In 2020, the average American household spent over $1,500 during the holiday season. This year, it will likely climb digits higher as we have all been affected by the pandemic, and there is this subsequent dip in the economy. People want to hunt the best Christmas deals to save money when shopping for Christmas gifts.
You can even start with good but cheap Christmas gifts. While it is always a smart idea to optimize your Christmas shopping in terms of budgeting and spending, it is especially important this year. Furthermore, the good news is that now it is easy to shop for gifts while staying true to your budget.
Here are some of our Christmas shopping tips.
1. Find Extra Savings
While doing your gift shopping this year, take time to download a few of the best cashback apps and dig for deals. You do not have to dig for long; Dosh will give you 10% cashback which is directly deposited in your Dosh Wallet after the purchase goes through. Rakuten permits you to earn 40% off at stores.
2. Gift Your Services
If money is truly tight this year, do not stress. You can find creative ways that you can go Christmas gift shopping without leaving your house or even logging onto the internet. Ask your family and friends what they need this year. Perhaps it is a night off without kids, help fix something around the house or a nice home-cooked meal. Chances are, you can provide them with the best Christmas gift without losing a penny.
3. Take Advantage of Seasonal Sales
Christmas Sale is an awesome time to shop for deals, especially online ones. After Christmas Sale are those days that will benefit you in discounted deals. This year, to stimulate the economy, it has expected that retailers will hold bigger annual sales and offer larger discounts. Next year, try to plan for this holiday season before time, like at the end of summer.
4. Make a List
This is also one of the best Christmas-saving solutions you should know. Please make a list, then double-check it. Making a list every time you go shopping is a fabulous way to prevent unnecessary spending. Our guide suggests this to saving money while grocery shopping, but it also applies to Christmas shopping. Make a list of gifts, wrapping paper, or any other items you would need. Nevertheless, remember not to purchase anything else. This will not only help you avoid overspending, but it also ensures that you can get in and out of the shop instantly.
5. Budget & Save Early
You can start now. Download a budgeting tool, and it will help you budget your finances. If you can see where your hard-earned money is going, you can shift it around and save before the holidays start. A tool such as Mint, YNAB, or Good budget is suggested. These allow you to allocate specific amounts of your money toward spending categories.
6. Pay in Cash
It is easy to put everything on a card and pay it back later. Nevertheless, this Christmas season, avoid charging anything to a credit card if possible. Unless you are paying with a cashback-optimized debit card, it is highly suggested to stick with cold, hard cash. It is a way to help you avoid overspending on gifts you do not have to buy. When you head to the store with your list, the exact cash in hand, and nothing else, if you see something you like, you will be forced to head home and think it over, therefore reducing impulse spending.
7. Shop with Cashback
This shopping trip is our favorite one. Spending a good time this holiday season does not have to drain your savings, which most probably it would. However, if you have got a cashback debit card like the Cheese Debit Card, you can earn back that money while you are purchasing Christmas gifts. Another way to earn money is to refer friends and access early direct deposit features.
Conclusion
Plan delivery and return times when you are shopping online because you may not get what you want, or you may have to wait until after Christmas for some items. Most shops give return dates that are long around Christmas. It hardly takes a second to read the small print and see exactly what the time scales are so you are not disappointed later. Some stores with the best Christmas deals keep an eye on them and keep these best Christmas shopping tips in mind.
Read more: How to Get the Best Christmas Deals 2023
