting to cave in when they fuss over a certain toy but you need to stand your ground. Gently remind them why you are there and promise them that you will buy it for them next time.
Be smart in your Christmas shopping and follow these tips
Christmas shopping should not always mean that you have to spend a lot on presents and items. These shopping tips are a great way to control your spending while still getting good gifts for your loved ones. Follow these and you will be free from any headache later on.