It’s almost Christmas again, meaning it’s time to put up the tree, decorate the yard, and hang the lights. It’s also time for Christmas shopping, which, if you’re anything like us, means unintentionally overspending every year. Here are five tips we’ve found can help save money when Christmas shopping.
- Makin’ a List – Who makes the list this year? Decide who of your friends and family are worthy to receive a gift from you. Trying to buy gifts for too many people will skyrocket your bottom line. Show some holiday love to the acquaintances (i.e. your favorite barista, the mailman, and that one person who complimented your hair once), but maybe don’t buy them iPads.
- Checkin’ It Twice – Too often, we haphazardly waddle into shopping malls holding out a credit card and allowing it to fall through every card reader we find. But no more! Instead of going in blind and looking for things your friends and family ‘might’ like, spend some serious time thinking about exactly what you want to get for each person you’re shopping for so that you can go into those shopping centers with a mission.
- Gonna Find Out – You know what they say about making assumptions? Do some online research to find out exactly how much each gift is going to cost. That way you will know exactly how much you will be spending before the money is actually spent. It’s a revolutionary old concept that allows the spender to readjust the shopping list if the total number causes a mild heart attack.
- Who’s Naughty – Obviously, sales are good, but do not let the thousands of promotions and slashed prices tempt you into buying a bunch of items that aren’t on your trusted list. The most common mistake many Christmas shoppers make is that they rack up a ton of ‘small purchases’ without realizing how much they add up.
- Or Nice – Treat yourself. It sounds counterintuitive, but thinking about a good gift for yourself and allowing yourself to buy that one thing is the best way to avoid impulsively buying three or four things for yourself once you’re out shopping.
