I know what you’re thinking already after you read the headline. How can we be talking about holiday shopping and it’s barely October? Well the “cold” hard truth is that it’s never too early to shop for the holidays and starting your shopping early may actually make the process enjoyable.
In all my years of strategizing about holiday shopping, I’ve only ever come up with one drawback to shopping early, and it’s what I’d call the “guess what I bought?” issue. Yes, if you’re shopping early and your gift recipient happens to buy the same item you already purchased before the holidays, then someone will be returning their purchase. Beyond that shopping early always works out best.
With internet shopping all the rage, there are very few items that will actually go down in price as the holiday gets closer. Other than a few Black Friday electronic items or local sales, most prices remain stable through the last few months of the calendar year. So while it may only be Oct., now is the time to start your holiday shopping.
Starting now will give you a solid 11-weeks to work through your shopping list. This extra time allows you to plan your purchases carefully, research any size/color info you don’t already have AND most importantly, you have 11-weeks to do price comparisons and shop for the best value. How many times have you over paid for an item because the holidays are just a few days away, or the shipping timeframe is getting late? Well worry no more if you shop early.
With that in mind, I think there are some broad categories of gifts you should consider to help with your shopping list as well as helping with your budget. My list consists of a lot of adults and very few children, so I think one of my first go-to gift considerations is alcohol. If you really know the people on your list, you can certainly pick out that special beer, wine or spirit and buy them something you know they’ll love. If you’re not so sure, then a gift set may be the way to go. Consider https://www.nakedwinery.com/product/Youre-Awesome-Gift-Set as a great option for the wine lovers on your list. These Naked Wine gift sets include a lot more than just wine and they even include personal care items and more to show how much you care. This sort of gift box can be a really nice way to split the difference between a full alcohol gift and something more.
For the outdoorsman or outdoorswoman on your list there are lots of great items big and small. While clothing and accessories can be really thoughtful gifts, some people may be a bit harder to buy for. For the skiers on my list I’m considering ski equipment and for the hunters on my list, I’m actually looking at Ten Point Crossbows from this website here now. You’ll need to know a but about your hunting family members, but these make for a great gift.
It’s hard to beat electronics for the holidays, so consider what your family members may need or want, and price compare carefully as computer and home electronic prices and features may vary considerably.
Before you break out your credit card and start shopping, always have a budget in mind. Take your time to shop prices and watch for upcoming sales and on-line coupons to stretch your dollar. I like to always watch my Basic Finance Tips click now to stay on top of the latest trends on saving for things beyond holiday shopping like your first home.
In the end it’s never too early to start shopping. Do your research now, make out your shopping list and begin looking for the best prices and on-line or local deals. The money you save can go a long way toward other financial goals, and the time you save may actually help you enjoy the shopping process and holidays even more.
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