It’s hard to believe, but the Christmas holidays — and all the stress that comes with it — are just a few months away. Nearly 70% of people say they are stressed during the holidays due to lack of time. If you want to get ahead of the season and help to decrease some of the potential stress that comes with it, it’s time to start your shopping now.
Here are some tips for early holiday shopping.
Make a list
One of the best ways to plan for early holiday shopping success is to make a list of everyone that you need to buy for, along with ideas for gifts. This will help you ensure that you don’t accidentally leave anyone without a gift and that you get them something they will love. Make sure, if you are able, that you are including your kids’ teachers, your mailman, and all of those individuals who may play an important role during everyday life.
Set a budget
Spending during the holiday season can easily get out of control if you don’t set a budget and stick with it. As you are making your gift shopping list, set a target budget for each person on your list.
Look for sales
The great news is, between now and the Christmas holidays, there are plenty of potential sales that you can take advantage of. These sales, such as the current Joseph Ribkoff sale, may not even be related to the holidays. If you have ideas for gifts you are trying to purchase, start now by looking for sales at the stores where you can get those items. Be sure to sign up for email alerts so that you don’t miss the best deals.
Plan for Black Friday and Cyber Monday
If you want to take advantage of the biggest shopping and sales days of the year, you should plan. In the days leading up to these two holidays (which occur the Friday after Thanksgiving and in early December, respectively), research the businesses that you want to make purchases from and see what kind of deals they are potentially offering for Black Friday.
Gather Your Supplies
As you make your purchases, try to keep up with your holiday preparations and wrap as you go. Take stock of what wrapping and gifting materials you already have, then look for early deals on these items leading up to December.
Spacing out the spending and looking for deals may help relieve some of the stress that comes with the holidays, and make the impact of all that spending hurt a little less.
