Essential Holiday Shopping Tips

In case you haven’t realized it, the holiday shopping season is already here. In fact, it’s been here since the end of October. Yes, Halloween now ushers in the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season. Please don’t bemoan that fact, just deal with it because we’re never going back to the quaint and antiquated Thanksgiving kick-off to the holiday season.

With all that being said, there’s no need to worry if you haven’t given your holiday shopping a thought. There’s still well over a month to get out there, either to a brick-and-mortar store or cybernetically…not even sure if that’s the proper term but you know what I mean.

Anyway, on to the holiday shopping tips…

• Use it, don’t abuse it…your credit card that is, especially in this inflationary world we now live in. It takes the average credit card user 2.2 months to pay off their holiday debts and over 30% of credit card users have not paid off last year’s debt. Do not become one of those people. Here’s why (Warning, math ahead): If you build up a $1,000 credit card debt on a card with 18% interest and make the minimum $20.00 payment, it will take you 93 months (almost 8 years!) to pay off that debt while paying $862.00 in interest. If you double that monthly payment to $40.00 it will take you 32 months to pay off that $1,000 debt and cut your interest paid to $263.00. Another tip is to add $50.00 to your minimum payment, in this case that would be $70.00 which would pay off that $1,000 debt in 16 months and only cost you $134.00 in interest. You can find other credit card advice
• Create a holiday budget and stick to it! Just like Santa does, create a list of all the people you plan to purchase gifts for and the amount you are willing to spend on that person. Then, find (see: shop for) the appropriate gift that fits within that dollar amount. Remember, purchase gifts based on your salary/budget, not that of the recipient. Another thing to remember, do not give in to the pressure to overspend this holiday season. Listening to people say things like, “But it’s the holidays and they only come around once-a-year.” does not help you stay within your budget.
• Get out there ASAP. Another thing that has changed over the years is that, while Black Friday is still a thing, it is no longer restricted to the Friday after Thanksgiving. There are plenty of “Black Friday” deals out there now and here’s the website to help you find them. Also, the earlier you spend the longer you have to defray the debt you accrue. One other thing, shopping early does not necessarily mean buying early (unless you find a super deal). Shopping early gives you the time to find the best deals rather than panic buying on December 23^rd. Wait, one other thing…if you’re thinking about getting a personalized gift, now is the time to get that order in.
• Don’t be afraid to use shopping apps. There are dozens of them out there that can help you save money, find deals, get coupons, compare prices, locate loyalty programs, get cash back and more. Here’s a site that helps you find the cash-back app that’s right for you. As for shopping apps, here’s a list of the most popular ones out there: BuyVia, Shopkick, ShopSavvy, and Shopular. Those should keep you busy and saving money for a while.
• Lastly and most important, enjoy the holiday season. Try not to let the economy, inflation, pressure to find the perfect gift, or your dysfunctional family (every family is dysfunctional in its own way, btw) get you down. Remember what this season is about…peace on Earth, good will towards our fellow (wo)man and the joy that comes with giving rather than receiving. Happy shopping and Happy Holidays.