It’s November, which means that holiday season is upon us. In
recent years, businesses have been pushing holiday sales, especially Black
Friday. This has encouraged shoppers to make holiday purchases well in advance to
save money. But it also cuts into holiday time that many feel should be spent
with families.
Does holiday time seem overwhelming or hectic? Or maybe you
wonder how you can pay for presents for everyone on your list? If you are stressing
out over your budget, or how to balance school or work with holiday
preparations, there are ways you can make your job easier.
·
Pay
cash for everything. You shouldn’t take on debt to buy
presents, so using only cash keeps you from spending money you don’t have.
Don’t take more money with you than you’re really prepared to spend.
·
Write
down a list of all the gifts you are going to buy and which stores you
will need to visit to find what you are looking for. Stay away from stores not
on your list and don’t buy extra presents just because they’re on sale.
·
Try
DIY (Do-It-Yourself) gifts. Maybe you are not a big crafter, but DIY
gifts are an excellent way to save money; and besides, a homemade present could
be especially meaningful to someone because you made it just for them.
·
Have
a gift exchange. You might not need to buy a gift for
everyone you know. If your family and friends are having a holiday party, a
gift exchange will save everyone money. Each of you can draw one other person’s
name from a basket and buy a present for him or her. This can be a fun way to
exchange gifts, and everyone in your group will get something chosen just for
them.
Black Friday sales can save you money, but there are other
ways to avoid paying full price. Look on several stores’ Web sites for the best
prices and to find out which stores are selling what you want to buy. You might
find a lot of what you want at the big box stores, but do not forget Small
Business Saturday—two days after Thanksgiving—because you could find unique
gifts for your loved ones. And you will be supporting small businesses in your
area.
READERS,
what do you think?
1. Have
you started thinking about holiday shopping? If yes, what have you done so far?
2. What
are your thoughts on holiday shopping and promotions advertised before Thanksgiving?
What do you think about Black Friday and other early sales?
3. What other preparations do you need to
make for the holidays? What are you going to do to reduce the stress and make
the most of time with family and friends?
References:
Bodnar, J. (2008, November). Ten Holiday Shopping Tips. Kiplinger.com. Retrieved November 9,
2015, from http://www.kiplinger.com/article/spending/T062-C000-S001-ten-holiday-shopping-tips.html.
Leinbach-Reyhle, N. (2015, November 3). Early Black Friday Savings
Are Here in a Big Way, But Should You Start Buying? Forbes. Retrieved November 3, 2015, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/nicoleleinbachreyhle/2015/11/03/early-black-friday-savings-are-here-in-a-big-way-but-should-customers-begin-to-buy/.
