Controlling Your Holiday Shopping

By: Martin Lukac
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:17:39
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Holiday shopping is one of the top budget busters during the year. Very few people actually take the time to save for it all year long.

When I was a child, my parents didn't have any credit accounts anywhere. They paid cash for what they purchased or did without. I remember that my mother would start Christmas shopping a few months ahead of time and put things in layaway. She could pay a little at a time and when Christmas arrived she had the items paid for. Without a credit card bill to deal with for the rest of the year.

One of the top keys to saving on your holiday shopping is to plan ahead. When it comes to decor, you often have to think of it the year before. Most retailers offer large sales after a holiday is over. You can often find Christmas trees at a fraction of the cost, holiday decor is quite inexpensive and Halloween costumes for next year.

You can even use these sales to shop for gifts for next year. Stock up on cheap ornaments to use as decor and gift tags. Buy knick knacks and holiday items for office gifts.

When it comes to the holidays, often the gift giving is the most expensive aspect. A great idea is to keep a large plastic container as a gift box. You can fill this box throughout the year. This is great for when you see that sweater on sale that your sister would love. Simply keep yourself a list so that you know what you've bought for whom. You can also stock up on gifts for the drop-by visitor. You will always look prepared.

You can save a lot of money by buying gifts when they are on sale. You won't likely find these sales during the Christmas rush.

If you aren't a frequent shopper and often don't see great sales, you can simply devote each month to finding certain gifts. For example, if there are twenty-four people on your gift list, find two gifts each month. This really helps in stretching out your spending over 12 months instead of lumping it all in there in December.

You can even take the time to make something instead of purchase it. Or you can celebrate your holiday gift giving a little different in your family. There are many families out there that ask the members to only give non-purchased items. That means that you give something you already have or something you have made. This is often quite fun for children and a good lesson in giving.

By taking the whole year to purchase gifts, you are able to put more thought into each gift. You avoid the madhouse that is holiday shopping in most stores. You are less stressed and well prepared to enjoy spending time with your family.

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