The holiday season is right around the corner and with it comes the revered gift giving atmosphere. Holidays are best when there is some love being shown to relatives, friends, partners and even colleagues. And what better way to do so than with gifts?
However, many people forget the real meaning behind the gift giving season, and end up assuming that the bigger or more expensive a present is, the more valuable it is to the person receiving the gift. Most of the time, this is really not the case. It’s the thought that counts!
Instead of squandering your savings on unnecessarily extravagant gifts during holiday shopping, here are some vital tips on how to do that shopping on a budget.
1. Plan Your Shopping Priorities Early
Start planning your holiday shopping strategy early enough so that you can do the budgeting you need right. Most people find themselves overspending because they just didn’t plan well for it. And the earlier you do your holiday shopping, the more the time you have to be picky. You will be able to compare prices and explore the many alternatives available.
Shopping early also helps you avoid last-minute panic purchases that can blow up your holiday spending budget.
2. Prioritize Your Shopping List
You may want to give a little something to many people this holiday season, but if you are doing your holiday shopping on a budget, it’s wise to carefully prioritize your gift list.
Consider who your first priority on the list is and work backward. Make a list of the potential gifts to each person and keep track of their prices. Then you can make smart decisions about what you can and cannot afford, before you’re standing in a store wishing you can just get it all for everyone!
3. Avoid Impulse Buying
If you don’t have the luxury of shopping big during the holidays, avoid impulse buys at all costs.
It’s easy to get carried away by the holiday spirit when everything in the malls looks eye-catching and most of the items are discounted. You will often find yourself tempted to buy something outside your gift list, and although this isn’t always bad, it can spoil your holiday shopping when on a budget
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4. Opt for Digital Gifts
If you want a trick on how to save money while holiday shopping, this is it! With today’s digital age, you can send greeting cards and monetary gifts from the comfort of your home with the click of a button. This saves you valuable time and money going from store to store searching for gifts which can be costly.
Websites such as E-Gift Cards and the Gift Card Lab offer you plenty of choices for electronic gift cards. Others such as American Greetings and Blue Mountain even offer you options to buy and customize your holiday greeting cards. These sites also have plenty of gift options at very affordable prices.
5. Eliminate Any Superfluous Expenses
Not every holiday gift requires some expensive wrapping or bow around it. The extra embellishments that often accompany gifts tend to blow your budget out of proportion. Instead, you can simply streamline your gift wrapping and save big on extra costs. After all, these wrappings end up in the trash can, so be careful not to spend $5-10 extra when it can be avoided.
6. Search for the Hidden Amazon Discounts
Amazon is without a doubt a great place to shop for your holiday gifts. Money Saving Expert notes that there are plenty of discounts on holiday gifts sold by the online retail giant, but they are only for those who know where to look! Want to be among them?
Use the Amazon Discount Finder tool to hunt for discounted gifts and save up to 80% on some items. You can search for what to buy on Black Friday, Christmas, July 4th, Memorial Day Weekend, and more.
All these holiday shopping tips and holiday shopping tricks are guaranteed to give you a great holiday gifting experience even while on a budget.
