It’s that time of year; the festivities await you, friends and family come to town, the city shines with its Christmas beauty, and you start sprouting white hairs in preparation for the shopping to come. Fortunately for you, Christmas shopping doesn’t need to be a stressful, arduous, and a financially-taxing endeavor. You don’t need to rework your mortgage trying to buy all your loved ones the hot-new-thing.
All you need to do is simplify your shopping, making the process easier on yourself and your wallet. If you want to take on another job to support the coming purchases, all the more power to you. But there is, however, an easier way to turn holiday shopping into an enjoyable task.
Spread It Out
A common phenomenon with Christmas shopping is the blitzkrieg that hits the mall during the holiday season—more so, right before the holiday itself. But smart shoppers avoid the traffic and clutter, only utilizing the period right before to find the best deals. You need to condition your brain to think about gifts year round, which allows you to make purchases in advance and budget with ease. Why not spend the entire year buying gifts for your loved ones, rather than blowing up your bank account when the time comes? It’s less stressful, allows for more time to be creative, and helps you manage your finances.
Shopping List
We know what it’s like to rush through your contact list, tally up those in your family, and work tirelessly to ensure that everyone you love is going to receive a present. If done right before Christmas, you might find yourself buying random things that don’t really align with the type of gift you’re looking for. A great shopping list, like a grocery list, will allow you to have a complete vision of the purchases you need to make. This will help you better allocate funds to certain purchases and rank them from least to greatest.
Research, Research, Research
Every company is going to be at the forefront of the holiday season, trying ceaselessly to sell their newest products. In which case, you’re going to want to research certain items before you purchase them. Thankfully, the internet is ripe with reviews—many of which present information without any bias. If you’re thinking of buying a watch for a loved one, then look into MVMT reviews. Likewise, if it’s a TV you’re after, make sure that the review you’re looking at presents accurate information.
Purchase Your Least Expensive Items First
This note is specifically geared towards your wallet, rather than the process of shopping itself. By purchasing the items that won’t cost you as much first, you create a better price point for the following purchases. If you buy that brand new TV or mattress as your first Christmas gift, then what follows could be overpriced items, being that you’ve already set a ceiling for yourself. Be sure to start cheap then work your way up to more expensive items. This exercise will help you stay on budget.
Combine Your Gifts
You may roll your eyes at this tip but in all actuality, it can simplify the shopping process. Think of giving combined gifts to multiple loved ones or friends—something they can enjoy together. This is exponentially easier when the people you’re shopping for are siblings or couples, being that they’re often regarded as a single unit. From a weekend getaway to a multi-player board game, there are plenty of combined gifts that work better than individual ones.
An Overall Budget
While we all wish to afford mansions, Ferraris, and vacations to Greece for our loved ones, our bank accounts often have a different idea in mind; perhaps some back-to-school pens instead? Giving during the holiday season is about the act itself, rather than the gift. You should never push your financial limits to keep up with gift giving, especially if it’s irresponsible and could land you in debt. Before a single gift is purchased, you’re going to want to create an overall budget; the amount of money you can put towards all your gifts. From there, you can assign larger chunks of your budget to those you deem a priority, and then allocate the rest accordingly.
Christmas shopping should be a fun, joyous, and rewarding endeavor. Don’t let the stress of the holidays turn a great thing into a dreadful experience. Follow these tips and your Christmas shopping is only going to get easier. Remember, it’s about giving—not gifting.