In 2019, over 90 million people did at least some of their Black Friday shopping on the web. The need to go out into the holiday rush in search of deals no longer exists, as it’s now possible to find those same deals from the comfort of your own home.
In fact, one of the biggest shopping for Christmas tips has to do with avoiding stores in person. And if you know that tip, along with a few other useful tricks, you can get everything you want while saving some cash this holiday season.
In this article, we’ll tell you about 5 things that you can do to get the most out of your holiday shopping experience. We’ll tell you when to start shopping, as well as how to save extra money around the end of the year so you can increase your gift budget.
1. Start Your Christmas Shopping Early
As silly as it may sound, it really is never too early to start Christmas shopping. In fact, the earlier that you start shopping, or at least planning for the holiday season, the less stressed you’ll be when buying gifts.
Let’s be honest, the worst part about shopping for the holidays is having to get out in the craziness that is the holiday shopping rush. But by starting early, around August or so, you can beat the holiday rush and pace yourself spending wise.
You can also wait to buy bigger items when it’s closer to the holiday season, when sales arrive, to finish out your shopping for the year. That way, you can still get the benefit of sales without having to do all of your shopping at once in a limited time window.
2. Limit Your Other Spending When You Can
Another huge benefit to starting your shopping early is the ability to save more money over time. That will allow you to expand your budget and spend more on each gift, which can help you make your loved ones’ holiday more special.
In order to make the most out of your budget, you’re going to want to limit your spending in other areas of your life. Saving a few extra bucks each month will help you feel less stressed about shopping, which of course will make things more fun for you.
A pro tip? Cut back on eating out, starting around July or August. Make your own coffee at home, too, so you can use that extra money to show the people that you care most about how much you love them.
3. Create (and Follow) a per Person Budget
A great way to make sure you don’t forget anyone, as well as keep yourself from overspending, is to create a per person budget. Simply writing down the names of the people you want to buy gifts for, and then assigning a dollar amount to each name, is all you need to do to get this done.
When budgeting, try to overestimate the cost of gifts by a few dollars for each person. That way you give yourself a bit of wiggle room to account for things like shipping and tax.
Of course, a budget isn’t any good if you don’t follow it. So, make sure that you stick to that budget and don’t go over the assigned dollar amount for anyone on your list.
4. Avoid Shopping Malls Completely
Outside of budgeting, the most important thing that you need to know when holiday shopping is where to shop. And perhaps even more important than that, you need to know which places to avoid completely.
Shopping malls, in particular, are a great way to overspend. So, if you don’t have to, try to avoid them by shopping online or at standalone stores.
Why should you avoid shopping malls? Well, besides the crowds, shopping malls are loaded with temptations that can harm your budget. That’s why we recommend that you only go to stores that have what you need, and then leave them right after making your purchase.
Worried about missing out on Black Friday sales? Don’t be; you can still get in on Walmart Black Friday 2020 sales, and other Black Friday sales, by shopping at home online. Cyber Monday, the Monday following Black Friday, is another great time to shop for holiday gifts online.
5. Browse Social Media Websites for Deals
Believe it or not, following your favorite brands and stores on social media is a great way to save some extra cash this holiday season. Brands and stores are always posting discounts online, so by staying up to date with them on social media, you increase your chances of finding a sale.
Some of the holiday’s most popular items may be hard to find in stock. By following stores on sites like Facebook and Twitter, you can be alerted when something is back in stock, allowing you to jump on it before it’s sold out again.
If you’re an online shopper, this is another great tip to help you avoid the holiday rush at your local stores. It’ll also help you stretch your budget a bit further, which is always nice, especially when shopping for lots of people.
Need More Shopping for Christmas Tips and Tricks?
As you can see, the biggest shopping for Christmas tips all have to do with planning and budgeting. So, as long as you set a plan and budget, and start shopping early, you should be able to get everything you want for a fair price.
Ready to start your holiday shopping now? Check back with our blog often, as we have everything from product reviews to money-saving tips and tricks.
