Christmas reminds us of the beauty of selfless giving. But it also comes with a great deal of haggling, pushing and shoving- if you’re unfortunate to get caught up in the last minute rush that plays out at the markets just before the day.
Asides getting a few knocks in the side on a crowded market street, you will also have to spend more money on most things than you would have just a few days before.
To avoid the discomfort of shopping late and the much more consequential outcome of parting with scarce cash, you’ll have to plan your holiday spending ahead of time. Here are a few tips you should follow in doing so.
1. Get Started. Long Before Its Christmas
Don’t wait until its days before Christmas to draw up a list of things to buy. If you do, you might just get sucked up in the late shopping frenzy, and end up paying more for things.
Start planning for your holiday shopping weeks- or if possible, months –before the season dawns. Come up with a list of things you could get for Christmas, and draw up a budget. Buy them while they are relatively inexpensive, before the Christmas price shoot-ups begin. There’s nothing wrong with buying gift shoes and bags for Christmas in July, or end of the year holiday clothes in August. Of course, perishable items can’t be planned for in this way; but whatever has to be gotten for the holidays should be purchased before prices begin to skyrocket. If you have a freezer, you can stick your turkey in it weeks before December 25.
2. Search out the Best Deals- Online and Offline
Although things tend to be more expensive during the Christmas season than at any other time of the year, it’s always possible to find great bargains. You’ll have to do some digging though. Inquire from friends, family and anyone who could give you good information about stores offering products at lower prices than the prevailing market price.
There’s also a lot to be found online, especially on social media. Hunting for good deals might not be as easy as simply going to the nearest or most popular shops, but in the end, it’s usually worth it. Monitor e-commerce stores, and look out for special offerings and discounts (it’s easier to keep tabs of them through social media).
3. Buy the Best Gifts- With Your Income in Mind
Here’s a difficult balancing act: you need to get a gift (or more) that would be appreciated by its recipients, but do so with little funds at your disposal. This problem often comes up when you have to decide on what’s best to give as a gift, without burning a hole in your pocket. One way to resolve this problem is to draw up a list of things you could give as gifts, and attach to each item its market cost. Then decide which of the listed items could be bought with what you have- or what you should spend, given your plans for the future.
In a nutshell: don’t be too miserly to give your loved ones a treat, or so rigid about giving them ‘the best’, that you put yourself in difficult straits financially.
Whatever you do, remember this- January will come around. You wouldn’t want to be left with little to go by in the so-called ‘dry month’, when business drags on slowly, and money isn’t so easy to come by. Save yourself from such a situation, by planning for the holidays before they come, and by doing so the right way.
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