The holiday season is upon us! It’s a joyous time for many of us, but it can also be an expensive time of year, especially if you’re on a fixed budget or you have a long list of family and friends on your gift list. Fortunately, there are things you can do to save money when holiday shopping.
Take a look at some money saving tips for holiday shopping this year:
Create a Budget
It’s a good idea to create a budget before you start shopping. Make a list of everyone you need to shop for and how much you want to spend on each person. This will prevent you from spending more than you need to.
Look for Deals
The holidays are a time for spending money, but you will also see a lot of great deals happening at department stores or online! Shop around to see which stores are offering the best prices and go where the bargains are.
Use Online Coupon Apps
You can also take advantage of discounts when shopping online. Internet plug-ins like Honey or Deal Finder will alert you of the coupons you can use to get deals at certain e-commerce shops – so be sure to run them before checking out.
Be Smart with Credit Cards
Credit cards may seem convenient during the holidays as they will keep you from spending much needed cash. But after the holidays are over, those bills will be due – plus interest. Use credit cards only to cover only the items you can pay off quickly.
Quality for Free Shipping
If you are shopping online, try to find items for everyone on your list so that your order qualifies for free shipping which will help lower your costs. Most major retailers offer free shipping if you spend around $50, so bundle your gift buying together to qualify!
Redeem Points During the Holiday Season
If you have any points racked up from credit cards or other memberships, now is the time to use them! By waiting until the holidays to use your reward points from the year, they can help to cover the cost of your seasonal expenses.
DIY if Possible
If you’re crafty, you may be able to make your gifts instead of buying them. This is a great way to save money and create something from the heart! There are plenty of DIY project ideas available online, so do some quick research and get crafting.
Talk to Family and Friends About Scaling Back
The holidays can be very stressful financially, so don’t be afraid to talk to adult friends and family about setting limits. You may agree to keep gifts under $25, or you may decide to forgo gift-giving completely and simply enjoy quality time together.
We wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday season!
