It’s that time of year again, and we know what you’re thinking: “It’s barely November! The holidays are a whole month away.” But be wary collegiates, the hustle and bustle for the perfect gift are just around the corner. The holiday season puts a lot of stress on us and…our wallets. So don’t wait to get started!
1. Decide who you are shopping for
Though you want to buy gifts for everyone (it is the season of giving, right?) with the budget of a college student you will be forced to pick and choose. So who makes your essentials list? Mom, dad, siblings? Your aunt who always sends the best gifts? That special someone? It’s up to you to decide. You may feel pressured to buy gifts for all of your friends, but don’t be afraid to suggest grabbing lunch instead or doing secret santa so you only have to buy one gift instead of several.
2. How much money will you spend on them?
It’s easy to go crazy, and buy the nicest gifts for everyone on your list. But make a plan ahead of time of how much you will spend on each person. Maybe spend a little bit more on Mom than you would on your brother because she does so much for you. If you have a significant other, don’t feel pressured to buy the most expensive gift in the world. Getting them something they will genuinely like is much more meaningful than throwing away money on something you assume they will.
3. Start shopping early!
Not only do stores get wild and traffic heightens, but shipping prices sky rocket over the holiday season. If you’re studying a good distance away from home, it is especially important to start shopping now so you don’t end up throwing away big bucks on cardboard boxes and snail mail.
4. Wrap, Write, and Send
Set a date for when you want to have all of your shopping finished and sent to all of the nice kids on your list. This will eliminate the unnecessary stress of last-minute holiday shopping because there really is no time for that with upcoming finals.
5. Did you get everything done?
Take a minute to look back over all of your planning and make sure you got everything done. Did you send Aunt Susie that candle you bought her? Ship home all your presents? Wrap every last box?
Holiday shopping is surely a handful, but it doesn’t need to be stressful. By planning ahead and staying on top of your checklist, you will be sure to have a holly jolly holiday season!