Shopping for Christmas gifts is always hectic, especially when you wait until the last minute to do your bidding. This is why savvy shoppers are always promoting the concept of early Christmas shopping. Some advise to start in October, while others will even begin in June. We’ve even see some people suggest shopping and planning 11 months in advance! The pattern we’re seeing is that it’s never too early to start buying gifts and doing it sooner than later is the best idea.
If you’re thinking about jump-starting your x-mas shopping, then jot down the following tips!
Who Are You Buying Gifts For?
You need to create a list of names of people you’re going to buy gifts for. This will help you plan out how many gifts you need to buy and what types you need to consider. You can include friends, family, co-workers and even folks in your neighborhood and community. Your budget will set the tone for how many gifts you’re going to buy this year.
Set Your Budget Early
As soon as you complete your list, you need to set a budget. This is very important for many reasons. If you’re like most shoppers, you can get pretty carried away when you’re buying items for others. You need to ensure you remain within your budget, so everyone on the list can get something nice. One idea is to save a bit of money each month to put towards your Christmas buying fund.
Write Notes Next to Each Name
Now, it’s time to figure out what type of gifts each person on your list would like. You know them best, and if you don’t, feel free to ask. It’s early in the year, so they won’t expect (or remember) that this has anything to do with Christmas. Include notes next to each person’s name, so you won’t forget. Try to choose multiple options for each person just in case, such as books, movies, games or concert tickets.
Start Buying Gifts as Soon as Possible
Some people begin buying early Christmas gifts as soon as Dec. 26th. Look around for deals and sales throughout the year for the different items on your list. By the time x-mas rolls around again, you’ll have all the gifts for everyone already.
Make a Timeline of Goals
Procrastination is the number one issue Christmas shoppers have. You can combat this by setting a goal. Choose a date by when you need to have all the gifts purchased. This can be Dec 20th or much sooner, like July 31st. This will help keep you motivated and on track. Set up monthly reminders, so you don’t fall behind.
Search for Online Coupons
You can find great deals online from sites like Groupon, which features deals from all sorts of merchants. You can even find great decorations to use for your x-mas parties from shops like Balsam Hill.
If you’re trying to prepare for this upcoming Christmas, then these tips should help you get all your ducks in a row!