The holidays are approaching and that means it is time to buy gifts for family members and friends. It’s a wonderful time of year and purchasing gifts can be fun but it can also be overwhelming.
How can you be sure that you won’t go crazy spending money this holiday season?
Set a budget
One of the first things you need to do is set a budget. Do not go over that budget no matter what. This will definitely help to keep the spending under control.
Start shopping early
Another great idea is to start Christmas shopping in January. If you shop throughout the year it will take the pressure off of buying gifts at the last minute. This way you can also find great deals and watch when items go on sale. It will save you money and stress.
When in doubt, just buy giftcards
Not sure what to buy for gifts so early in the year? Buy gift cards from different stores. Put them in a safe place and then you will have them when you know what you want to buy. Purchase gift cards from stores you know will shop at.
Start a saving account
You could also start a separate savings account for holiday purchase. Deposit a portion of your paycheck into the savings account each week or once a month. Once Christmas comes you will have the money and you won’t have to worry about coming up with the cash all at once.
Avoid credit cards
Which leads me to the next thing. Credit cards. Do everything in your power to not use credit cards to buy gifts. This is just a no-no although I am sure many people do it. It is tempting but you will still have to come up with that money eventually. It will just be later on, after the holidays.
At that point, I guarantee you will regret having bought items on credit.
Always use coupons
Most stores, in store or online, offer coupon codes and promo codes. Always search for online codes before you order something. Sometimes you can get a large percentage off or even free shipping. It always pays to spend a little time looking for a coupon code. You can always find coupons online that you can use in a store. There are many apps these days too that offer cash back rebates. Coupon websites like Mamma.com make it easy for people to search for coupons that can be used at their favorite online retailers.
Whatever you’re shopping for this holiday season, they likely have a coupon for it:
Remember that the holidays are not all about spending money. It’s nice to buy gifts and decor but you really don’t need to go crazy. Even if everyone else is doing it. Who says you have to spend all of your savings on Christmas? Keep it simple. Buy gifts that are practical. Buy something that would fill a need. Get creative and make homemade gifts.
Limit yourself and remember it’s not all about getting the nicest things. Setting the budget is really the major key in keeping the spending under control. Simply create a plan and stick to it.
Excellent tips for saving money. I do all the suggestions and it works well. The benefit of shopping gradually is the wrapping can be done as you buy saving that last minute scramble to get it done. This also helps with knowing how much wrapping to buy.