It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Are you daydreaming about skating and taking the kids to see The Nutcracker Suite? Or are you frazzled and panicked about how you will be able to get your holiday shopping done without breaking the bank? If you fall in the second category, these guidelines for saving money on holiday shopping will ease your mind and have visions of sugarplums dancing in your head in no time!
Buy Less
Buying less for your kids may seem like the most obvious way to save money, but it can also be the most difficult. A friend of mine lives by the saying, “Something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read” when buying Christmas gifts for her children. Following this motto is a great way to cut down on the amount you are buying for your kids, while making sure that some of what they get is useful.
Set a Budget and Stick to It
Take an honest look at your finances and decide how much you can spend this year. Once you have set your budget, stick to it. Write down what you buy for each person and how much it costs (including those little stocking stuffers) to keep track of how much you have left to spend. When you have spent it all, stop buying. It’s that simple. Just being accountable to yourself for each purchase and seeing where every dollar goes can be enough to motivate you to spend less.
Start Early
Sure, the holiday lights on the Plaza are breathtaking, but wouldn’t you rather enjoy them with a leisurely stroll in the snow rather than sprinting past them in a last-minute frenzy? The earlier you start your holiday shopping, the easier it is to find great deals and reduce what you spend. By shopping early, you can take advantage of clearance sales throughout the year and grab items when you see them at a reduced price. Whatever you do, don’t wait until the last minute and pay inflated prices and exorbitant express shipping fees. Start now. And next year, start earlier!
More Savvy Holiday Shopping Tips
- Use websites like www.Cashbaq.com, www.Ebates.com or www.Upromise.com when shopping online. By clicking through those sites to your chosen retailer before your purchase, you will get a percentage of your purchase back in the form of a check or a deposit in your child’s college savings account.
- Save money and the environment when it comes to gift wrap. Skip the expensive wrapping paper or gift bags and wrap your gifts in cute reusable shopping bags.
- If you are shopping for electronics, consider buying last year’s model. You can save a ton of money for a product that often times is very similar to the new model.
- Check out www.CamelCamelCamel.com, a website that will track an item on www.Amazon.com and alert you if it falls below your set price threshold.
Sara Keenan lives in beautiful Brookside in KCMO. She is already done shopping for her son and daughter this year…now what to get for her husband?!