Holiday Shopping Tips

Many people dread holiday shopping. Just the thought of it makes them shudder. We don’t want to see you all stressed out before the holidays even arrived, so we are here to help. As a busy Mom of 5, I have found ways around all of that stress so that I can actually enjoy the holidays and look forward to them. It doesn’t matter if your shopping list includes hundreds of cray items from an Alessi kettle to the new must have toys, we have tips to help you stay sane this holiday shopping season.

Holiday Shopping Tips…

1. Prepare yourself ahead of time. Do not leave the house without a plan. This will only leave you frustrated and wishing you hadn’t left at all. Have a game plan.
2. Make a List. Lists are very instrumental and a must when it comes to holiday shopping. Ask friends and family what they would like ahead of time and make a list.
3. Research. Go online and research the products you plan to buy. Make sure they have good reviews ahead of time. You can also price compare online so you know you are getting the products at the best possible price.
4. Don’t wait until the last minute. Often times we wait until the last minute to start our shopping and then the thought of shopping and spending a lot of money stresses us. Start early, spend a little each week leading up to the holiday shopping season so that you don’t feel so “broke” and so unorganized and stressed when the holidays get here.
5. Buy gift cards! One of the easiest ways to shop is by purchasing gift cards. Not only does it allow the recipient of the gift the opportunity to get something they love, but it saves you a lot of time as well.
6. Let the store wrap your gift! If a store offers free wrapping, let them do it! This service will save you a ton of time and some cash you would have spent on wrapping paper, tape and gift tags.
7. Always wear comfortable shoes while shopping. You definitely do not want to go out in your favorite heels. They might look adorable, but your feet will be sorry when you get home. Don’t put yourself through the pain just before the holidays.
8. Shipping. If shipping gifts to out of town family and friends have them shipped directly to the home of the recipient. Some companies will even gift wrap and include a gift receipt with the package. This also saves a lot of time and most companies will offer free shipping around the holidays.
9. Bring a friend. Often when we are shopping alone we can get overwhelmed and make impulse purchases just so we can get our shopping wrapped up. A friend can not only be there for support, help making decisions, but also to give you someone to talk to.
10. Buy a Family Gift.Say you have to purchase a gift for your brother, his wife and their 5 kids, rather than purchasing 7 individual gifts, purchase one “Family” gift that everyone can share and enjoy together. Maybe something like a Gift Card to the bowling alley, movie tickets, family dvds, a day’s worth of zoo tickets, the possibilities are endless!