As Christmas comes bounding around the corner, the shops begin to fill and the traffic is terrible. To avoid this, try to start your Christmas shopping early.
There are so many advantages to getting the Christmas shopping done before December. Firstly, if you’re not rushing around, you have more time to find the best deal and make a better decision. Not only will you be stress free, but your bank account will be grateful for the time you took to find the cheapest option.
So here are some tips on how to stay on top of your Christmas shopping:
Plan
Half an hour of your day, sitting at a table to plan your shopping can really go a long way. Planning means writing a list and sticking to it. Ideally you can start this list well before December, so there’s plenty of time to add new ideas or make changes.This gives you time to properly think about who you need to buy gifts for and what they would like.
If you’re really ahead of the game, you can keep an ear out throughout the year for when friends and family mention something they want. This way you already have an idea what to buy them for Christmas.
Avoid The Crowds
If your list is done early on, you can start shopping in dribs and drabs. If you happen to be in the right shop, you can check out what’s available and buy it then. One by one you can cross off people’s names and be done well before December has even started.
However, if you have left it to the last month, or need to grab a few last minute things we recommend heading to the shops early in the morning to avoid the rush later in the day.
Scour The Internet
The internet is a great place to get all your shopping done at once. However, it is important to factor in delivery time. The earlier you make your online purchase, the better. If anything goes wrong and the product is delayed, at least you have a bit of leeway to play with.
Also, don’t forget the delivery price. Leaving online shopping to the last minute means you might need to pay more for a faster delivery. If you won’t actually see the person before Christmas, you could consider sending the gift directly to their house.
Keep Your Receipts!
Whether its clothes or toys, don’t forget to keep the receipt. After you’ve done your shopping, pop them into an envelope and keep this on stand by at least until the new year. You never know if sizing is wrong or presents have doubled up, so if you have your envelope full of receipts on hand then you can easily change it for something else.
With enough planning, it’s not hard to stay one step ahead of the crowd. Unless you enjoy fighting for a car spot and waiting in shopping queues, take that little extra time to plan ahead. You’ll be thankful that you did!