The holidays are supposed to be fun but worries about spending can put a damper on the festivities. Incorporating these savvy shopping strategies can help you save - and enjoy a stress-free season, too!
The winter holidays are supposed to provide plenty of joy, but if you are stressing out overspending or afraid of your gift list, you’ll dread the season. Spending wisely buy shopping early, abandoning store loyalty and being mindful of related costs can help you enjoy the season and find stress-free ways to give to your loved ones.
4 Ways to Take the Stress out of Holiday Spending
Avoid Store Loyalty
Loyalty to a single store can cost you when it comes time to shop for holiday gifts. If you are brand loyal to the point that you miss out on sales, savings and deals, you’ll overpay for at least some of the items on your list. Gifts that are a particular brand are fine – but if you limit your shopping to a particular venue you’ll overpay in a variety of ways.
When you shop somewhere new, you may be able to take advantage of specific offers directed at first time customers; applying that 20% first timer’s discount to your online shopping cart can help you save. Even if you prefer to buy in person, a quick online search will generally reveal a range of prices from both big box and specialty stores on the same item.
Check out Loss Leaders
The people waiting in those nightmarish Black Friday lines (sometimes beginning just after Thanksgiving dinner) are doing so for a reason – the loss leaders, or special sale items a store puts out at a specific time. While you may not want to join the horde, keeping an eye out for a timely deal on a preferred item (and then only buying that item when you visit the store) can help you save. If you’re feeding a crowd, visiting a few grocery stores each week and snapping up only those sale items can help you save as well.
Watch out for the Hidden Costs of Giving
You’ve found great deals, wrapped the gifts, and are headed to the post office. If your items are oversized or heavy, you could be in for a shock. As more shippers switch to a size based freight rate, even lightweight items are expensive to ship if they don’t fit a preconceived package size. If you have pieces you need to ship to someone, make sure that the $15 toy you’ve purchased won’t cost you $20 to ship. In some cases you can avoid this entirely by shipping direct from an online merchant or choosing an item that fits into a standard shipping box.
The Holidays Are Not A Surprise
Saving a small amount of money each week throughout the year can add up to stress free shopping once the holiday sales arrive. By setting aside a specific amount each week, you can easily grow a starter fund and have a good idea of your budget before the holiday shopping season begins. The winter holidays arrive around the same time every year, so they should not come as a surprise. Preparing in advance can remove the stress of spending and leave more room and time for enjoying the season.
Slowing down, shopping early (and wisely) and making holiday saving an annual event can help you not only survive the holiday shopping process but enjoy it as well.