It’s the time of year to get your holiday shopping done if you haven’t done so already. However, it can easily get out of hand or become more of a nuisance than it might seem worth. Don’t fret: here are some pointers on how to get your shopping done while keeping it fun and budget-friendly:
01: Budget
Creating a budget and sticking to it is key to keeping your finances in line any time of the year, but it can really be key to come out of the holiday season ahead. So, before you start spending, make sure you organize what you have available to spend and a list of how much you can spend on each person then do not allow yourself to go over that set dollar amount.
02: No Impulse Buying
Just as important as sticking to the budget is sticking to your set list of people you buy for and deciding how much you’re going to spend on each one of them. With so many good deals you might come across, you might become tempted to impulse buy, but that can become dangerous in more ways than one. Without self-will to just say no, you can end up with a lot of presents for the same person and none for another or you can burn through your money and end up in the red in no time. Unless you’ve already done some careful thinking it over, it’s usually best just to walk away.
03: Homemade
Usually everyone likes something that comes from the heart more than the store, so creating gifts might be a better and more budget-friendly way to go. Think about each individual and make one-of-a-kind creations just for them. A couple of ideas could consist of movie gift baskets with DVDs, candy and popcorn, or a home relaxation kit with a candle, soaps and towels. You can even show off your culinary creations and make plates of cookies, fudge or a pie.
04: Dollar Store
Before you rule it out, you might be amazed about how many potential gifts you can run across at dollar stores. Sometimes they have everything from photo frames to fuzzy socks and what’s even more great is you can usually find greeting cards and all the wrapping necessities there as well; it becomes a one-stop shop.
05: Keep it Simple
There’s no need to go overboard with anything. Sometimes the most simple gifts can mean much more than extravagant ones. Keeping it simple and easy is much less stressful on you and your pocketbook and the receiver of the gifts should be grateful for anything.
06: Gift Exchange
Instead of giving presents to all your family and friends and finding yourself in a time and money crunch, consider pulling names and have each person buy for one other person instead. This cuts down on the time and money spent plus you can use more of your budget on your one person instead.
No matter how you go about your holiday shopping, it’s always a good idea to get receipts and, if shopping online, make sure you’re purchasing from a reputable and legit company. Make it fun and exciting and look forward to seeing the smile on the recipients face come the time your gift/gifts are given.
